How to Layer Your Rugs

Rugs can make such a big difference in a space, and finding the right one will pull a whole room together. If the space calls for it, we love layering two rugs on top of each other to create some dimension. However, if it’s not done well, a layered rug look can completely throw off a room.

Here are a few things to consider:

Sizing

When it comes to finding a piece that flows with the rest of your design, it’s important to pay attention to sizing, especially if you’re layering!

Although we don’t layer rugs in every project, there are times when we fall in love with a vintage rug that is just a bit too small, and layering can be the perfect solution!

In The McGee Home, we wanted to use a vintage rug in our great room that we found at a flea market a few years ago, but it wasn’t big enough for our space. We decided to layer it with a simple jute rug that was a few inches wider, and we love how they work together.

The biggest mistake we see people make when layering rugs is using the wrong sizes. If you layer a tiny rug over a huge rug, it gets lost and ends up looking unbalanced.

We suggest layering a rug about 2/3 the size of the rug underneath. Typical sizes for layered rugs are 8×10, 6×9, 5×8.

Stability:

When layering rugs, make sure you consider the furniture going on top of them! We suggest trying to keep at least two of your four furniture legs on top of your layered rugs to avoid stability issues.

Mixing patterns

Although we love pattern mixing, we don’t typically mix patterns when layering rugs. For example, we wouldn’t layer a vintage rug on top of a striped rug. We like to keep it simple on the bottom and then play with patterns on the top, or vice versa!

Doormat layering

Layering your doormats is such a fun way to elevate your porch look, and we love doing this with expressive welcome mats and simple textured jute mats or patterned indoor/outdoor mats.

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