It's All About that Base [Layer]

Let's spend a minute talking about creating some good foundations. I'm talking all about that base, about that base... layer... the rug. One of the biggest design mistakes I see is a too-small rug floating in the middle of a big room. Making your space feel large and luxurious, or centered and grounded, can all be accomplished with an appropriately-sized rug.

Here's the rule:

You want AT LEAST the front legs of all sofas or chairs on the rug. Think of your rug as the line that connects all of your furnishings together in the space. If you have the space for a giant rug with all of your furniture to comfortably sit on it, then YES, HONEY, go for it! Make your room shine with color and texture! And here's the thing - a small room also needs the biggest rug it can possibly fit. Your room will visually expand with an amazing base layer. Add in some pattern, texture, or color (or all three!), and you've got a major design refresh without even having to crack open a can of paint or bringing in other new pieces.

Don't know where to start?

We've compiled some of our favorite tried-and-true rugs as a launching point. There's the Chunky Jute rug with lots of great texture that has a nice, warm base to let your boho furniture shine. Or, if you love the inspo pic at the beginning of this post, this White Scandinavian rug may be just the ticket. One of my absolute favorite rugs to use when we're changing the color of a space but the paint color needs to stay, is this super Soft & Shimmery rug. It creates a lovely, feel-good base color for when you want to introduce a blue-green tone without committing to painting your walls. And finally, for those with a playful side, the Worth the Tassel rug is just so, well, worth it.

Catherine French Design is a team of interior design consultants based out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. We have provided residential and commercial services in Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Durham, Fayetteville, and beyond.