How to Decorate: Start With a Statement Rug

Filed under: Your Home, Living Room

Decorating a room from scratch is overwhelming. The solution? Pick one piece to start with and we'll guide you through the rest.

Starting Piece: Statement rug. Bayou Plumage Rug, $498, Anthropologie).

The great thing about starting with a statement rug is that you've got your color palette built-in. It may seem like a risky move but it actually will make the rest of your decorating process much easier.


Step 1: Color Coordinate

Pick out two colors from the rug: One bold, one tame. Bring in one piece of furniture and one accessory in these colors. Here, we used the bold color for an accent (Cylinder pendant light by Oilo, $149, Design Public) and the more tame hue for furniture (Hyde Loveseat, starting at $1,699, Ethan Allen).

Step 2: Bring in Textures

Rooms can't survive on color alone. Pick two textures from the following list: Glass, mirror, wood, leather, fur, ribbon, metal, plastic, enamel, stone, cork, wicker. Then choose two more pieces of furniture/accessories in those materials. Here, we used a mirrored coffee table ($130, Target) and wood chair (J chair by Roost, $413, Velocity).

Step 3: Bring in Patterns

This is tricky when you're working off of a piece that already has a big pattern. Think small and think simple. A throw pillow's the perfect piece to try -- and make sure the color palette is safe. By jumping off the base color in this navy rug and keeping the pattern simple, this throw pillow (Chevron Stripe pillow, $62, decoYellow, Etsy) adds flair without overwhelming the room.

Need help matching things up? Check out this simple guide:

 

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