Things Are Looking Up for Artistic Floors
Why should walls get all the glory? Pleasing rug patterns and dramatic inlay details make for eye-catching statements underfoot
Use pattern and color to spice up your floors, and you will never look back. From tile and wood to area rugs galore, there are a host of choices for spicing up the floor. Don't settle for boring surfaces underfoot. Get inspired to make a statement on your floor from Houzzers who glorify the ground they walk on.
Just because you will be traipsing across your kitchen floor hour after hour, day after day, year after year, does not mean it cannot have a beautiful pattern that makes your heart swoon every morning. If my kitchen floors were this gorgeous, I would never want to leave.
Go wild with tile and wood planking for a true piece of art in your home. Channel the floor-laying geniuses of the 18th century with traditional inlays or come up with a new pattern yourself. Create a design that will stand the test of time and be adored for generations.
The easiest way to add art to your floor is in the form of an area rug. This simple, graphic rug in soft tones is a perfect complement for this space. The modern edge freshens up the space without looking incongruous with the more traditional furniture choices.
Tip: Choose the right size rug for your space. Dining room chairs shouldn't feel dwarfed by the rug and should never fall over the lip wihen diners scoot them backward.
Tip: Choose the right size rug for your space. Dining room chairs shouldn't feel dwarfed by the rug and should never fall over the lip wihen diners scoot them backward.
Make a bold statement with a rug inspired by the forest floor. This must feel incredible under bare feet.
If you don't want to be so literal, try a more subtle pattern in shades of green and ivory. Can't you just picture a birch forest in spring?
Go graphic with a black and white, plant-inspired rug for a jolt of energy in a staid room.
Tip: Use rugs to ground a room and separate a space from the rest of an open floor plan.
Tip: Use rugs to ground a room and separate a space from the rest of an open floor plan.
If you tend to be afraid of color, an area rug might be the best way to start. Try using two different yet complementary patterns in adjoining rooms. The use of white against a darker color in both of these rugs allows these two rooms to feel coordinated.
Orange and white pair again in this beautifully patterned area rug. Notice how well the orange plays off the more neutral blues, whites and browns in this room. If you ever get tired of it, simply change out the area rug for a new look.
Perhaps you don't want color, but you do want interest. Try a neutral rug but go for a pattern that draws attention. The script-patterned rug here is a perfect choice for this little reading nook.
Tip: Try an area rug that almost completely fills a room, stopping inches from the baseboards. (Be aware of any vents you don't want to cover.) You will have a wall-to-wall-carpeting look for a fraction of the cost.
Tip: Try an area rug that almost completely fills a room, stopping inches from the baseboards. (Be aware of any vents you don't want to cover.) You will have a wall-to-wall-carpeting look for a fraction of the cost.
Short on money but not on style? Collect rugs over time and build a cohesive grouping. Use your gathering with collected furniture finds for a unique look at a frugal price point.
Tip: This look is for those confident in their style choices. Start out with two complementary patterned rugs and then move up to collecting a full grouping of smaller pieces.
Tip: This look is for those confident in their style choices. Start out with two complementary patterned rugs and then move up to collecting a full grouping of smaller pieces.
Whether you are combining styles, collecting similar pieces or simply using one large pattern to make a statement, consider the impact your flooring can have on your space. Be a little bold in your design choices and place some art on the floor.