How to Decorate Wood Floors With Area Rugs

Decide how many area rugs you want. You may want one large area rug to cover a big portion of a room or several small area rugs in various locations on a large wooden floor to add interest. Making this choice should be your first step. You can use pieces of paper or cardboard to lay out exactly where you think the rugs should go to get an idea of the type of rugs you need to buy.

Measure the area(s) where the rugs will go. You need to know the dimensions of the rug you are looking for, so measure the space to get an idea. If you are using an area rug in a seating area, you will usually want it to fit nicely either in between your two couches or to go underneath the two couches. If you are using it under a bed, it should be large enough that the rug shows around all the exposed sides of the bed. Measure the length and width of the dimensions, and write them down for your shopping trip.

Select colors and styles. Pick a rug that matches your room and complements your decor. You may want to bring a pillow case or sofa pillow with you when you go rug shopping to see how the colors will look next to each other.

Purchase area rugs. Purchase area rugs almost anywhere: hardware and home improvement stores, home design stores, specialty stores or online. Antique carpets and oriental rugs tend to be the most expensive options, and you must purchase them from specialty dealers. Carpet remnants--pieces of larger carpet--tend to be the least expensive option and are available from wholesalers or home improvement stores.

Purchase rug pads. Carpets can slip on hardwood floors, so a solid rug pad can make all the difference. Buy the non-slip rug mats in the appropriate dimensions to fit under your area rugs. Custom-cut them to size to make sure they fit properly. Place your rug and carpet pads in the appropriate area on the floor. Make sure the carpet pad is below the area rug, and the area rug covers the carpet pad in full.