Contemporary Decorating & Traditional Rugs

Oriental and Persian Rugs

• Oriental and Persian rugs can be used to enhance a contemporary design and create a design balance between the old and the new. Traditional oriental (also called "Asian") rugs are rugs are hand-knotted (versus machine-made), and imported from China, India, Russia, Turkey, Pakistan, Tibet and Nepal. Persian rugs also are hand knotted. Authentic Persian rugs are only made in Iran. An Asian or Persian rug can give a contemporary design a sense of the old and the new. The rug can serve as the old and give the room a sense of stateliness and permanency, combined with the new contemporary furnishing styles and wall color choices. Use the rug to define areas for the couch, accenting a chair for reading a book and to distinguish a dining area within a large, combination living and dining room.

Scandinavian

• Scandinavian rugs became popular during the late 1950s and even more so during the 1960s, during the advent of modern furnishing and pop art. Scandinavian rugs are known for highly stylized graphics with bold colors to solid, earth tone colors. The shag rug often is attributed with contemporary Scandinavian design styles and techniques. The design heritage of Scandinavian rugs makes them extremely appropriate to incorporate into a contemporary design plan. The rugs can serve as a fun "floor drop" to accent and compliment contemporary furniture that is simplistic in design and void of lots of ornate hardware and fixtures.

Rugs to Compliment Contemporary Furniture Styles

• Use a traditional rug to compliment contemporary furniture styles. An Asian or Persian rug can create a décor anchor for a living room, dining room or media room decorated with leather couches and chairs. Select a rug that will accent the color of the furniture. For example, an Asian rug with deep burgundy, brown and black colors is a great flooring choice to make a white sofa pop, or create a cozy quality in a room with darker shade black, brown or grey leather sofas. Consider a Scandinavian rug with modern graphics and bold colors to complement and make leather, upholstered or solid-colored microfiber contemporary furnishings stand out.

Traditional Rugs to Accent Wall Colors

• The color of paint or major colors of wallpapers should be used as the "inspiration" to select the rug, and not vice-versa. Many contemporary wall colors are deeper in hues, such as a rich, cinnabar red, a harvest gold, a deep nautical blue shade or earthy colors like sage green and medium brown shade coffee colors. Use the wall color as the over-arching guide in selecting a traditional rug that compliments the wall color of the room.