Depending on how you look at it, a good area rug is either the foundation for your space or the final piece that pulls it all together. In both senses, though, one thing is true: The right rug can be transformational.
When choosing the best area rug for your home, you’ll want to take a number of considerations. First, the piece you end up with should be the right size to suit the scale of the room it’s in and the furniture that anchors it. Second, you’ll want to make sure its design and color palette harmonize with your sense of style. And third, it’s important to think practically: Are you putting the rug in a high-traffic area? Will it go outside or in? Do you have kids or pets running around? All of those factors will play a role in determining the best area rug for you.
Luckily—and somewhat intimidatingly—there is no shortage of rugs to choose from. So, to get you started on your search, we’ve pulled together 20 of the best area rugs, according to our interior designers. These neutral options can suit a wide range of spaces and help elevate their surroundings in all of them.
1. Best Area Rugs: Danvi Hand-Knotted Area Rug
The rich terracotta color of The Citizenry’s Danvi Rug makes it an ideal option to bring a bit of warmth into a space, but its geometric design gives it an interesting, graphic appeal. A bit of pattern might be exactly what your room needs!
2. Best Area Rugs: Tarla Hand-Knotted Area Rug
Made in India out of sheep’s wool, The Citizenry’s Tarla Rug has a distinctly modern feel, thanks to its striking, maze-like pattern. It’s simple enough to not distract from the rest of your decor, but eye-catching enough to elevate your space. A bonus: Its soft high-low pile makes it feel as luxurious as it looks.
3. Best Area Rugs: Beth Machine Washable Rug
You don’t have to shell out big time to bring a refined and historic feel to your living space; Interior Define’s Beth Rug has a storied look, with its blue-gray Turkish-inspired design, with the benefits of having a less-than $1,000 price and being machine-washable.
4. Best Area Rugs: Amman Hand-Woven Rug
This is one of the best area rugs if you’re searching for a standout, maximalist option. The Citizenry’s Amman Rug sticks to an earthy, cool-toned palette that makes it surprisingly versatile, but its dynamic, graphic pattern gives it a bold and sophisticated look.
5. Best Area Rugs: Sophia Rug
With its abstract pattern featuring floral and foliage-inspired shapes, The Inside’s Sophia Rug its one of the best area rugs for a bedroom or living room. It’s detailed and intricate in its design but with a natural color palette, it’s versatile and easy to style around.
6. Best Area Rugs: Suhad Hand-Knotted Rug
There’s something mesmerizing about this intricately designed Afghan area rug. Made with hand-dyed wool in a warm gray hue, The Citizenry’s Suhad Rug is quite literally a masterpiece: Each rug takes between four to five months to complete! With its elegant details, we think it’s well worth the wait.
7. Best Area Rugs: Noelle Hand-Knotted Rug
Made with a mix of New Zealand wool and cotton, the Noelle Rug by Interior Define has the makings of a modern heirloom. Its blue-gray hue pairs well with both light and dark woods, and its subtle floral pattern gives it a breezy appeal.
8. Best Area Rugs: Saira Hand-Woven Rug
Ideal for a space rife with clean, modern lines, The Citizenry’s Saira Rug features an entrancing geometric pattern woven together with natural shades of sage green, cream, and gray. Because it’s a flat weave option, it’s also easy to clean and holds up to high traffic.
9. Best Area Rugs: Tabitha Machine Washable Rug
The faded stone gray pattern of the Tabitha Rug from Interior Define gives it a lovely sense of depth and detail — an ideal choice to harmonize with the rest of your home without distracting from other design fixtures.
10. Best Area Rugs: Lahar Hand-Knotted Rug
The beauty of The Citizenry’s Lahar Rug lies in its subtlety. Its faint sunburst pattern is sophisticated and ideal for both modern and traditional-leaning spaces. It’s made by a collective of 200 weavers who use naturally dyed fibers — so each rug is unique and thoughtfully made.
11. Best Area Rugs: Florrie Outdoor Rug
Thanks to its polypropylene weave, The Inside’s Florrie Rug is one of the best area rugs for both outdoor spaces and high-traffic interiors. Its bold, three-dimensional pattern makes it an impactful piece.
12. Best Area Rugs: Darika Hand-Woven Rug
Looking for a simple area rug that’s secretly not-so-simple? The Citizenry’s Darika Rug may be the one for you. Its plush pebble texture is whimsical yet subtle — and designed to be super-comfortable, made with New Zealand wool.
13. Best Area Rugs: Jenna Machine Washable Rug
With a price tag of less than $1,000 for all sizes, Interior Define’s Jenna Rug is a budget-friendly option that looks more high-end, with its antique-inspired design. This is an especially great choice for homes with kids or pets — as it’s easy to clean and machine-washable!
14. Best Area Rugs: Ishara Hand-Woven Rug
Love on-trend checkerboard rugs but want something a bit different? The Citizenry’s Ishara Rug is a great alternative. Its irregular rectangular pattern is at once abstract and organized — a striking look.
15. Best Area Rugs: Caro Outdoor Rug
The geometric line design of The Inside’s Caro Rug imbues it with an elegant, Mediterranean-inspired flair. And available in three different shades — light blue, warm brown, and warm ecru — it’s appealing to a wide range of design preferences.
16. Best Area Rugs: Bina Hand-Knotted Rug
The plush, high pile of The Citizenry’s Bina Rug makes it a luxurious addition to a bedroom or living room, and its pattern of irregular lines enhances its look with pops of natural jute. A great choice for a modern organic space!
17. Best Area Rugs: Esme Outdoor Rug
With its traditional-inspired diamond design, The Inside’s Esme is one of the best outdoor area rugs. Its warm, light tan hue in two contrasting shades evokes a natural jute — but in a polypropylene fabrication, it’s far easier to keep clean.
18. Best Area Rugs: Dennis Hand Knotted Rug
The fine lines and checkered border for Interior Define’s Dennis Rug make it an understated yet considered option. Its faint, artistic deals are especially suitable for more minimalist spaces.
19. Best Area Rugs: Lalita Hand-Knotted Rug
Take a deep breath. The Citizenry’s Lalita Rug is designed to instantly imbue a room with a sense of ease and relaxation with its long, curved lines, which evoke a Zen garden. Its one-inch pile gives it an extra-cozy feel.
20. Best Area Rugs: Fawn Rug
Don’t underestimate the impact of a good, strategically placed pop of animal print! The Inside’s Fawn Rug is more subtle than a more ostentatious cheetah or leopard-print option, and the variation in its natural-inspired pattern gives it an elevated look.
21. Best Area Rugs: Sadie Rug
Sometimes, a space just needs a little drama, and this black handwoven rug from Loloi’s collaboration with Magnolia Home always delivers. Use it to edge up an otherwise neutral living space, or go bold and cozy in a primary bedroom — either way, it’s a ten out of ten from us.
22. Best Area Rugs: Roman Rug
What’s not to love about this neutral wool rug from Loloi? Perfect for a living room, bedroom, dining room, and beyond, you truly can’t go wrong with the neutral color palette, medium pile, and broken striped motif. It will work in just about any space.
23. Best Area Rugs: Cortona Rug
The Cortona rug from Four Hands is a best seller for obvious reasons. With subtle traditional charm in a neutral, timeless color palette that will blend with any design aesthetic, this rug is honestly a no-brainer. Pair it with ultra-modern furnishings for a cool, dynamic look.
24. Best Area Rugs: Berber Shag Rug
We’re unsure about 1970s shag, but this Berber Shag rug from Surya is a definite yes from us. With a neutral base and geometric pattern in high-contrast black, this timeless rug offers just the right touch of visual interest. Plus, it’s endlessly versatile — you’ll have it for years to come.
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