10 bedroom rug ideas that will elevate your scheme from the floor up

Finding the right bedroom rug ideas for your scheme is an important part of planning your design. After all, it's the first thing you'll feel underfoot at the start of the day. It is, quite literally, the epitome of putting your best foot forward. 

A rug is not just a practical choice, but decor that adds warmth, color and layering to a bedroom. In the list of bedroom ideas, rugs are essential. They help soften hardwood floors, but also ground the furniture, helping to create zones. You can also be a bit more ambitious with your choices in a bedroom, compared to other areas of the house which require workhorse materials. 

'Bedrooms are a great place to splurge on silk or fluffy fine wool,' suggests Kellie Burke, principal designer, Kellie Burke Interiors. 'It’s where you are typically barefoot, so the wear and tear of boots and shoes are less of a concern, meaning you should spend big here if you have the budget.'

So, with practicality less of a concern, the world is your oyster when it comes to choosing a rug. For the best modern bedroom ideas with beautiful rugs, we have 10 great ideas to inspire you. 

10 bedroom rug ideas that go beyond basic 

A bedroom is a place you can escape to and recharge yourself for the day ahead. Since this is a place of rejuvenation, every element within it should help you relax and wind down. Think about how soft, luxurious surfaces make you feel. Rugs add that touch of coziness and warmth that hard flooring sometimes can’t give. 

And as opposed to areas such as the kitchen or even the living room, where practicality plays an important role to steer your design choices, a low-traffic space like the modern bedroom allows you to bring in plush, sophisticated, and even high-end materials. Since this is an exclusive, private area, you have the license to be indulgent. 

Picking up fluffy, quirky, or even large-scale rugs will add oodles of design and even joy to your room, so don't starve yourself of such a pleasure.

1. Don't be afraid of odd shapes 

Besides the fact that rugs add an element of interest and layering to a room, they can also soften the linear nature of a bedroom. If you want to add a quirky touch to your space, forgo the usual round, square or rectangular rugs and go for an irregular shape. They also can help problem-solve rooms with challenging layouts. 

'It was challenging to fit in a rug since the walls of this bedroom were angled on both sides of the room,' says Jamie Nesbitt-Weber, interior designer at Jamie Nesbitt-Weber Interior Design. 'But we solved that problem by using an anamorphic shaped braided rug made by Grain that softens the harsh angular lines of the walls.'

2. Mirror colors from your scheme in a rug 

Bedroom colors can be one of the most difficult elements to get right. And the rugs, even more. The rug should ideally link to and complement the rest of the palette.

This bedroom by Baldiwala Edge is a great example, where the green and yellow seen on the bed are effortlessly mirrored in the rug. The entire room, from the walls to the floor seems color-drenched and cohesive. 

'Area rugs can be a great way to layer texture and color in a bedroom and define a space,' says Reena Sotropa, principal designer at Reena Sotropa. 'It can be a great way to support a foundational color scheme as well.'

3. Use the rug to add softness to a rustic scheme

Rugs also can soften an interior scheme, especially in rustic bedrooms. If the room is essentially devoid of color and features distressed finishes, stone flooring, and dark paints, the rug can add that touch of comfort to the space. 

Choose soft materials such as wool, nylon, alpaca, or wool-silk blends that look sumptuous too. Pure wool rugs are natural, sustainable, and have insulating properties. They're often not as durable, but this is less of a concern in an adult's bedroom. 

4. Choose an oversized rug

‘An oversized rug adds a cozy layer to a bedroom,' says Suzie Lucas, principal designer at Lucas Interior.  'When finalizing rug sizes, we are always careful to make sure that all furniture will sit comfortably on the rug. With wood flooring throughout the home, we made sure to expose the wood floor in the bedroom at the doors and entrance hall for a seamless transition into the space.’ 

If you have a large couple's bedroom and want to give it a more cohesive, cozy look, you can use an oversized rug to bring the entire room's design and dimensions within one area.  

An oversized rug can also function as the 'wall' in your room,  so you can float your furniture around it, rather than pushing everything against the edges.

5. Use a rug only for the bedside

If you like the idea of a rug but aren't sold on having it as one of the main elements of the room, then consider one right next to your bed, which is just big enough to step on when getting out of bed.

When choosing a pattern, consider the style of your bedroom. For classic, nautical or minimalist bedroom, a striped flat-weave rug can work. For a bold pop, choose a geometric print.

6. Cozy up with a carpet and rug combination

There could be several reasons to use a rug when you already have a bedroom carpet. One could be that you're a renter and have to live with the already-installed wall-to-wall carpet. One way to break away from that is by adding a bright, vibrant rug of your choice. 

Another reason could be to cover up a non-flattering carpet design. By adding a large rug you can create the illusion of single floor material and hide all signs of the original carpet.

These practical solutions aside, another great reason to add a rug when you already have a carpet is for material layering. By adding two plush materials underfoot, you could ensure textural richness to your bedroom. In general, broadlooms don't have big patterns, so you could use a rug to add that.

7. Hang it up as art

Some rugs are so striking, that you want to treat them as art, so why not hang one as bedroom wall decor? Firstly, they double as large artworks so you don't need to invest in expensive paintings to pretty up your room.

If you have antique rugs, putting them up on the wall, in glass frames will help you maintain and preserve them. Handwoven, hand-knotted silk Persian rugs look especially striking against brick walls if that's your room's design. Just be careful about how you hang them, as unevenly hung rugs can cause them to warp, sag or even tear. You could consider sewing a casing on the back of the rug or using Velcro to fix it to the wall.

8. Add a fun element with rugs in a kid's bedroom

'Area rugs are a great tool to create interest and add a graphic pop of pattern or color in an otherwise very soft or monochromatic scheme in a kids bedroom,' says Reena. 'Our client asked us to select foundational finishes for her baby's nursery that would not necessarily make a bold style statement allowing for easy changes as her child grew and was able to express her taste. Our client was thrilled with the soft blush, white and gold scheme but we agreed that something was missing.' 

'The hooked wool faux zebra rug was an inexpensive, last-minute addition that not only provided a soft cozy spot for 'tummy time' but also added instant personality to the space,' says Reena. 'Area rugs are a very common request by our clients for their children’s bedrooms. Kids spend a lot of time on the floor playing, reading, or just hanging out. An area rug can protect the hardwood floors in a play space for little ones and in the case of our client, who already had a separate playroom,  can provide a cozy spot to stretch out and hang out with her friends in her own private space.'

Though not as soft as wool, a flat-weave rug is often preferred in a nursery because toys and furniture can slide easily across them. The low pile count makes it a cleaner material that doesn't attract a lot of dust and dander. Wiping away a spill is also much easier with a flat-weave rug.

9. Use it to add color to a neutral room

In a largely neutral space, a bright rug can do all the talking. Don't be afraid to use large patterns on them as well, if the rest of the furnishings are mainly plain. The rug will help create a pretty bedroom scheme and make heads turn and break the visual monotony of the room.

You can make a statement rug like this do double duty as well. Use it to define traffic lanes as well as spaces, by placing it between the bed and the ensuite bathroom. You can add further interest with an exaggerated length.

10. Express yourself with a typography rug

Apart from colors and patterns, another way with rug designs is with typography. Use these to express yourself, your personality and even your culture. You could use typography rugs that mention friendly quotes or sayings in a guest bedroom to make your friends feel welcome.

In this bedroom by Marmelo Design, the text on the rug jumps up, especially because the room is largely white. Notice how it's also an oversized piece, that fills up the space between the bed and the study area, offering a soft underfoot for the dweller anytime he/she walks around in the small space.

What is the best kind of rug for a bedroom floor?

A bedroom is an ideal place for plush, high-pile, or even shag rugs, as it receives the least amount of traffic. Polypropylene and wool are durable and can give great softness underfoot.

If you're placing the rug in a kids' bedroom, opt for flat weave as these do not collect dust and grime, and are easier to clean. For a high-end look in your master bedroom, go for pure wool, and shaggy rugs.

Silk rugs look elegant and can last long, however, aren't very resistant to stains. A great way with silk rugs is to frame them on walls or use them in the least frequented space in the room. 

Olefin is similar to wool, and while it is not as durable, it looks almost exactly like wool and is cheaper. And speaking of cheaper alternatives, polyester is a budget material, and dying it is super easy. It is also water and stain-resistant.

What size rug should I get for a bedroom?

Bedroom rugs can be slim designs next to the bed, layered on top of carpet, or oversized ones. These can be placed next to the furniture or under it.  Yes, a rug can be under a bed but there are sizes and dimensions to take care of.

Keep in mind, for an area rug to look balanced under a bed, make sure it extends beyond the sides of the bed, at least 18 inches. Of course, depending on the size of the room, there can be more extensions around the bed, but ideally not less, otherwise the rug will look insignificant and get lost by the scale of the bed.

If you want to place the rug under the bed, consider how large your room is, how much furniture you have in it, and of course, the size of the bed, the nightstands, and the bench. Ideally, in a queen-size bed, an 8x10 inch rug works, which can extend beyond the bed and under the nightstands as well.

Otherwise, a 6x9" will cover just about the area of the bed and shoot out slightly under it. A 5x8" will half cover the area under the bed.

In a king-size bed, a 9x12" should be ideal, covering the entire bed and the nightstands. An 8x10" will cover only the bed, while a 6x9 will cover only half of the bed.