Area rugs can give your living space a personality. If you have the eye to spot the right kind of area rug and can place it at an appropriate part of your house, it can make it super attractive. Among area rugs, retro rugs, owing to being distinct in appearance, are quite popular amongst home decor artists.
If you are looking for a retro rug, you don’t have to expect to have some boring item lying in your home. Instead, you could go for a family heirloom, which would come with an exciting story to tell your visitors.
In addition to this, a retro rug is also a great choice if you want an innovative wall decor idea. Hanging retro rugs on the wall is quite a popular way to make your wall appear distinct. It would add a burst of color to the room and a pretty pattern.
Though decorating your house with a retro area rug is quite simple, there still are some do’s and don’ts that you should follow to ensure you are on the right track. As you keep reading this article, you will learn more about some of those do’s and don’ts and use or avoid them in your attempts to decorate your home.


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1. Don’t Isolate Them
Correctly placing your rug is the first thing you need to do. A retro rug should be placed right in the middle of the room, where it’s pretty visible. If you put it in the corner of the room and stuff it with varied pieces of furniture, no one will be able to spot it!
The size of your rug also matters a lot. You will need more time to position it correctly if it’s a small one. One problem with a smaller rug is that placing a table over it will conceal the rug, making the whole space appear disorganized.
A retro rug has to be prominent enough to catch the attention of your visitors. Therefore, you should always place a unique piece of accessory on it to make it appear more prominent. Because the more prominent your rug, the better it will complement your room and other furniture around it.
2. Make Your Rug Functional
If used properly, you can add functionality to your rug rather than just using it as a decorative item. However, you will have to think out of the box. One thing we can say for sure is that you can use a retro rug to differentiate between distinct zones in one area.
If the space between your seating and the dining area is very tiny, and people cannot distinguish them, place the rug over there. It will draw a line between two spaces through its bright color. Besides, it will add more coziness and warmth to your sitting areas, as this is where we most often go to relax.
For small living spaces and apartments, small-sized rugs can easily be used for this purpose. You may need a bigger space to cover with a massive retro area rug, but you can surely use several small ones in various areas. There is no limit to what you can do as long as you set your mind to it.
Don’ts You Should Strictly Avoid
Just like you should follow the recommendations mentioned above, there are certain things you should avoid, too. But how do you know which things to avoid, what choice to make, and what to steer clear of? Keep reading to ensure you ace your retro rug interior design.
1. Don’t Match Everything
You might fall in love with your new rug’s design and pattern and want similar decor items to adorn your living space. No matter how enticing it may feel, it’s a bad idea.
All the components of your room should appear distinct rather than merging into each other. If your curtains, the area rug, and signature decor items all look the same, there would be nothing interesting in the room! Everything will turn into a blob, showing a very unpleasant sight. And trust us, no one likes an eye-sore of room.
Hence, go for things that complement each other rather than mixing and matching. This way, you can make the entire living space appear well-coordinated yet striking. And when your guests come to visit you, they won’t be able to hide their amazement as they observe how tastefully you have decorated your place.
2. Don’t OVER-Do Things
Vintage rugs, in most cases, have a thick and heavy pattern. In such a situation, an area rug is enough to make the entire space appear filled up. You need to go light with the other elements in the room, too. In addition to going light with the decoration items, you should thoroughly research what area rugs will suit your room layout best.
If you read our recommendations but still feel like you need more visual guidance, go on the Internet and check out some Pinterest room idea boards that match your room in size and blueprint. Having done this, you will spend less time figuring out what colors, sizes, or patterns to choose.
As you do your research, you will see that light-colored walls go well with a dark-colored rug. Also, opting for minimal decor items is a good idea if you want the visitors’ focus to be on the rug. Imagine the effect a well-chosen rug coupled with top-notch decorations can have on your guests, say, on a Christmas day visit. The reasons why you should go with rugs are endless, and so are the decoration tricks you can employ.
3. Don’t Go For A Cheap Option
It should be a vintage area rug if you have the budget to splurge on one signature piece. Vintage rugs can grab people’s attention, turning into a signature piece in the house. That’s why don’t be too sparing when choosing a vintage rug for your home. Research all possible options, read blogs, go on Pinterest, and even ask a friend who has an eye for rugs to help you choose it.
When you’ve decided, and you want to buy it, don’t be too shy about the price; remember, you’re making an investment in your house in the form of a centerpiece that will amaze your guests.
However, if, after all, you opt for a cheaper option as you buy a rug, chances are it might wear out quite soon. Therefore you should extend its life for as long as possible to get good value for your money. How can you do that? Well, first off, try to position it in a low-traffic area; it will help to keep the rug from being trampled every day.
Also, make sure to clean it regularly but not too often because you don’t want it to wear off due to excessive cleaning.
Another thing to consider is the cleaning products; choose products that do not contain aggressive chemicals, as these might deteriorate your rug before you know it. This way, all the money you had spent on it would go wasted.
The bottom line is if you want to buy a rug, it’s best to pay more to worry less later.
Decorating The House With Retro Area Rug
The idea of buying a vintage area rug and decorating your living space with it is fantastic. However, you must be sure to do it right, or all your money will go down the drain! Follow the Dos and Don’ts mentioned above, and you’ll never go wrong!