Beat the cold with accent rugs

The cold season has set in a little earlier than expected and it is challenging finding ways to warm up your living space without turning on the heater.

Using accent rugs will quickly add warmth to cold stone and tiled floor and provide a cosy cushioned landing for your feet. Here is what to consider:

Define

Accent rugs can help define specific areas, especially when you have combined rooms such as a living room and a dining area. Each section can have its own colour scheme and a matching area rug will visually separate the areas. Bring out a coffee table by placing a complementary accent rug underneath to bring together the various design elements.

Quick buys

The beauty with accent rugs is that they can be a quick purchase, which makes for easy discarding when you tire of it without much guilt. With a multitude of retail furniture outlets, competitive seasonal sales ensure there is an item for every budget.

Try out various shapes such as round or oval other than the usual rectangular rugs. If your sofa set and curtains have heavy patterns, it is better to use a solid coloured rug. If the rest of the furniture in the room is plain, then by all means buy a patterned rug to add interest to the space.

Buy a rug that is smaller than the floor space. Interior decorator, Abe Assa, recommends that you subtract three feet from the length and width of the room. Leaving the edges of the room bare makes it look a little larger.

When using a rug under a dining table, leave at least 24 inches of rug out of the table so that the chair stays on the rug even when pulled out.

Low maintenance

Decorative accent rugs are also easier to wash, scrub and hang out in the sun than would be a large-scale carpet, which may require professional cleaning. An accent rug can also be easily stored away and rotated.

I have several accent rugs, which I move around various rooms for an instant transformed look, providing a burst of renewed energy in the house.

Placing an area rug in high traffic areas such as corridors and entrances will protect the floor surface from wear and tear.

Place a runner on the corridor and ensure that the rug has a non-slip under-felt to avoid accidental slippage. Runners should be four inches narrower your hallway and 18-24 inches shorter.

Always select a rug that complements the room décor and allow it to reflect your personality to give it some character.

As the name suggests, area rugs are there to accent the décor scheme; do not skimp on your overall finishes such as walls and tiles. A grand looking accent rug will not compensate for skimpily finished shoddy floors.

It is always better to spend more to get a perfect wall finish then you can get away with a low-priced carefully chosen accesorising accent rug.

Photo: sweetydesign.com