Designers Are Falling Hard for This Art Deco-Inspired Rug Trend
An area rug is often a last-minute decision — something you choose to appease your landlord’s floor-to-rug ratio, disguise unsightly tile, or to simply add softness underfoot. The thing most people overlook is that rugs set the literal foundation of a room, making them a fun place to play around with microtrends and choose something beyond a basic jute or seagrass.
For the past few years, rugs boasting all-over patterns have given homeowners a way to go bold with their room’s design. This season, however, I’m seeing designs that dial back the wow factor a bit (though that certainly doesn’t mean they’re boring). Instead, I’m noticing what can best be described as mostly solid rugs framed out with thick borders that may or may not be printed with a decorative motif. Turns out, these aren’t totally new, and there’s even a name for them: border rugs.
What Is a Border Rug?
A border rug, or bordered rug, is an area carpet design framed with a prominent band of color or geometric pattern around its perimeter. These styles are great for adding a bit of structure to a space while more subtly playing with shape and form than an all-over patterned rug. You can find them in a variety of shades, sizes, and silhouettes.
While they may be experiencing a resurgence in popularity now, border rugs have actually been a design favorite for centuries. Throughout history, traditional Persian, Turkish, and Oriental rugs have showcased a signature border, which often drew the eye inward toward a more detailed, decorative center. Fast-forward to the 1920s and ’30s, and slightly less intricate border rugs (especially those that featured stepped patterns or graphic Greek key motifs) provided the perfect match for sleek Deco furniture and the clean architectural lines of the time. Many of these pieces were sourced out of China, and they tend to show up at flea markets and on sites like 1st Dibs or Etsy today.
Where Can a Border Rug Be Used?
Whether vintage or new, border rugs remain a great way to create instant structure and definition in any room, especially if you’re working with an open floor plan. They’re also a wonderful way to add color and pattern underfoot without overpowering a space, especially if it’s already full of busy patterns in terms of textiles, upholstery, or artwork. Don’t discount them in a bathroom, either.
How to Get the Look
Ready to shop for a few of these simple stunners? Below, I’ve rounded up eight stylish border rugs to help you dip your toes into the trend that every home decor brand — and designer — seems to be thinking about this season, if the latest fall collections are any indication.
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