My Favorite Way to Start a Design: Tips and Tricks for Rugs

Whenever you’re designing a space, one of the first decisions you’ll need to make is your color palette. Your client might tell you featuring colors they want, but unless you’re well versed in interior design, it can be difficult to know what shades and tones to choose – what unexpected combination will take the design to the next level. And I’m here to give you one of my secret go-to tricks that will ensure your design palette comes together seamlessly. 

My Secret

…Start with a beautiful rug! This will allow you to match all your paint swatches and fabric choices right up against the rug. You can choose tones that compliment or are similar to tones in the rug, which will then build the foundation for the rest of your palette and design! Oriental and Persian rugs are so intricate and, although you might not realize it when you first look at them, feature so many different colors and tones. That’s why using it as a base for the rest of your design is almost like a life hack. Let’s take a look at an example from a project earlier this year.

A Rug for a Home Office

I designed a home office for a gentleman in Great Falls, Virginia. We started with a beautiful rug that both the client and I loved. When you first look at the rug, the stand-out color is blue. But upon further inspection, you begin to see all the beige and mocha details and tones. There are actually many different shades of beige and mocha, which gave us a lot of options on the direction we wanted to take. If we were going for a moodier design, I would likely be drawn to the deeper caramel browns in the rug for the wall colors. However, this was for a home office, so I wanted the room to be a place that felt inviting to work in – full of natural light. Additionally, the color of the wood floors was already similar to the mocha colors in the rug. To contrast this, we focused on some of the lightest tones of sandy beige in the rug and found a paint color that matched and complemented this. We then decided to match the fabrics to the darker shades, working as accents, without taking away any of the airiness of the room. 

Taking this approach meant that when the final design came together – the blue was able to stand out even more against all the colors in the room that were complimenting it. The rug became a statement that made sense.

Tips for Finding the Perfect Rug

We know what you’re thinking….it’s all great, but how do you even find a good rug to start with?! 

Budget

The first thing to consider is your budget. The best rugs will be handmade, so money is definitely something to consider. Beautiful rugs can get expensive pretty quickly. However, they do so much for a design that I would encourage you not to be afraid of spending a good portion of your budget on the rug – especially if it will be your color palette. This is another reason I often start with the rug – it should never be an afterthought. You don’t want to leave it to the last minute and then discover you can’t afford it! 

Size

The next thing to consider is size – will it cover most of the floor? Just a seating area? Underneath a coffee table? If your budget is tight, you can try to find a rug with a smaller surface area – that way you can still get the punch and palette of the rug without breaking the bank. 

Material

I always recommend going for woolen rugs, as they are much more durable. Woolen rugs can be put in high-traffic zones and still look fresh years down the line. Other materials wear down quickly with foot traffic and can end up looking fairly drab. 

See it in Person

My next tip is to simply google any rug show-rooms near you and make a day out of it! If you’re working with a client, ask them to come with you! It is impossible for me to tell you which rug to choose because each one – especially the handmade ones – are unique. You’ll know what the right rug is when you see it. 

Work with a professional

Lastly, if you are still struggling, there is no shame in working with an interior designer! You may not have the time to select the ideal rug for your project. If you work with a professional interior designer, you can share your preferences and let the expert narrow down the best choices for you. Head to our services page to see how we may be able to help you today!


Cozy Design Ideas For Winter

Whether you’re a fan of winter or not, the colder months mean spending more time inside. You want your home to be a comforting place to welcome in snowy mornings and long nights. Here are four easy design ideas and tips to transform your home into a winter haven!

Lamps & Alternative Light

Ceiling lights are very bright and great for getting those last few hours of work done after the sun has gone down. But after work when you want to wind-down, they’re usually a bit too harsh. Having alternative sources of light is the easiest way to create a cozy atmosphere. Get a few lamps for different corners of the room. Compliment the lamps with different sized candles placed on tables and mantles. Another easy way to achieve softer, cozier lighting is by switching to dimmable light bulbs in your overhead lights. Many of them can be controlled on your phone or with a remote control, so transitioning from work into evening can be as easy as a swipe on your phone!

If you already have some lamps and are looking to change a room up, consider getting some new lamp shades! One of my favorite places to get lamp shades is from a British company called Vaughan Designs. The owner, Lucy Vaughan, is a wonderful and inspiring British woman. I have purchased lighting, chandeliers, lamps, and lamp shades from Vaughan for over 25 years. I couldn’t recommend her products enough! They are sold in the DC area exclusively at Hines Showroom at the Washington DC Design Center.

Tip: When setting up your lighting, be sure to purchase all light bulbs in the same hue: fluorescent lights offer a different experience than warm lights. I would always recommend warm lights for a cozy, winter atmosphere.

Create a Reading Nook

With more time to spend inside, the winter is always a fantastic time to catch up on some reading! Setting up a corner of your home dedicated to reading will make it easier to focus when you do sit down to read. If you have an armchair or even some comfortable cushions, find a corner in your house to set up a reading nook! Dress the armchair with a throw blanket or a cushion to curl up with while reading. Bonus points if you’re able to find a corner by a bookshelf!

Tip: When visiting your reading nook, leave your phone in the other room, switch on a lamp, and enjoy a break from the screens!

Chintz is In!

If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that I love Chintz! This timeless, floral pattern has a certain British charm to it that can brighten up a room and bring a lovely nostalgia into a design, perfect for winter. There are endless ways to incorporate Chintz into your home. Whether you opt for Chintz curtains as seen here, a more subtle look with chintz pillows, or full-out chintz wallpaper, there’s an option for everyone. These curtains here are lined with Bump Cloth, a heavy flannel material from England to add extra insulation and warmth. These curtains are definitely one of my favorite parts of my master bedroom and always brighten up my day! The chintz pictured here is from Lee Jofa.

Tip: Layering or juxtaposing different patterns, like this flannel pattern to outline the chintz, provides texture and depth to the design, and makes the chintz pop.

Kilims & Rugs

Kilims are a type of flat-woven rug traditional to the Persian empire. They typically have beautiful geometric designs, and are an easy way to add some color into a room. Having good rugs is most important in winter to provide additional warmth to the space. Walking on cold hard floors is hardly the cozy feeling we’re trying to achieve. Rugs are also a great way to separate a space into different sections. A rug or kilim is often the first place I’ll start when designing a room, because of the variety of colors they offer. I can choose different items in the room to coordinate with each of the separate colors.

Tip: Place a smaller kilim underneath your arm chair to section off the corner as your reading nook!

The Possibilities are Endless!

These are just a few ways that you can create coziness in your home. As always, the best place to start is with yourself. When you close your eyes and think about feeling warm, comfortable, and safe, what comes to mind? Allow that to be your starting point and make sure each element you incorporate will help you achieve that feeling!

For help in designing your winter home, visit our services page to find out how we can help you!


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