The Ultimate Rug Shopping Guide

December 18, 2019

Layered rugs with various textures and patterns in neutral tones including beige, gray, and blue, displayed on a light wooden floor for home decor inspiration.

Prepare to be floored. When you’re getting ready to decorate a new room, the most important starting place is right beneath your feet!

A rug is a great foundation for designing your space and sets you up to coordinate the whole room — from recliner and side tables to the final throw pillows.

Now, don’t worry if you’re shopping for a room that’s already (almost) fully furnished. I’m here to guide you through your selection so you’ll be happy enough to cut a rug—see what I did there?

Picking Rugs for Furnished or Unfurnished Rooms

Rugs come in so many different colors, patterns, textures, shapes, and sizes — the options are endless! They add a sense of warmth and comfort, help ground furniture and define a space. Choosing the right rug is key to making your room feel complete.

Here’s what to think about when rug shopping for a furnished or unfurnished room.

Furnished Rooms: Consider your Lifestyle and Space

The room this rug will belong in is something you may want to consider when choosing your rug.

A thicker, plush rug will add that comfort and coziness to your bedroom or living room.
In your dining area you’ll want to go with a flat weave rug which is easier to clean.
Also, consider a darker or patterned rug in high traffic areas such as entryways and kitchens.

Unfurnished Rooms: Play with Patterns and Textures

Take a look at your space and ask yourself a handful of questions. What style is your furniture? What colors are used throughout the room? Are there a lot of textures and patterns? What kind of flooring is in place?
If your room is full of clean lines, neutral colors, and subtle patterns, you may want to go bold with your rug. One that’s rich in color or has a bold pattern will add some character and dimension to your design!
If you’re working with a room that already has a lot of color and pattern, try a neutral rug to avoid any clashing and to soften up the space.

Finding the Right Type of Rug

Let’s explore specific types available. Whatever floor you’re searching for, my collection’s got it covered!

Type of Rug

Let’s first dig into five overall types of rugs…

1. Carved

Gray and white geometric patterned shag area rug on hardwood floor, styled in a modern living room with beige upholstered furniture.

Carved rugs feature pile cut to different lengths to create an appealing pattern.

My Gray Swirls rug features a carved design great for a living room, bedroom, or studio apartment.

2. Geometric

Geometric rugs provide a vibrant accent to any floor with their unique designs.

The handsome colors and shapes of my Bob-O-Pedic Rust Geo rug make it a customer favorite for bedroom, living room or home office!

Rectangular area rug with a modern geometric pattern in beige, brown, and gray tones, featuring a soft, plush texture ideal for living rooms or bedrooms.

3. Patterned

Mid-century modern beige upholstered armchair with wooden frame and angled legs on a striped blue, gray, and white textured area rug, next to a wooden tray holding a ceramic vase with green foliage and stacked books.

Patterned rugs easily enhance a living space by adding visual interest.

Some people are afraid of pattern, but I have a wide variety to choose from from subtle to bold!

My Spa tones rug makes any room feel peaceful and cozy.

4. Shags and Sherpas

Shag rugs flaunt their long fibers and elevate a homey comfortable style.

When you add in the luxury of my Bob-O-Pedic memory foam backing, you just can’t beat the cozy feeling!

Soft beige rectangular shaggy area rug with thick, plush pile texture, suitable for living room or bedroom floor decor.

5. Solid

Brown woven rectangular area rug with a simple beige border, featuring a textured fabric pattern suitable for living room or office decor.

My Otis rug demonstrates how sometimes simplicity is best.

With its solid earthy brown and beige border, it’s a great finishing touch for your space.

Plus, it’s low pile makes it perfect for indoor and outdoor spaces!

Choosing the Right Style of Rug

Once you’ve chosen a type, thinking about a specific style can help you further focus your search for the perfect rug.

Contemporary

With its geometric pattern and gray, black, and ivory color palette, my Bob-O-Pedic Teal Abstract rug is sure to bring a contemporary feel to your room.

Hit the bricks and get to the Bob’s nearest you to experience this stylish comfort firsthand!

Modern abstract area rug with a distressed pattern in shades of blue, gray, and beige, featuring a soft textured surface ideal for living room or bedroom decor.

Glam

Soft gray rectangular shag area rug with dense, plush fibers, ideal for adding comfort and modern style to living spaces or bedrooms.

Nothing says glam like a lush high pile shag rug!

My Bob-O-Pedic Glitz platinum shag rug fills the room with a warm plush material that complements the living room or bedroom for extra luxury right at your feet.

Traditional

Traditional designs can bring effortless style to your home.

Play with pattern in neutral shades to add intrigue to any space or go bold with color and really make a statement.

Traditional rectangular area rug with intricate floral and medallion patterns in beige, gray, and taupe tones, featuring a detailed border design.

Transitional

Gray and beige abstract patterned area rug with a textured, distressed look, suitable for modern living room or office decor.

My Griffith rug brings tranquil, transitional style with it’s cool gray tones and abstract pattern!

The subtle hues help bring any room together.

How to Find the Right Size Rug

Now that you know what style of rug you want, let’s figure out the right size rug for your room. My first piece of advice: Spend just a bit more and get the larger size.

People often buy an area rug that’s too small because, hey, rugs can be expensive! But with Bob’s Discount on rugs, you don’t have to hold back! A few inches makes all the difference between the rug pulling the room together or it feeling off-balance. Consider these helpful pointers for picking the ideal size rug to fit any space.

Living Room

Fit the front two legs of each piece on the rug.

Bedroom

Fit the bed and both nightstands fully on the rug, with a few feet on either side of the bed.

Dining Room

Dining table setup comparison showing proper and improper tablecloth coverage with text "DO THIS" above a tablecloth fully covering the table edges and "NOT THIS" above a tablecloth that is too small, demonstrating ideal tablecloth size and placement for dining decor.

Fit the table and all chairs on the rug with room to pull chairs out without falling off the rug.

How to Find the Right Rug Pile

Let’s clear up one thing first: pig pile is about mayhem, rug pile is about comfort. A low pile rug basically means a slimmer rug with tighter fibers, while high pile means a fluffier rug with longer fibers.

Low pile rugs (generally less than ¼ inch) are great for busier rooms, especially if you have kids in the house. They’re easier to vacuum and their fibers aren’t likely to loosen up and cause any unexpected tumbles.

High pile rugs (generally ½ to ¾ inch or greater) than are good for accenting areas with lower foot traffic (definitely not a rug to place anywhere pig piles are likely to occur). They’re also a little tougher to vacuum.

If your heart breaks at the thought of choosing between low and high, you can actually choose the middle! Mid pile rugs (generally ¼ inch to ½ inch) are what they sound like: rugs with medium-length fibers and vacuum-friendly density.

Visualize the Rug in Your Space

You can sketch out your room, or use my 3D Room Designer to see what your favorite rug looks like in your space before you buy!

Share Your Pictures

Snap a few pictures of your new rug and tag @MyBobs and we might roll out the red carpet for you on my social feed!