Anyone skilled in the game of chess will tell you that the lowly pawn is ignored at your peril. These small soldiers may not be considered high value pieces, but in the big picture they play a vital role in the game. This is very much the same way that accent rugs are often mistakenly relegated to a low spot on the decorating priority list of many new homeowners. Experienced designers, on the other hand, often use the colors in an accent rug to build the entire room’s color scheme.
There’s nothing wrong in adding a rug to a room simply because it’s attractive and the colors at least somewhat complement the existing décor. However, blending colors to actually create a theme that flows through the room is several steps up.
One way to put your personal stamp on the room design is to match the colors in an area rug to one or personal items — a favorite work of art, quilt or afghan, collectibles. Matching the dominant color in the item with a rug and adding lamp shades or matching window treatments creates a unique method of balancing the room while showcasing your prized possessions.
Contemporary rugs by well-known designers, like Calvin Klein, Liz Claiborne, Bob Mackie and even Andy Warhol, are actually referred to as art – floor art. In fact, you can find many of these rugs hanging on walls, instead of being placed on the floor where someone might step on them.
Kitchen accent rugs can go a long way to brighten rooms that sometimes come off feeling more institutional and less homey. They can also provide comfort for the cook who may end up spending several hours at a time standing on unforgiving tile floors. Round accent rugs are often placed in an entryway or small alcove.
It may seem odd to spend thousands of dollars installing new hardwood flooring to only turn around and cover it up, even with something as beautiful as one of the extraordinary styles of foreign accents rugs on the market today. The truth is, however, that the right rug will do a lot to emphasize a wood floor, not detract from it. Plus, it’s a good idea to provide some protection for those high traffic areas of your oak or walnut flooring. Although a solid wood floor can be refinished to it’s original natural beauty, there’s no reason to have to do that any sooner than necessary.
Speaking of protection, another type of flooring that greatly benefits from the addition of home accent rugs is wall-to-wall carpeting. It may seem counter-intuitive to put a rug on top of a rug but it is quite attractive and a lifesaver in those areas that would otherwise quickly show signs of wear.
Perhaps one of the most popular uses of the accent rug is in creating the illusion of division in a room. By staging furniture around the rug, a defined space, such as a sitting area, is created.
Last, but far from least, less than room-sized rugs can not only be easily cleaned but can be replaced fairly inexpensively. This allows for an overall redesign of a room or an entire home without the accompanying huge expense.
Maybe changeability isn’t the final benefit of these colorful and versatile home accessories. They’re also a lot of fun! They help to make your home unlike any other, and their bright, cheerful or refined, peaceful colors give you a boost every time you walk in the room.
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