The #1 Best Area Rug Color For A Living Room

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The perfect rug can also add a refinished finish with a comfortable, cozy, and homely feel.

However, the task of choosing the best area rug color is not quite an easy one.

With the added pressure of the area rug being a key feature of the living room, I’m sure you want to get it right in one go.

If you’ve already been shopping for an area rug to go with your space, you’ve seen a wide range of colors, designs, textures, and shapes.

Feels a bit overwhelming, right? So, what’s the best area rug color for a living room?

Well, I can answer this question in seconds.

The best area rug color for a living room is neutral colors such as white, grey, cream, beige, or tan, earthy browns, or vibrant colors such as blue, red, pink, yellow, or green. However, this depends on what works for your lifestyle, space, and preferences.

To create a flattering, cohesive, and inspirational aesthetic, I’ve put together a list of the best area rug colors you can choose from to improve your living room instantly.

Before that, here are a few useful and essential tips on how to pick that perfect area rug color:

Table of Contents

How To Choose The Perfect Area Rug Color

1. The Color Scheme

An easy way to know exactly what color area rug to choose for your living room is to take a look at your current color scheme.

If there’s already a specific accent piece in the space, you can use the colors to dictate the choice of the rug.

This will create a consistent and coherent look since you’ll know exactly what the space needs.

2. Your Lifestyle

One of the key features to figuring out what color area rug will work for your space and life is to take into account how the room will be used.

If you have kids or pets, or if it’s a high-traffic area, then going with a light-colored rug may not be the best move.

Darker-colored area rugs would be a better option as this will help reduce visibility and camouflage stains compared to a white or light-colored rug.

It’s also way easier to keep clean!

3. Lighting

Another factor that will influence the effect on the space is how light or dark the rug will be.

In addition, the rest of the colors (walls, flooring, accessories, couch) will also determine how dark or light the area rug needs to be.

For instance, if you have a dark wall color, dark flooring, and dark accessories, adding a dark area rug could potentially darken the room further and this could lead to the rug having a lackluster effect by simply fading away into the sea of dark colors.

In this case, going with a light area rug will brighten and create that interesting contrast that allows for the area rug to be a striking feature in the room.

This concept works for the opposite as well.

A dark-colored area rug will easily balance lighter tones in the space. You can also use the color of the rug to affect the tone or ambiance in the space.

Lighter-colored rugs will appear bigger, brighter, and airy whereas a darker rug will exude a moody or dramatic atmosphere.

This small detail can be greatly used to your advantage to create a specific theme, mood, or tone in the room.

Excellent Area Rug Colors For Any Living Space

Neutral Colored Rugs: The Best Color!

Neutral colors are the best area rug color for a living room. This versatile color rug goes with everything and it’s a simple process to create a cohesive and timeless space.

White, grey, beige, tan, or cream are the best neutral colors that will either brighten the space and add a soft, warm tone or help balance the tones for a solid foundation.

Neutral-colored rugs also provide a neutral base for other furniture pieces to stand out in the same.

For a warm, comforting, and versatile area rug, this one is worth having.

Here’s some more information about each option:

White – A white rug is great if you want a bright, airy, and lighter feel. This color rug will complement any space or color scheme.

Beige/Tan – This color area rug is another fantastic choice. This soft, subtle, warm shade goes well with a variety of colors, styles, and tones. It also adds a lighter feel to the space that creates this warm atmosphere.

Grey – Grey is an excellent versatile area rug color that goes with most modern spaces. This adds a sleek, contemporary vibe that will complete your home. Be it a dark or light grey rug, you’ll love the trendy effect it has on your space.

Natural Woven Rugs

My absolute favorite choice lately is a natural rug such as jute, seagrass, or a simple woven rug.

This simple piece is loaded with rich texture, color, and design that elevates any space.

The light tone of the rug also pairs perfectly with most color schemes, making it a versatile and sustainable option.

Let’s say you have a rather intense and dramatic couch or wall color such as blue, red, green, or yellow.

A natural rug will beautifully complement all the elements in the space while highlighting the charisma of the couch.

Earthy Tones

Earthy shades like brown, rust, or burnt orange are a good option for a warm, cozy feel.

This colored rug goes well with modern or traditional spaces giving it a more homely, intimate, and comfortable feel.

If you prefer to have a light rug in the living room, there are sandy brown shades that will still add that hit of brown without overwhelming or dominating the space.

All in all, a brown rug is a popular choice in most home decors and they are effective at hiding dirt, dust, or stains.

Muted Tones

For a flawless and seamless pairing, muted-colored rugs might just be what you’re looking for.

Muted shades such as gray, blue, or tan will add a soothing and calming feel to the room.

This guarantees a streamlined match while maintaining that interesting and appealing quality.

Your eyes will be naturally drawn to the beauty of the rug especially if you already have loud or vibrant colors such as yellow walls in the space.

Blues

A blue area rug is a great choice if you want a light, airy, and refreshing feel. This blue rug will add rich personality, style, and color to the room.

It can also be used as an accent piece for neutral spaces.

You don’t necessarily have to go with a vibrant or dark shade of blue.

A soft, sky blue or a stone blue is a lovely, delicate blue that will enrich your living space whereas a navy blue rug will be a stunning and striking centerpiece.

Vibrant Area Rugs

Another option you can consider is a vibrant area rug in the accent color of the space.

This will add a pop of color that brings life and energy to the room.

It can also be used as a focal feature for a powerful statement.

This idea is best for those who want a strong visual statement that adds personality and character.

Colors like yellow, red, orange, purple, pink, or green are the best bold and interesting colors.

Black

A black rug is an excellent option for a domineering, strong, bold, and striking appeal.

This rug is perfect for modern, contemporary, and minimalistic spaces.

Since this color rug is more on the dramatic side, you’ll definitely be able to transform the feel and look of the room.

However, I do not recommend this color rug if you already have an overall dark color scheme as this might make your space feel too dark, heavy, and overwhelming.

Rather, a neutral or light color scheme will achieve a perfect contrast.

Patterned Rugs

Another excellent option that will give you a taste of both worlds is to go with a patterned rug that incorporates different tones, colors, and patterns that will boost the artistic appeal and style of your space.

Patterned rugs add an extra layer of dimension and interest that will ground and define a certain area of the space.

Experiment With Different Options

An area rug is a piece that will enhance and beautify the space but what matters most is how you like the look of the rug in the space.

Go ahead and browse through different options, colors, patterns, and textures that you think will bring an energetic feel or a vibrant interest to the floors.

Conclusion

It’s exciting to shop for new accessories for your home.

Since an area rug plays a major role in the space, it’s only fair to take the time and choose a rug that will complement and beautify the space.

However, the final decision rests solely on your personal preference, what interests you, and what suits your lifestyle.

The color of the area rug should also go well with your color scheme for a balanced and cohesive look.

Just have fun with it.

Browse online for inspiration that is similar to your space or the effect you want to create and this should help you come up with fresh, new ideas.

You will probably stumble upon the right color area rug that will be an outstanding feature in the room.

If you’re still unsure, stick with colors like white, grey, cream, or beige that will effortlessly go with just about any space.

You can also find these area rugs in patterns and textures that will upgrade the level of interest and maintain that intriguing quality.

I hope this guide answers your question. If you need similar ideas, be sure to check out the following:

How To Clean An Area Rug Without A Carpet Cleaner

The #1 Best Area Rug Color For A Living Room