Decorating & Design
10+ Rooms Where Rugs Are The Art
Updated on November 22, 2023
Occasionally referred to as “the fifth wall,” floors can take centre stage with the right rug, adding warmth, color and texture. Whether they are placed in a child’s room, hallway or living room, these rugs kick things up a notch and illustrate the power of a unique, artistic design.
Soft, graphic cubes are a linear counterpoint to curvy floral upholstery patterns in this London townhouse living room.
A colorful, textured rug is a gutsy foil for deep teal walls in the London home of designer Natalie Tredgett.
The owner of this Brooklyn townhouse loves eclectic design and the color green. The dining room features a carpet with a sinuous snake pattern with a cheeky red tongue.
This rug’s standard grid pattern is broken up with a big blue circle to tie in the sofa and mimic the coffee table shape for a fun, effervescent effect.
A textured, artisanal rug mimics the artwork in this Victoria, B.C. living room, for a harmonious, cohesive effect (it even picks up the coordinating shades of Maeby the Australian Shepherd).
The wavy, striated rug in the bold Rosedale home of Victoria Webster has a mind-bending look and an ice cream palette.
Playful circles and a mint sectional signal that this is a fun room for kids. A Plexiglass coffee table doesn’t obscure the Pop Art rug pattern.
The eye catching pea-green walls in this Connecticut home are hard to compete with, so designer Monica Fried grounded the room with a soft, quiet rug with plenty of plush texture for interest.
Not all rugs have to be rectilinear. A dark wood floor is punched up by an intriguing, jigsaw-edged rug that plays with perception.
Dr. Radha Kohly’s principal bedroom flips the switch with a rich velvet headboard that resembles a carpet, and a geometric cream and white rug underfoot that serves as a calm counterpoint.
This living room’s abstract patterned rug has the visual heft to balance the book-matched marble fireplace and complements its moody veining.
A child’s room is ethereal and whimsical with the addition of a patterned rug — the hot pink tones are a fresh alternative to traditional reds and navy blue.
This living room is full of organic shapes, from the wavy pendant to the heavily veined marble hearth, so it makes sense that the carpet is full of soft, amoeba-like motifs.
A handsome navy rug with a striking pattern gives some weight to white walls and furniture in this waterfront condo in Burlington, Ontario.
A swirling Rorschach-like rug is echoed by marbleized pillows and the results are dreamy in this Toronto condo bedroom.
When walls are this punchy, many designers opt for bare floors. Instead, Cynthia Ferguson doubles down with a cloud-like ombré rug with melting tones of grey and violet as a soft counterpoint to the graphic wallpaper.
The palette in the third-floor principal bedroom is inspired by the vintage rug’s cobalt and gold.