How to Choose an Area Rug Color for Hardwood Floors

Examine, or study, your hardwood floor. Sound ridiculous? The truth is we often take such things as flooring for granted. Though you may have chosen the tone and texture of the flooring yourself, it may take a different kind of vision to come up with area rug color ideas. Look at the color of the floor. Can it be described as tan, beige, deep brown? Or is it something paler? Experience the effect of the wood grain? Is it marked, or barely noticeable?

Daydream, or free associate, about throw rug color choices. Now that you have a strong impression of how your flooring looks and feels to you, start to free associate about what colors will look good at intervals. Toss out all preconceived notions of what will work in an area rug. Let your mind go wild. Does your imagination run to cherry, or purple, or royal blue? Or does it embrace more neutral shades like vanilla or tan? A color wheel may help you envision a variety of colors in this process.

Obtain rug or fabric samples. You can find these at home improvement, interior design, or fabric retailers. If you can find a book of area rug samples, so much the better. But you may need to improvise to suss out rug color choices.

Compare the rug or fabric samples. Place samples on your floor in fairly close proximity. Examine how each looks and makes you feel. You will have to take into account how the rug color matches other design elements, such as furniture, window coverings and other textiles, if those are already in place. Otherwise, focus on how the rug color works with the color, texture and grain of your flooring. You may feel comfortable with a cheerful, nubby red rug over mahogany. Or your taste might tend toward muted vanilla or beige to complement bamboo. You might prefer the coloring of natural fibers, such as hemp or sisal, to dyed wool or acrylic.

Choose rugs to suit your color preferences. It's time to go shopping in earnest. You may scour design stores, discount bed and bath shops, home furnishing, textile, home improvement, and of course, rug retailers. Be careful not to settle for whatever the first two shops have on hand. If you see a rug in a desired texture but do not see the color you want, be sure to ask the store staff if other colors are available to order. Choosing decor can take time and patience, but selecting the ideal area rug color can grant a sense of well-being for years to come.