A Guide To Buying Rugs
Of all the decisions that go into a room, the rug might be the one I’ve gotten wrong the most times.
I buy pretty much buy all rugs online, which is genuinely difficult. You can’t feel the texture, the color always looks different on screen than in person, and scale is almost impossible to judge from a photo. I have returned more rugs than I’d like to admit.
But I’ve also gotten it really right a few times, and those wins taught me more than the losses did.
This article is a honest look at the rugs in our home– what worked, what didn’t, and the practical things I’ve learned that I wish I’d known earlier. My hope is that it saves you a few returns.
Rugs In Our Home
I get so many questions about our rugs, so I’ve rounded up everything that’s still available with details on what I love about each one.
A note: a few rugs aren’t included, specifically the vintage one in our oldest son’s room. If you’re looking for something similar, searching Turkish rugs on Etsy is a great place to start.
The Scallop Rug
Without a doubt the most asked-about rug in our house. If even a corner of it shows up in a photo, I get questions.
I originally bought the Anthropologie version as a runner for the entryway and it immediately became my favorite thing in the whole house– the scallops! The yellow! The green! The Anthropologie version is no longer available, but honestly? The Amazon version might be even better! It’s brighter, softer, and a fraction of the price.
I have the Amazon version in our entryway now and it’s perfect. An so many readers have messaged to say the same thing– it’s one of those rare cases where the more affordable option genuinely holds its own.
Shop it here
Rifle Paper Co x Loloi Eden Rug
An absolute winner. It comes in green and pink– we have the green, which I think of as a neutral. It adds a soft pop of color without taking over the room.
It’s also surprisingly affordable– the 9×12 is typically under $400, which is a genuinely good price for that size. Add a plush rug pad underneath and it becomes even better.
Shop it here
Tiger Rug
A newer addition and it has brought so much joy. It’s extremely soft but I want to be upfront — it’s brighter/whiter than most of our rugs, a little neon-y. Not sure how to describe it but it stands out! It took some getting used to but it’s grown on me completely.
I use the tiger runner alongside the scallop rug in the entryway — the runner runs alongside the shoe bench and the scallop defines the seating area. Two rugs in one space sounds like a lot but it actually helps define the zones really clearly.
And there’s a matching lampshade, obviously.
Shop it here
Edelweiss Floral Rug
When our Rifle Paper rug in the living room finally retired, I wanted something very soft and very colorful– we spend a lot of time on the floor in that room with the kids.
This Anthropologie x MINDTHEGAP floral is gorgeous in person. The base is a lovely light green with yellow, blue, and a pink border woven in. Soft, colorful, and completely at home in the space.
Shop it here
Rainbow Stripe Rug
I originally found this on Pottery Barn Kids and bought it from an Etsy vendor. Unfortunately it doesn’t appear to be available from either source anymore from either– but I found a similar one on Etsy. I’ve never shopped from that vendor though so I can’t speak to quality, etc.
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Washable Rugs!
Our Ruggable in our youngest son’s room has been fantastic. The exact rug isn’t available anymore but Ruggable consistently has great colorful options and they genuinely are washable — I’ve washed up to an 8×10 at home without any issues.
One thing to know: the basic pile is pretty thin. If you plan to spend a lot of time sitting on it, the upgraded pile height is probably worth it.
My current favorite from their lineup is this blue stripe rug from their Goop collaboration.
Shop ruggable
Pink Floral Rug
I love this rug so much! It’s colorful and has fantastically fun edges.
This is actually the rug I chose using our color palette! There were several I liked, but this was the only one that truly worked when I compared them all side by side.
It was the moment I really started trusting the palette as a decision-making tool.
Shop it here
Custom Rugs From Ernesta
I haven’t purchased from Ernesta yet but I love the concept– custom rugs in any size, with samples you can order first!
I tried several samples when rug shopping for the entryway and loved being able to see them in the actual space before committing. They’re on the pricier side but they have sales regularly.
Shop now
Rugs That DIdn’t Work
For every rug win there’s a miss. Here are three– all from the same search for the same space!
Rifle Paper Co x Loloi Provence Loved it online, disappointed in person. The rug is very thin and the colors practically disappear when you look at it from an angle. It just reads as bright white from the side– not what I was going for at all!
Crate & Barrel Sisal I went through a phase of trying to go neutral with rugs. The sisal seemed like a safe, textural option. When it arrived, the linen color was so light against our floors that it looked unnatural and stood out in exactly the wrong way. In retrospect, a darker colorway would probably have worked, but the whole experiment reminded me that I just don’t love a neutral rug.
Scallop Rug in Green I love the light blue scallop so much that I thought the green colorway would be equally perfect somewhere else. It wasn’t. The yellow read as brown in person and the gray border was much heavier than it looked online. The Anthropologie return process was easy and only cost $5.95 for a UPS label.
Practical Tips For Choosing A Rug
Think About The Rug’s Job First
Should it have main character energy?
Before you fall in love with a pattern, decide what role the rug is playing in the space. Is it the star– the colorful statement piece that draws the eye– or is it the supporting cast, a quiet backdrop that lets everything else shine?
The Morris & Co x Ruggable has main character energy. It’s very colorful and very green and it would not sit quietly in a room. I’d style it with lots of neutrals and natural materials to balance it out.
The Rifle Paper Eden, on the other hand, adds color and softness without taking over. You can pile more color on top of it without it feeling like too much.
Knowing which one you need before you start shopping saves a lot of returned rugs.
Consider The Material
It’s so easy to get swept up in a pattern online and forget to think about how the rug will actually live in the space.
Prioritize durability and ease of cleaning for high traffic areas, rooms with kids or pets, or anywhere you plan to sit on the floor. Washable rugs like Ruggable are genuinely great for this.
For bedrooms or lower-traffic spaces where comfort is the priority– go for something soft. A wool or high-pile rug feels completely different underfoot and it’s worth it in a room where you actually feel it.
Use Your Color Palette
This is the single most useful thing I’ve done when choosing rugs. I open Canva, put my palette and the existing room elements on one side, and swap rugs in on the other side until something clicks.
When I was choosing the bedroom rug, I had two options I liked. One of them looked great in isolation– until I put it next to the palette and realized it had way more purple and pink than I’d noticed! The other one was obviously right the moment I saw them together. Fifteen minutes in Canva saved me from a very expensive mistake.
Get The Right Size
Almost always, go bigger than you think
I’m really not one for design rules– BUT!– if you are looking for direction when rug shopping, my vote is to GO BIG. A rug looks great when it’s not floating in the middle of a space like an island and is instead grounding it.
If you really need rules… in a living room, the front legs of your sofa and chairs should sit on the rug. In a dining room, all the chair legs should stay on the rug even when pulled out.
My biggest advice? Draw out your space and double check the dimensions before you order– it’s worth the extra five minutes!
Don’t Skip The Rug Pad
Paint Your Frames
A good rug pad makes a surprising difference — not just for keeping the rug in place but for how the floor actually feels underfoot. A thicker pad adds cushioning that’s especially noticeable in rooms where you spend time sitting on the floor.
We have this one