How to Decorate a Country Cottage With Rugs

Use different size rugs to define cozy sections of a room. If your living room is divided into two sections, with one section a small grouping of two chairs near a fireplace and the other section is a sitting area with a sofa, loveseat and coffee table, you can offset the chairs near the fireplace with a smaller rug than you would use with the larger group of furniture. Make the sections of every room different sizes.

Mix patterned and solid rugs to add colors for the country cottage theme. Offset furniture with a solid color fabric with rugs that have a floral or Native American pattern. The reverse is also true. Decide whether the focal point will be the furniture or the rug. The focal point is the grouping (furniture or rug) that has a pattern. Choose complementary colors on the color wheel when mixing patterned and solid rugs.

Protect marble and other porous floors in entryways by using runners or room rugs. Moisture from rain, sleet or snow will seep into marble and permanently stain it, so protect it with a rug.

Use a room rug to bring the country cottage theme into a room with tile or terrazzo floors. Measure the room and then deduct 2 feet from the measurements. For example, if the room is 10 feet by 12 feet then the rug should be 8 feet by 10 feet. This will allow 1 foot of clearance on all four sides of the room. The tile border will help to make the rug the focal point of the room.

Layer rugs when the room has wall-to-wall carpeting. Small- and medium-sized area rugs in floral patterns will make the country cottage seem warm and inviting. For example, in the bedroom, place layered area rugs on the side of the bed, in front of the dresser and under the front feet of a chair.

Use rug runners to cover the stairs and in hallways. Center the runner on the stairs (or in the hallway) to allow an equal amount of wood to show on both sides. The wood border will bring focus to the runner.

Pick lighter color rugs for small rooms, such as bathrooms. This will make the room appear more spacious.

Use darker area rugs for large rooms, especially if the walls are a pastel color with white trim. The intensity of the color will make the room seem warm and cozy--like a country cottage.