Layering rugs continue to be a rising trend, with designers and homeowners mixing and matching carpets to create their personalized floor. When doing this on wall-to-wall carpeting, the key is to consider the pile height of your surface. “You can put an area rug on top of wall-to-wall carpeting as long as wall-to-wall is not a shag. I love layering rugs and it is a good way to save money because you don’t need such a big rug, but it adds dimension and texture,” says rug expert and fiber artist Rosemary Hallgarten.
As Hallgarten mentions, shag is to be avoided, this is due to its high pile height which makes it harder to lay another rug on top of and creates a clash of textures. Lower-pile height wall-to-wall carpets will benefit from a denser area rug, allowing you to create zones for connection. This is a great idea for living rooms or bedrooms where you want to create more comfortable and intimate zones within the space. When choosing your area rug, consider the undertone of your carpet, you want the tones to complement one another to avoid a clash of colors and ensure your area rug flows seamlessly with the rest of the room.