Rug Ed

We just moved into our first house with all hardwood floors. In fact, the only rooms in this 2,000+ square foot house with a different floor covering are the two upstairs bathrooms. I love the look, sound, and feel of the almost 100-year-old oak floors, but I am admittedly a little overwhelmed with the design choices available to soften their hard edges. One of the first things I’ve noticed since ditching carpet is our furniture’s tendency to go slip-sliding every time I so much as situate a cushion or fuss over a spot on the armrest. I know that rugs will help to alleviate that problem, as well as warm up these beautiful wood floors with color and texture. But, where to start? How big? What shape? Where shall I put them? Upon consulting the Google machine, I was presented with a few key tips for decorating with rustic rugs. To break down the highlights of what I found: 1. Area rugs should be a minimum of six inches away from the walls of the room, and no more than two feet. 2. Hallway rugs should be situated so that any furniture in the entryway is entirely off the rug. 3. In an office, select a rug that is sizeable enough to accommodate both your desk and chair in such a way that you aren’t dragging or rolling off the sides of it. 4. In a living room, the rug should be big enough for the coffee table and front legs of chairs and/or sofas to sit on it. The rug should be the focal point of the room without under- or overwhelming the scene.