From curved sofas to open-plan spaces, the traditional rectangular rug isn’t always the answer. Interiors expert Steve Smith shares five times it’s worth thinking outside the box, plus the simple trick that can help you get the size right.
When choosing a rug, most of us think about colour, pattern and size. Shape? Probably not so much.
But with curved furniture, open-plan living and homes that don’t always fit neatly into perfect rectangles, the traditional rectangular rug may not necessarily be the best choice for every room.
According to Steve Smith, flooring and rug expert at Arighi Bianchi, the starting point should actually be the room itself.
“We’re so accustomed to seeing rectangular or round rugs that most of us don’t even consider whether that shape is actually right for the room,” he explains.
Instead, Steve suggests looking at the architecture, furniture and the way you naturally move through the space before deciding what shape your rug should be.
And as curved sofas, rounded tables and more organic furniture shapes continue to find their way into our homes there are some occasions when thinking beyond the rectangle can completely change how a room feels.
1. You have curved furniture
A curved sofa or rounded statement chair already creates softer lines within a room, so placing a rigid rectangle beneath it isn’t always the most natural pairing.
Steve suggests looking at the outline your furniture creates and considering a curved, oval or more irregular rug that follows those lines.
“A curved or irregular rug can follow that arrangement and visually connect the individual pieces,” he says. “It’s a subtle detail, but it’s the sort of thing that makes a room feel designed rather than simply furnished.”
2. You have a round or oval dining table
The shape of your dining table is another useful place to start.
A circular rug beneath a round table, or an oval rug beneath an oval one, can help create a defined focal point while allowing the furniture to feel more connected.
There is one important thing to remember: don’t measure only for the table.
You need enough space for the dining chairs to remain comfortably on the rug when they’re pulled out, rather than only when they’re tucked underneath.
3. You’re zoning an open-plan room
Without walls separating living, dining and kitchen areas, rugs can become one of the easiest ways to define different spaces.
“Think of a rug as creating an invisible boundary,” says Steve.
Rather than automatically creating a rectangular zone, look at how your sofa, chairs and side tables are actually arranged. The rug can then follow that particular grouping and visually bring it together.
4. Your room has awkward architecture
Bay windows, alcoves, fireplaces, angled walls and unusual room shapes can make finding a standard rug surprisingly difficult.
Instead of squeezing an off-the-shelf size into the available floor space, Steve recommends approaching it differently.
Ask what shape and proportions would actually complement the room.
Bespoke sizing can be particularly useful here because it allows the rug to respond to the architecture instead of competing with it.
5. You want the rug to be the statement
We readily invest in statement lighting, artwork and occasional chairs, so why shouldn’t the rug get the same treatment?
Because a rug occupies such a large visual area, an unexpected shape can become a design feature in its own right.
Organic, curved or geometric shapes can introduce interest into an otherwise simple room without requiring lots of additional furniture or accessories.
The rug mistake that can make your room feel smaller
Whatever shape you choose, size still matters.
And according to Steve, one of the most common mistakes is choosing a rug that’s simply too small.
That little rug floating independently in the middle of a living room can visually break up the floor rather than bringing the furniture together.
In a living room, ideally the rug should connect the main pieces of furniture. That could mean having at least the front legs of the sofa and chairs sitting on it or, if space allows, placing the entire furniture grouping on the rug.
And surprisingly, a smaller room doesn’t necessarily need a smaller rug.
A generously sized rug can actually make the space feel larger by creating one cohesive area rather than visually dividing the floor into lots of smaller sections.
Try the masking-tape trick before you buy
This might be our favourite tip, mainly because it costs next to nothing.
Before ordering a rug, take a roll of masking tape and mark the proposed dimensions directly onto your floor.
And don’t automatically tape out a rectangle.
Try following the curve of your sofa. Test a circle beneath your dining table. Experiment with an organic shape.
Then put your furniture where it would actually sit, walk around the space and look at the outline from different viewpoints, particularly the doorway.
It gives you a much better idea of whether the proportions work before you’ve committed to buying anything.
Made for the room
The advice coincides with the arrival of The Rug Box by The Woven Edge at Arighi Bianchi, which gives customers the option to choose made-to-measure dimensions and, across selected designs, different rug shapes.
The collection includes eight handcrafted designs in a selection of colourways, using materials including wool, New Zealand wool and wool-and-linen blends.
Selected designs can be produced up to five metres wide and made to the required length, with a fast-track service offering delivery in approximately three weeks.
For Steve, however, the bigger idea is about changing the way we shop for rugs altogether.
Instead of beginning with the rugs available and trying to find one that fits, perhaps the better question is much simpler:
What rug does my room actually need?
The Rug Box by The Woven Edge is available now through Arighi Bianchi.
