We Tested (and Rated!) Every Rug at Room & Board

When you’re furnishing your home, you probably think you have to shop at a couple of different places to find everything you need. After all, it would seem unlikely that a furniture store would sell decor, and vice versa. It’s not impossible, though, as proven by Room & Board, which is one of our favorite places to shop for seating, storage, and rugs. 

As part of our Personal Shopper series, we visit the showrooms of some of the buzziest retailers around to gather intel on their top products. In this installment, we visited Room & Board’s New York City location to check out six of the brand’s rugs in person. Although Room & Board’s rug collection tends to get lost in the midst of all the incredible furniture, it turns out that it’s just as good as the seating, thanks to the use of high-quality materials, artisan weaving techniques, and gorgeous designs. 

Room & Board is one of the most dependable home brands around. It specializes in custom-made products (a majority of which are created by American manufacturers) and has a reputation for quality and longevity — in more than one way. Not only are Room & Board products designed to last, but the brand also always skips trends in favor of timeless designs that you won’t get sick of after a few years.

We’ve visited Room & Board for previous Personal Shopper articles (sofas and bed frames), so adding rugs to the mix was a no-brainer. Like most of Room & Board’s products, its rugs are available to customize by size, although there’s not as much customization with color and pattern. There is a lot of variation in style, though, and you can find rugs for pretty much every aesthetic, including traditional, eclectic, and modern. 

We judged every rug from Room & Board based on the following criteria:

• In-Store Placement: Where was the rug positioned in the store? Does the area get lots of foot traffic, like in the front or along major walkways? Is it in an area with low foot traffic, such as back corners or hanging on the wall?
• Aesthetic: What decor scheme or mood does it best suit? Does it have bold lines, patterns, or colors? Does it play nice with other decor elements or does it steal the show?
• Feel: Is the surface soft to the touch? Or is it roughly textured?
• Fluff Factor: What is the rug’s pile height? Is it tufted with long threads or otherwise voluminous? Is the rug flat or thin — in other words, tightly woven with minimal volume?
• Versatility: Does it work indoors and outdoors? Can it be layered? Is it reversible? Does it come in a wide range of colors and sizes?

Keep in mind: We’ve focused our testing on the rugs’ visual and tangible elements, serving as your eyes and hands in-store rather than simply providing specifications that can be found online. Although we’ve supplemented our criteria with a few of these distinguishing details, such as materials (is it easy to clean? Is it known to last?) and dimensions, we are primarily reporting which rugs from Room & Board are worth it — for whom, where, and why — with interior design and lifestyle functionality as our priorities.

Each Room & Board rug in this article was tested by Sofia Rivera, Apartment Therapy’s lifestyle & special projects editor. As part of her role, Sofia covers wellness, money, career, and small-space living, and loves writing about tips and habits for better living. She has been with Apartment Therapy since 2022, and previously worked in strategic communications. 

The Safira rug looks pretty basic at first glance, but then you start noticing the texture and grid pattern and realize that it’s actually got a lot going on. I would still consider it a neutral choice, but it’s certainly not boring. I love the pattern, which kind of reminds me of graph paper, and the neat striations in the coloring — the overall result is more contemporary than you’d expect from a neutral rug. 

One of the best parts about this rug, though, is the plush feel. It has the highest pile height of all the Room & Board rugs I saw, and feels absolutely wonderful underfoot. The wool material itself isn’t the softest (although it’s not rough, either), but the thick feel makes it extra cozy and luxurious. 

This rug was located right in the middle of the store under a big sectional sofa, so it had definitely seen a lot of traffic. It’s clear that the wool construction is durable, but the lighter color doesn’t hide dirt very well. I still think that this is a great rug for a high-traffic area, although the lighter coloring and plush feel definitely make it ideal for a bedroom or TV room.

Specifications: 

• Styles: Also able to customize
• Material: Wool
• Sizes: 6’x9’, 8’x10’, 9’x12’, 10’x14’
• Pile Height: High
• Colors: 2

I love this rug! It has a looped style that feels amazing underfoot — honestly, I would happily lie down on it. It has a lower pile than the Safira rug (0.5 inches compared to 0.75), but the looping and extra-thick wool yarn make it feel even more plush. Truly everything about this rug screams cozy, but if you want to get even cozier you can shop it in an even plusher shag style. (I didn’t see this one in person, but if it’s anything like the looped version then it won’t disappoint!)

The Hastings rug is another good neutral choice that will fit in with lots of decor styles and room types. The comfy feel makes it an obvious choice for bedrooms, but it could easily be used to warm up a living room or home office as well. The four neutral color options are equally versatile, so you really can’t go wrong.

I saw the ivory/grey version, and I think it could hide dirt and stains pretty well. On the other hand, I do worry that the looping could trap dirt and debris, and I think cat claws could easily snag. The rug I saw in the store was placed in a high-traffic area and it looked pretty good, though, so I have high hopes for its durability.

Specifications: 

• Styles: Also available in shag and able to customize
• Material: Wool
• Sizes: 3’x5’, 5’x8’, 6’x9’, 8’x10’, 9’x12’, 10’x14’
• Pile Height: High
• Colors: 4

This rug wowed me immediately, thanks to its rich coloring and bold pattern. I love the deep turquoise and chocolate brown combination, although it would be nice if it came in other colors if you like warmer tones. I think that it would definitely hide stains and dirt well, and the tightly woven design makes it easier to vacuum and clean. Plus, it’s made of wool, which is a highly durable material — just be ready for some shedding at the beginning.

This particular wool has a soft feel, which makes it seem plusher than it is (it has a low pile height). I like how it feels underfoot, and I don’t think it’s scratchy at all. The rich coloring and soft feel make it seem extra inviting — yet another reason why I think this rug should be in a room where you’ll spend a lot of time.

Specifications: 

• Styles: Also able to customize
• Material: Wool
• Sizes: 6’x9’, 8’x10’, 9’x12’
• Pile Height: Low
• Colors: 1

While a majority of the Room & Board rugs I saw were patterned, none of them were as gorgeously designed as the Sundar rug. The first word that came to mind when I saw it was “sunshine-y,” due to the bright colors and cheerful pattern. It has a lot of gradience and points of interest, and it’s simply just pleasant to look at. 

The only problem I have with it is that it’s the least soft of the bunch. It’s not scratchy, but it’s not plush or cozy — especially compared to the others I saw. For that reason, I think I’d recommend it being placed in a more formal living room or dining room, and not a bedroom or family area. 

Still, this rug deserves to be displayed. It’s only available in one colorway, but I think it’s perfect as is, and would do well as the focal point of a room. This would also be a fantastic rug for a darker room that needs some brightening up — not only is the design light, but the pattern also has a lot of movement to it, so I’m convinced that it could turn any space from drab to sparkling. 

Specifications: 

• Styles: Also able to customize
• Material: Wool
• Sizes: 2’6”x6’, 2’6”x9’, 6’x9’, 8’x10’, 9’x12’
• Pile Height: Low
• Colors: 1

The Anza rug looks much bolder and brighter in person than it does online, with a much more fun vibe compared to other rugs. I love that the longer you look at it, the more colors pop out — for example, there are some pink hues that took me a few minutes to notice! It’s inspired by Hmong patterns but also has a bit of a Southwest vibe going on, and I think it would work really well in a space that’s more eclectic than traditional. 

Because of the tightly woven design, deep colors, and busy pattern, I feel pretty confident that this rug could hide stains very well. The low pile isn’t plush, but it’s not rough either, and I think it could be used in pretty much any room where you want to add some visual interest.

I saw the blue/blush combination in the store, and while it’s not my favorite, I do think it really pops in an interesting way. There’s also a marine color available if you prefer cooler tones, though. 

Specifications: 

• Styles: Also able to customize
• Material: Wool
• Sizes: 5’x8’, 6’x9’, 8’x10’, 9’x12’
• Pile Height: Low
• Colors: 2

If you love the look of vintage rugs but don’t want to deal with searching for one (or the extra high prices), then you’ll love the Kayseri. It definitely has more of a traditional vibe, but it’s surprisingly versatile, thanks to the warm earth tones and pattern variety. I could see it working with a lot of different design styles, and I think it’s more than capable of tying a room together.

It looks softer and plusher than it is, so I was surprised when I realized it’s quite stiff underfoot. It’s not uncomfortable per se, but just a bit unexpected. I do think it’s a great option for homes with pets, both because of the lower pile and the ease of cleaning. (Room & Board does recommend it for high-traffic rooms!) The busy pattern also seems like it would conceal dirt and stains — even with the lighter tones.

This rug is one of the more versatile options offered by Room & Board, thanks to the range of colors and sizes available. While I saw the moss version in the store, it also comes in terracotta and marine. The terracotta and moss colors feel a bit more casual and laidback, while the marine hue is more formal and sophisticated.

Specifications: 

• Styles: Also able to customize
• Material: Wool
• Sizes: 2’x3’, 3’x5’, 2’6”x6’, 2’6”x9’, 5’x8’, 6’x9’, 8’x10’, 9’x12’, 10’x14’
• Pile Height: Low
• Colors: 3