Roll out the style with help from our guide on the best rugs that you can buy. Whether for your living room, to sit underneath your sofa, or beside your bed to warm your feet in the morning, a rug is an essential – wouldn't you agree? A rug can instantly switch up the look and feel of a room, turning your place from lacklustre and cold, to cosy and welcoming. Just which rug do you go for, with so many out there to choose from?
You could browse a myriad of choices online, for all types of interior styles. Or, you could read our guide on the top rugs to buy – as selected by home decor style.s We've listed a rug for boho homes, a minimalist rug, a traditional rug plus many more suggestions. Plus, we've even spotted a few of these rugs in the houses of the Real Homes team.
It's important to get this purchase right: you don't want your new rug to stick out like an eyesore in comparison to the rest of your furniture. These iconic buys ought to keep your floors soft and your feet warm – and your home looking stylish. Searching for more home decor inspiration for your living room? See our best sofas guide for recommendations of what to place atop your luscious new rug.
The best rugs you can buy
La Redoute's iconic Berber-style rug is a bestseller for good reason. It comes in a range of sizes from a square to a runner rug, or even a larger size for your living room. It's soft, boasts a geometric design to blend in with your interiors, plus it's nice and simple – yet anything but boring – so as to let your decor and furniture do the talking (and impressing). Though made from 100 per cent polypropylene, it does give the look (and the feel) of wool.
Make sure you check our La Redoute discount codes to get the best price on your purchase.
This modern beauty from The Rug Seller boasts a marble effect in a short – yet lustrous – pile. To keep your home looking sleek and emanating elegance, it's coloured in grey tones with an aim to make a statement (and to blend in with the rest of your furniture). This statement rug doesn't just look the part, but it's also easy to clean, anti-shed and hard-wearing. It comes in five sizes in total and you can browse more colourways.
Add a slice of cosy to your home with help from this 100 per cent sheepskin rug. It's sumptuously soft, undeniably luxurious and brilliant white in colour so as to keep your home looking clean. We think it best suits a Scandi-style home, otherwise, it will definitely work styled in a modern living room, too. It's organically shaped and it will give your your hardwood floor a cloud-like feel – instantly. It also comes in soft taupe and sandstone.
Persian rugs are having a moment – they're perfectly versatile and they blend with a range of home decor styles including vintage, contemporary and retro schemes. However, they do work best inside traditional-style homes in our opinion. This high-quality Persian rug has a contemporary twist and it's absolutely gorgeous, with a slightly distressed look to its traditional medallion pattern. The composition of this hand-woven rug is 80 per cent cotton, 20 per cent polyester, and it comes in two sizes.
Perfectly muted and irresistibly neutral for Japandi-style homes, it's all in the detail when it comes to this La Redoute rug. Made from 100 per cent wool that has been intricately woven, not only is this an impressively soft option, but it will add texture to your floors – and warmth to your feet. Boasting a knit-effect (similar to a chunky-knit blanket), it's perfect for positioning anywhere from a bedroom to a nursery or as pride of place in your living room. It also screams cosy, and it comes in a range of sizes including a square option and a bedside size.
Jute rugs are hardwearing and textured – to add something a bit more punchy to your interior style. They are also rustic-looking in order to balance with your soft home decor, which makes them perfect for boho-style homes. This one we spotted at John Lewis is impressively patterned boasting a chevron-effect – and it was handmade in India. Tightly woven to reduce shedding, it might not be the softest option but it's definitely a smart option when it comes to longevity. Due to its natural colour, it ought to blend in well with your neutral scheme, plus it will balance well with your wooden floors. You can always place a sheepskin or faux fur rug on top for a striking layered effect.
This understated rug is ideal for minimalist-style homes. With a plain design that's somehow intricate thanks to its carved pattern, it's the perfect balance of plain and textured. Whilst it won't immediately scream out to your guests, they will definitely notice its 100 per cent wool pile. Aptly named the Zen Rug, it ought to add a sense of calm to your space – whether that be a home office or nursery – and it comes in a range of colourways to adapt to your space.
Pair this retro-style rug with your colourful furniture and walls for a wow-worthy effect. Offering a range of colours from orange to blush pink and cream for good balance, you can definitely tell that this rug was designed by an artist. Use it to bring an uplifting vibe to any room, dark or light, small or big. With thick black borders, it draws in the eyes of guests instantly. So, if it's a punchy rug that you are after, for a decorative – and unforgettable – effect, then this is it. Oh, and it's 100 per cent wool.
Where to buy a rug?
Should you still be searching for a rug, then browse below and shop more styles – by retailer.
- Amazon rugs (opens in new tab)
- Argos rugs (opens in new tab)
- Dunelm rugs (opens in new tab)
- Dwell rugs (opens in new tab)
- H&M rugs (opens in new tab)
- Heal's rugs (opens in new tab)
- John Lewis & Partners rugs (opens in new tab)
- La Redoute rugs (opens in new tab)
- MADE.com rugs (opens in new tab)
- Robert Dyas rugs (opens in new tab)
- Ruggable rugs (opens in new tab)
- Rugs Direct rugs (opens in new tab)
- The Range rugs (opens in new tab)
- The Rug Seller rugs (opens in new tab)
- Very rugs (opens in new tab)
- Wayfair rugs (opens in new tab)
What to look for when buying a rug?
Size
It goes without saying, but you will want to double-check (or even triple-check) that the new rug you are buying fits inside your desired space. You never want to buy a rug that's too big as it will drown out a room. And rugs that are too small may make your furniture look bizarre in comparison.
Material
This is completely down to your preference, but the most popular rugs are usually constructed of 100 per cent wool. This is for both your comfort and the durability of the rug. Otherwise, rugs are also made of polypropylene which is a cheaper wool-like alternative. You could even opt for a jute rug, which is incredibly hard-wearing and they are perfect for dealing with lots of footfall (say in a hallway).
It would be smart to consider where your rug will live when choosing a material. Go for something washable or with a low-pile if you have pets or children and if it's going to live in a busy room. For an area like your home office or bedroom, you can opt for something a little more delicate since a rug placed inside one of these rooms won't be around food and drink as much. Nor will it be stood on hundreds of times a day.
Backing
Check to see if your new rug has an anti-slip backing. If not, you can buy a thin underlay to roll out underneath your rug to ensure that it sticks to your floor. Otherwise, your rug could become a safety hazard and it might slip and slide around your room. This will also keep your new rug right where it is supposed to be, without relying on your furniture to keep it in control.
Cleaning
Thanks to the likes of Ruggable (opens in new tab) and The Rug Seller (opens in new tab), you can now buy machine washable rugs for your home. These come with a cushioned underlayer to allow the rug to be thin enough to be squeezed into your machine. Otherwise, you might need to invest in the best upholstery cleaner – or take it to a dry cleaner to get it looking brand new every few months.
