Rug Colour Guide- Discovering Colour in Contemporary Rugs

The connection between colour and mood has long been recognised in the interior design industry. It comes as so surprise therefore, that your choice of contemporary rug will greatly effect the overall feel of your room. Ensure sure you make the right choice with our rug colour guide.

Why Does Colour Matter?

The power of colour is often underestimated. In any scenario, from gazing upon a beautiful view to wandering into a majestic historical building, in that very first moment colour is all we see, dramatically influencing our first impression. The same applies to our homes, each room a combination of different coloured items we have carefully selected. A luxury rug will occupy such a large the proportion of space, that its colour becomes vital in determining the overall success of a room scheme. It may seem a daunting thought, but there are many clear ways to guide your choices.

For a more in-depth article about how to choose a rug design and colour for your room, read our definitive guide https://bazaarvelvet.com/contemporary-rugs/

organic abrash wool rug cropped

Rug Colour Guide – The Top Picks for Contemporary Rugs

Soft Neutrals

In our opinion, there are two main scenarios in which a neutral rug would be most appropriate. Firstly, in a room that is bursting with vivid colour, perhaps one with a sofa or curtains in particularly daring shade. As having two large entities of colour side by side can be somewhat overwhelming, a plain neutral rug can offer the ideal solution, providing a base to support and frame pieces of statement furniture.

It can add an air of calm, and pale colours can create the illusion of space and light. Furthermore, neutral rugs give you freedom to replace accent items in the room easy in the knowledge that the rug will still look as beautiful as ever.

Another situation in which a neutral rug would be a wise choice, is in a room that is completely decorated in soft neutrals. Layering slightly different tones of greys or beiges has become a popular method of interior decoration, and a brightly coloured rug in a space such as this would look dreadfully out of place. When selecting the exact shade of your neutral rug, use the wood floor and sofa as a guide. Aim for a few tones lighter or darker than either for the perfect compliment.

Bold Block Colours

Introducing a large swathe of colour to a space effortlessly injects it with energy and life. For a fully furnished room, the best option is to select a hue that is already featured in the space, perhaps in a painting or a patterned cushion. This will give your room a sense of synergy and design intelligence. The best room for this type of rug will be one with fairly neutral walls and soft furnishings, as to give a restful background for your luxury rug.

Multi-coloured Beauties

This option opens the doors to some of the most exciting rug designs on the market, which can be the proganist of an original and imaginative space. For a room that is still a work in progress, they can provide and excellent starting point for the colour scheme for the room. One school of thought suggests using the secondary colour of the rug for the sofa or other large furnishing, and use the tertiary colour for either the walls, accent pieces or other textiles around the room. A beautiful rug design can inspire the whole room.

How to Choose the Right Rug Colour for your Room – Inspiration from Interior Designers

1- Monochrome Rug styled by Jimmie Martin

This dramatic, art-filled room is typical of interior and furniture designer Jimmie Martin. Martin uses strong silhouettes in a range of different shapes to give his rooms an exciting and unexpected form. He’s also very clever with colour, using whites and greys as a backdrop for wild pops of vivid colour in the artwork, cushions and chair upholstery. The rug is also a key player, not distracting with an extra addition of colour, but using a bold combination of black and white to accentuate the upbeat energy of the room.

Rug- Zeus Black and White by Bazaar Velvet, Interior Design – Jimmie Martin

2- Accent Colour Rug styled by Niki Schafer

This gorgeous conservatory by Niki Schafer is a lesson in colour accents. The teal line of the contemporary rug is mirrored in the cushions, and complimented with tertiary colours of aqua and lime. This gives the room a serene sense of synergy. Also, notice the scheme is anchored by a base of beige’s in the floors and walls, yet there is a notable contrast between the rug and the sofa. Similar undertones yet a different depth of colour make these two pieces the perfect combination.

Rug- Silk Hedge by Bazaar Velvet (bespoke colours), Interior Design by Niki Schafer

3- Rug Colour Injection styled by I&JL Brown

This white-based room is brought to life by boldly coloured accessories. Small design elements such as vases and cushions create added interest, but need to be combined with a larger item such as a rug to have real impact. The deep tones of our ‘Washed Denim Copper’ rug make this room more intimate and absorbs excess light. The white sofa and dark wood side table by I&JL Brown are beautiful in their simplicity and allow space for the complexity of this design. The scheme is beautiful finished with intricate details such as the gorgeously ornate mirror frame and organic materials.

Rug- Washed Denim Copper by Bazaar Velvet, Furniture by I&JL Brown

4- Warm Rugs styled by Jo Berryman

Intelligent use of colour is one of the hallmarks of Jo Berryman’s designs. She carefully balances warm and cool tones to create welcoming rooms with character and style. In this living room, Berryman has offset blue chairs with the bestselling ‘Levantine Blonde’ rug by Bazaar Velvet. This design features a champagne base with highlights of yellow gold silk. These warm tones strike a sweet spot between warmth and elegance and lift the room scheme to new heights.

Rug- Levantine Blonde by Bazaar Velvet, Interior Design by Jo Berryman

5- Neutral Base Rugs styled by Indigo Design

This gorgeous room by Indigo Design has a strong foundation. The crisp off white base of the rug is the perfect basis on which to build the room; warm but not yellowy, pale yet practical. It provides a sharp contrast with the blue and yellow of the soft furnishings and its patterned design adds depth and structure, with the charcoal black being repeated throughout the room. This is a perfect example of how to choose a rug for coloured furnishings.

Rug- Silk Web Stone by Bazaar Velvet, Interior Design by Indigo Design

Most of all, make sure you follow your heart. All our rugs at Bazaar Velvet’s London rug store are hand knotted and designed to last a lifetime, so make sure it’s something you’ll love forever. If you would like advice on choosing the colour for your luxury rug just come along to our showroom with any fabric samples or colours you may have. Our friendly and experienced team will be delighted to help.

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Read our Design and Colour Guide to find out more about rug styling for your home

Further Reading