5 Perfect Area Rugs For Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floors are the pride of any home, adding a touch of luxury and elegance regardless of their colour or design. However, they lack the comfort of soft carpeting and can easily be damaged by spills, stained by sunlight, scratched by moving furniture, or worn down by years of heavy foot-traffic.
Plus, as every parent knows, hardwood floors often cause excitable toddlers to slip, slide or fall, especially if they're wearing socks (Risky Business anyone?). And hitting hardwood is a lot more painful than falling on a carpet.
The solution? Area rugs. They're the answer to accidental spills, direct sunlight damage, inadvertent gashes from furniture legs, and yes, preventing the shrill cries of an injured child.
But area rugs aren't just functional. The best ones also have tremendous aesthetic appeal, as the following examples will prove.
- Blue Fire
This Florence Area Rug displays a vivid interplay of dark and light colours, with silver flourishes on a navy blue background. Its sophisticated design is perfect for classic interiors, while its polypropylene-polyester composition makes it an ideal choice for Mid-Century Modern homes.
A mix of dark and light colours also offers considerable artistic freedom: the rug can be used to contrast against fairer-toned hardwood, as in this home:
Or complement the duskier grains of certain floors, like the reddish-brown example here.
Durable yet dignified, the Florence Area Rug also maintains its shape and colour in the most demanding traffic zones.
- Pale Fire
Almost the polar opposite of our first example, Wazo Furniture's Barkley Rug aims for uniformity and understatement. At first glance it appears like the surface of some pale hardwood floor (complete with grooves and a natural fade), but this handcrafted rug is actually made of soft wool, a natural fiber which is not only comfortable but strong. Its ivory hue is tranquil and relaxed, suitable for placement in front of fireplaces or as living room centerpieces.
Given its grayish-white colouring, the Barkley Rug blends seamlessly into lighter hardwoods, such as this one.
At the same time, it provides a sumptuous contrast against deeper tones like black or gray, and would add a clean, simple aesthetic to the following room:
- Unnatural Charms
No animals were harmed during the creation of Wazo Furniture's Grand Canyon Area Rug. Strikingly real, this luxurious rug was woven of synthetic materials but is authentically beautiful. Thanks to its acrylic composition, not only does the area rug look like genuine animal fur, it also feels like the real thing.
All the richness of fur without any of the guilt—what's not to love?
Plus, its distinguished texture helps the Grand Canyon Area Rug feel right at home on dark hardwood floors (for dramatic contrast), like in the gorgeous home featured below.
At the same time, its versatile nature makes it suitable for industrial interiors. Imagine the abundance of textures (wood, brick and fur) if the rug were placed on such a floor.
- Turkish Delights
The ivory-grey Kingston Area Rug blends classic Persian design with modern materials, striking a perfect balance between form and function. Made entirely of polypropylene, the fabric is tough yet lustrous, primarily white but with a distinct dark fade, and simple when glanced at from afar—until a closer examination reveals the forest of intricate patterns and tangled contours.
Made in Turkey, the rug's diverse qualities help it adapt to any home. For instance, its light ivory colour matches the soft-toned hardwood of this modern interior:
At the same time, it would feel right at home on the floor of this classic and elegant bedroom, creating a powerful contrast against the dark hardwood:
Ancient yet modern, stylish yet functional—the Kingston Area Rug is full of contradictions. But one thing is for sure: regardless of room or style, it fits anywhere.
- Shimmer & Shine
A polypropylene surface with a jute-polyester backing, the gorgeous Elton Area Rug appears brown at first but changes colour depending on light. The material is strong yet maintenance-friendly, while its glossy finish helps cultivate an air of refinement.
One of the rug's greatest advantages is its ability to harmonize with different surroundings. Thanks to very subtle and distressed patterns on its surface, the rug gives off a certain vintage charm.
That's why it would make a fitting companion piece to these old weather-beaten planks:
Yet still feel right at home in a more classy setting:
By merging elements of classic design with contemporary fabrics, the rug's shifting colours allow it to synthesize with all interiors.
Dark or light, hardwood or laminate, the Elton Area Rug has the look you need.
About the author: Heenay Patel is a Toronto-based freelance writer specializing in the world of interior design. He can be reached at heenaypatel@rogers.com or via the links below:
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