Pretty & Practical About Layering a Rug on Carpet
See why the layered-carpet look may be just what your room needs. Here’s how to choose a rug and make sure it stays put
Read on to learn more about layering an area rug over carpet. We’ll walk you through design considerations as well as some more practical tips, including how to choose the right rug and how to keep it in place.
Additionally, a layered area rug — especially one that contrasts with the carpet underneath — can help define a smaller activity zone within a room, such as a dining or seating area, as shown here.
Tip: If you don’t want your rug to stand out from the existing carpet at all, interior designer Sarah Finney suggests buying an extra piece of carpet and having its edges bound. This will create a rug that can protect the underlying carpet without drawing attention to itself.
When layering an area rug on carpet, Finney says, it’s generally best to avoid using a patterned rug over a patterned carpet. “One or the other will work well,” she says.
- The rug’s own weight can be a helpful first step in securing it on a carpet. Look for a heavier rug with substantial fiber, interior designer Elizabeth Cabell says. Thin rugs such as dhurries or kilims are more likely to move around, she says.
- Chairs, sofas and tables also can help keep a rug flat on carpet, especially if placed around the rug’s edges.
What about layering a rug on carpet tile? The designers we interviewed advised against layering carpet tiles on top of carpet, but they said layering a rug on carpet tile should work fine.