Whether you are driven by design or You Prioritize Practicality, There is A perfect Rug Out There for you. Use these top 10 rug trends to narrow down your options and nab the Best rug for 2024!
Why an Area Rug?
Decorating a new space? Looking to freshen up a tired interior? An area rug can be the perfect way to add a touch of comfort, utility and style to any room. Area rugs give aesthetic umph to any home but they have practical purposes too. Rugs protect floors and define room layouts. They soften hard surfaces and absorb moisture in wet zones like kitchens and baths. So it’s not whether you should invest in an area rug but which rug you should choose and why. The latest on-trend rugs are designed to make a stunning visual impact while offering practical benefits that will leave you doubly thrilled with your choice. From sustainable materials to statement patterns, the newest area rugs are sure to bring a touch of magic to your living spaces. So buckle in and let’s explore the top ten rug trends that are set to take 2024 by storm!
Trend 1: Sustainable Chic
Going green has never been more stylish! In 2024, eco-consciousness will continue to bring design together with sustainable living and environventally friendly materials. One way to engage this top ten trend is to embrace the beauty of natural fibers. Materials like jute, sisal, and hemp, as well as organic cotton and wool, continue to be popular go-tos in the interior design world. Today’s technology allows shoppers to source responsibly manufactured rugs with a few clicks. It’s all about going renewable while supporting manufacturers with a commitment to safe and socially minded practices.
Another great way to go sustainable is to bypass the “new” and instead opt for “new-to-you.” Whether you find yourself with a hand-me-down, a consigned find or a salvaged treasure, rescuing a pre-owned rug from the landfill is a heroic endeavor with a lot of rewards. Depending on their fiber type and construction, some recycled rugs can be customized. Consider distressing or over-dyeing your find or even cutting it down and having it bound to better suit the size of your space.
Pro Tip: Any re-home rug candidate should always be professionally cleaned before it comes through the door! You don’t want to rehome someone else’s pests, pet hair, stains or soil. Find a reputable local rug cleaner.
When it comes to peace of mind, a little extra up-front investment is a small price to pay. By choosing sustainable area rugs, you’re contributing to a greener planet and investing in a durable decor piece.
Trend 2: Earth-Inspired Color Palette
The popularity of area rugs featuring earth tones continues to thrive in 2024. Warm terracotta, moss green and soothing sandy neutrals bring a sense of tranquility to your home or office. What’s more, colors taken from an earthy palette ground the energy of your interior spaces. What’s more, muted colors are great at camouflaging soil and everyday wear and tear. And best of all, these hues complement a wide range of interior styles, from Scandinavian minimalism to bohemian chic, to retro mid-century. Earthy tones age well so an investment now can last you for years, which makes this rug trend timeless.
Trend 3: Vintage Revival
The vintage and vintage-inspired area rug trend will continue to enchant in 2024. With a connection to the past, these rugs boast a charming, worn-in appearance that adds character and nostalgia to your decor. Rugs with faded, distressed or weathered designs effortlessly blend the old with the new. That quality makes them an excellent choice for creating a timeless aesthetic.
Your vintage rug may be the real deal with aged patina or it may be a new item made to look old. Either way, these pieces can pull together and ground all sorts of spaces. The vintage aesthetic is particularly effective when paired with clean-lined contemporary rooms or utilitarian spaces like kitchens and bathrooms.
Pro-Tip: Vintage rugs made of wool fibers can withstand heavy use in high-traffic areas and will be around for years to come.
Trend 4: Geometry, Graphics and Globals
Geometric rug patterns are enjoying a major moment in design! Angular shapes such as triangles, hexagons and chevrons are being incorporated into rug designs. The result is a contemporary and eye-catching impact on any space. This timeless, shape-driven trend overlaps the popularity of classic neutrals, large-scale, high-contrast and textural textiles, as well as rugs that feature tribal and well-travelled cultural influences.
The repeated motifs of geometric rugs can give a room a sense of spaciousness and the angles contribute dynamic energy to your home environment. Extremely versatile, geometric rugs are among the top ten trending styles and work well in modern and eclectic interiors.
Trend 5: Texture Tour de Force
Some designers credit the past decade of hard and slick surfaces with the meteoric rise of high-texture decor. Unlike tile flooring from the early 2000s and the screens on our personal devices, textured rugs invite touch and comfort. Trending rugs often incorporate shag and mixed pile elements. Additionally, carved rugs feature a range of pile heights, cut to emphasize pattern in a 3D effect.
Under the texture category, we also want to give a shout out to the rug layering trend. Think of a rug dealer’s showroom, with beautiful rugs laid overlapping across the floor. Rug layering is a way to feature multiple patterns or colors but it is also a great opportunity to stretch your budget and use a larger, more neutral rug to ground a smaller focal point rug. Area rugs can even be layered over carpet to ‘dress up’ a boring wall-to-wall installation.
The depth and dimension of these trending textiles make your home feel cozy and welcoming. So opt for textured rugs to create a plush and tactile sensory experience that you’ll love sinking your feet into.
Pro Tip: Keep in mind that textural or layered rugs can be a trip hazard for guests, young children or older loved ones.
Trend 6: Maximalist and Artistic Abstracts
Going into 2024, bold artistic designs with vibrant colors are among the top ten rug trends to watch. For brave buyers, maximalist rugs serve as statement pieces, infusing personality and energy into the room. If you love color but tend to shy away from patterned wallpaper or big art pieces, a vibrant rug has a less in-your-face impact on the design of your space but still brings all the design drama.
Use splashes of vivid hues, unique patterns, and abstract motifs to turn your floor into a captivating canvas and give your space that one-of-a-kind flair. These rugs can also give fresh energy into a room of neutral walls and furnishings. And they can be a great way to hide the everyday soiling and spots til you can schedule that rug cleaning. Maximalist rugs are a great complement to contemporary interiors. They are also a great choice for midcentury and art-deco design schemes.
Trend 7: Large Scale Patterns
Size matters – at least when it comes to area rugs. Whether we’re talking oversized floral prints (a 2024 favorite) or sprawling geometrics, large-scale patterns make a powerful statement in any room. This trend is an intentional departure from the traditional, small-motif styles that have long served as a subtle backdrop to furniture, art and other focal points. In contrast, homeowners and designers choose these dramatic textiles with bold patterns to be the focal point of a room.
The large-scale trend overlaps with several other trends, including vibrant maximalist designs, graphic botanicals, global and tribal looks. Oversized patterns are a good choice for open-plan spaces and rooms with simple furnishings.
Trend 8: Minimal and Neutral
Even though bold and bodacious is big in 2024, so is its polar opposite. Simple yet impactful, this top ten rug trend means neutral and understated modern rugs are getting a lot of attention. Although they are seperate trends, minimal and neutral looks share many qualities. The clean lines, monochromatic hues and subtle patterns of minimalist rugs create an elegant and sophisticated atmosphere. Similarly, classically neutral rugs make the most of a serene color scheme. From soft grays to timelss ivory, these rugs provide a versatile foundation for any decor.
The minimal and neutral design trends overlap beautifully with sustainable style. And here’s where it all comes full circle. Because plant fibers like sisal and sea grass and timeless wool textiles impart textural interest and natural color to a range of neutral rug looks. Light colors and simple weaves serve as a blank canvas and are easy to integrate into any decor style. This flexibility allows the buyer to easily update decor over time with new accent pieces and accessories.
Pro Tip: For life-proofing and peace of mind, light colored and neutral rugs are great candidates for stain protection. Look for a trustworthy company with an environmentally safe product for the best and safest service.
Trend 9: Indoor-Outdoor and Lifestyle Responsive Rugs
How you live on your rug is a big driver of what rug you choose. The best rug serves your lifestyle as much as it complements your design style. A growing trend in 2024 is the use of high performance fabrics and outdoor-rated textiles for the most hard-working interior spaces in our homes. Versatile and durable, outdoor rugs have been gaining traction for their ability to withstand heavy foot traffic and various weather conditions.
With advancements in design and technology, indoor-outdoor rugs now come in a wide array of attractive patterns and colors. Who is likely to choose an outdoor rug for an indoor space? Families with young children and pets appreciate these cleanable, hardy textiles. The same is true for people whose homes see a lot of activity and regular comings and goings. Whether you are styling a popular patio area, a bright sunroom, or a particular high-traffic interior space, indoor-outdoor rugs are easy to clean and maintain, making them a perfect choice for a range of applications.
Trend 10: Customized and Personalized
In an era when individuality is celebrated, customization and personalization are new watchwords in rug design. On the one hand, many companies now offer personalized options, allowing you to choose colors, patterns, and even sizes that perfectlly suit your taste and space. On the other hand, the carpet industry is enjoying a renaissance as designers and customers transform broadloom carpet into custom-sized, cut and bound area rugs.
This top ten rug trend, like so many others in 2024, is a great opportunity to overlap styles and construction. Carpet rugs lean towards the minimalist, neutral and tone-on-tone geometric looks. Upmarket area rugs with customizable particulars work with with abstract, maximalist and vintage looks. Personalization ensures your area rug perfectly complements your existing decor, creating a cohesive and harmonious space.
The Practical Side of Beauty
While they make a huge contribution to the style of a space, rugs have a practical side too. They impart warmth and comfort to hard or cold flooring. They protect surfaces from daily traffic and absorb spills and sloshes. When you shop for that new accessory, keep in mind the durability of the rug material and the purpose your rug will serve. Practicality is the unsung rug trend of 2024.
A top trend across all home furnishing purchases is ease of maintenance. That is why performance fabrics are so popular when choosing family-friendly upholstery. If the rug you are considering is made of hardy, cleanable fibers and still falls in your budget sweet spot, then you’re on the right track. When it comes to maintenance, some basic rug care you can do yourself. But opt for the pros if you are looking for a deeper clean. Spending a little more can get you a higher quality cleaning experience. It’s not so much about what you pay as what you get for what you pay. By considering up-front cost and long-term care you will be able to make that final area rug selection with confidence.
If you are trying to decide between a natural and a synthetic rug, compare the pros and cons of each. Understanding a rug’s fiber type makes you a savvy buyer. Polyester and polypropylene rugs stand up to everyday traffic and routine maintenance. Wool rugs are great long-term investments and sustainable rugs allow buyers to put their money where their principles are. Ultimately, your rug purchase can be both purposeful and on-trend.
Conclusion
Investing in a trendy area rug can allow you to update a tired space. But remember, on-trend does not mean short-lived. After all, many of the current trends have classic influences and timeless appeal.
The area rug trends of 2023-2024 offer something for every homeowner and interior enthusiast. Sustainable materials will continue to reflect our commitment to the environment while earthy toes bring a sense of tranquility and timeless allure. The revival of vintage looks and the boldness of maximalist and abstract designs provide ways to introduce color to a space and patterns in a variety of scales. And if you have a hard time deciding between rug trends, remember, many of next year’s hottest looks overlap. Whatever your style, the size, texture and pattern of today’s rugs can all be tailored to suit your individual preferences.
Watch for these exciting trends to start to take shape as we move into the fall of 2023. You’ll see the favorite looks of the past three years begin to evolve in new directions. From the practical benefits of durability and easy maintenance to the aesthetic charm of style and comfort, these rug trends have it all.
So, keep your lifestyle in mind but let your creativity run wild. Embrace the beauty of area rugs that speak to your personality and your unique environment. You’ll be on target to elevate the feel and look of your floors to new heights in the new year.