I'll take the armchairs!!!

Seriously, that was my first reaction too!

"Is it possible to make this rug work?"
Yes, get some coordinating artwork/throw pillows/lamp/vases etc and use it as a color theme. Without seeing the finished product of the room it's hard to say if it'll work or not, since we don't have the same vision in our heads as you do!

Fortunately it's small, so if you end up not liking it getting rid of it would be simple.

I like the tone of the rug. It adds a depth of color to a room full of monotones. It seems small for the space. Something bigger could work. I'd def stick with rich colors.

BTW: those chairs are great and deserve a wonderful rug!

I say that the rug, being so small, could work somewhere on the wall as a piece of decoration. Could work nice with the white furniture. Try it with some other items like photo frames / shelves.

keep the chairs!!

The rug is too small for the space.

Get rid of the rug, its too small and the floor looks ok. But get something onto the walls.

Replacing the chairs? Maybe the couch? The rug could work with a different couch. The rug's too close to the couch, pull it out, that will make a difference. KEEP THOSE CHAIRS!

the rug is too small...you want at the very least the front 'feet' of your furniture in an arrangement to sit on the rug.

Too small for the living room. Try it in the kitchen!

the rug is very pretty but it is too small to have the place it has. Move it and if you can get something bigger and Round to compliment all the square things on this room.

what doesn't a persian rug work with?

I love the rug!
Since it is a bit small, what if you tried putting the rug at an angle, it may make it seem a bit bigger that way

Maybe you could purchase a larger rug with a more distinct pop of color. Use the rug to inspire a new color pallet. Nice neutral bones, though! The chairs are vintage cool.

agreed- too small for the space. I think a 6x8 or 6x9 rug would be better. Because the rest of the room is tonally similiar the rug is a huge focal point right now and only highlights it's size. If you want your rug to be the focal point, just get a larger version and coordinate accent pieces in the darker tones on the sofa or in pieces of art on the wall. Right now the floor, sofa, chairs, and walls are almost all withing a few shades depth wise. The rug is the pop at this point and it is too small.

I think that the rug works well with the space. It does seem a tad small but I think that if you pulled it out a bit from the foot of the sofa and centered it a bit more in the room that it would not appear as small. It is a beautiful rug and you should definitely try to work it in somehow.

I'd either put the rug on the wall, in another room, or get a larger rug in a neutral colour to put in front of the couch, and centre the existing rug on top of that one - that could get tricky looking though.

I'd keep the armchairs and replace the sofa! Yes, the rug can work. As dcarlton said, it needs to be pulled away from your sofa, maybe 10-12 inches, so that it's more centered in your seating area.

First... please check the white balance option in your camera....

The couch is a mess..... The chairs are beautiful (some new upholstery required), the rug is the only decent bit of color and personality in the whole space...

You should definetely not depart from it... but, quite the opposite, start from it.

Unless you actually hate it (subconsciously), and are not sure how to deal with that.

Not sure why everyone is loving on the chairs so much (except that they are MCM)- they look super uncomfortable and I don't fault you a bit if you're leaning towards something you'd rather sit in!
Keep the rug, and paint the walls a richer color:)

I'm going to have to say that the rug is too small for the size of the sofa and the room. If the floor is in good condition, you could always leave it bare, or go for a larger rug, 6x9 at absolute minimum. As it is, the rug - as others have pointed out - is the color focal point of the room, and the fact that it's undersized is underscored by its difference from the other objects in the room.

On another note, I love the chairs. It looks in the first picture like they need to be refinished, but you could probably have them refinished and reupholstered for the same cost or slightly more than buying new chairs. I'd consider that, seeing as they have AMAZING lines - so graceful, yet so modern.

I'd also consider a different coffee table: the one you currently have is kind of underwhelming in the space.

Keep the chairs but maybe recover them in a different fabric that coordinated with the rug.

Nice bathmat.

Yes, you need a larger rug for that room.

keep the chairs, ditch the couch.

That rug is beautiful! It may turn out well for you to purge the chairs and rug to achieve the look you want, but it seems to me that y'all should be decorating based on the chairs and rug-- the two valuable, handmade pieces of design-as-art-- and not based on the so-so couch and an Ikea piece. I think you should slipcover the couch first. Then, since your living room is so long, scoot the couch over and set up a second seating area with a second small rug using the chairs and coffee table (or use the coffee table as a side table for the couch). And scoot the rug out a foot or so from the couch. Pull some patterns and color from the rug for some pillows for the couch and chairs.

I like the rug despite its small size. Keep it and just pull it out a little. And just say no to the Expedite, particularly in white. It is way too modern for this space and would look out of place.

I like the rug in your space, but it is too small on its own. But the good news is that you can make this work. I suggest putting a larger sisal rug under it.

This will accomplish 2 things: It will anchor the various pieces of furniture and make it feel more like a discrete space (rather than a walkway). Also, it will add some much needed depth/layering/texture to the space. It feels a little bare bones right now.

Also, I think you might reconsider the sideboard in place of the chairs. It will become an overwhelming Wall O' TV. This is a challenging space because you have to walk through it, but I still the current layout is preferable.

It's way too small. It should be big enough to fit under the front legs of the couch and the chairs at the same time. When the rug is too small for a room, it throws off the proportion of everything else.

I have a rug this size that I love but is too small for central placement in the living room. I have put it at various times at the end of the bed, under a small seating of 2 chairs and a card table in the kitchen, and now I have it where I would suggest to put yours: in the space between the living room and kitchen, rotated 90 degrees. It will help break up the space between the rooms and help enlarge the space.
I also am a fan of your chairs, but the face-to-face arrangement they are in with the couch is very confrontational right now.... remind me of the dreaded "family meetings" of my youth :).
White laminate expidit will totally overwhelm this space, in my opinion. please look for something smaller.
also, this room need height- perhaps a taller case to enclose the TV and some art, shelves, coat rack, tall or hanging plant, anything to pull your eye upward.

I've noticed that rugs larger than that tend to cost much more than I can afford to spend, myself. Often several smaller rugs are more affordable, overall.

If you're able to buy two more identical rugs, you could place the three of them side-by-side in the other direction.

Also, it seems that your sofa cushions are sliding out. You can buy that rubbery waffle-weave shelf liner stuff from rubbermaid for five bucks and lay it across the bottom of the sofa, under the seat cushions. It grips the sofa and the cushions so they don't slide out.

yes, you need to replace it. (why do you want to keep it?) the rug is too small and kind of dull. get something that covers most of the floor, allowing most of your seating furniture to rest on it. it will make your room look less stark and more cozy without it seeming smaller.

only if there's another rug to compliment it.

it's simply too small for the space.

I also support a larger rug ni that spot.

I hope you keep the chairs, refinish the wood and reupholster or slip cover the cushions. I'm not so sure they are "handmade" as someone thought, but they are vintage and I do like the lines.

The picture is so orange I can't assess the rug's color impact. I agree that the armchairs are lovely; however, they do look as though they're for lounging in and staring up at something -- there's a distinct lean to the back.
Seems like you might want to reconsider the layout. Maybe you could place the rug long edge against the wall where those two long windows are, and put the two armchairs there. They'd only be used when you have more than five or six people, then. Then get a larger rug to define the main living area where you can place the couch and more comfortable seating. Lose the tv and get a wall-mountable one. Not claiming this would be the perfect layout, just indicating that there are other ways to think about this rug than as the main rug in the room.

Here's another vote for keeping the rug and the chairs, and dumping the sofa. Yes, a bigger rug would be even better, but for now, bring it farther out into the room, leaving a bit of wood in front of the sofa. Buy a new sofa, or at least replace the sagging back cushions, put some artwork up on your walls, and your room will look 100% better!

Someone may have already said this.... but put the rug on the wall over the sofa!!!

I was going to advise you to put the rug over a larger, sisal rug and center it, but it appears that somebody already offered that suggestion. Also, that coffee table... There's something about a small rectangular coffee table perched predictably atop a small rectangular rug that makes me sad. I think an octagonal Moroccan tea table or a beat up old trunk would look fantastic and you can find them for a steal. Whatever you do, just try to make sure that it feels as comfortable and inviting as you want your home to be. Fluffy accent pillows, cuddly throws, accessories that speak to your personality; that's what will make the room.

Don't get rid of the rug as it is the most interesting item in the room! You are obviously attached to it in some way otherwise you would not be asking this question. I agree that it looks too small in the current configuration but I'm sure if you make some changes based on the suggestions above and your own ideas you can make it work. It may be a good idea to try moving the things that you already have around the room before purchasing anything new. Perhaps the coffee table could serve as a place for your TV instead of the Ikea item you are thinking of purchasing as I do think it takes away from the rug. A less conventional and less expected setup in the room could do wonders. I think the rug should serve as the inspiration for the room.

My first reaction was that of course, the rug is too small. But still, I wonder how it would look if it were pulled away from the base of the couch by about six inches. I suspect it would still look too small because it's not really large enough to pull together your living room. But what about layering the rug with other persians or kilims? It might be an interesting way to tie the room together.

I would say that the couch is just way to heavy (and a bit boring). a nice fifties couch would suit way better, with legs underneath so it doesn't look that massive. you need some more colors as well.

My suggestion would be to replace the sofa if you can with something more streamlined in a light shade. The rug is lovely, just too small. You could place it on the wall over the new sofa and pick out a colour from it and get a larger rug for the floor.

Yes, the rug is much too small. Upgrade to a larger size!

-MerrifieldOriental

the rug is the only thing I would keep

Thank you for all of your ideas. We put the rug in the kitchen and it looks great there. We're going to save up for a larger rug for the living room.
The chairs were already on ebay at the time of posting. There were twinges of remorse whilst reading through your posts (fortunately we got a good price on them).
We're taking your advice on the expedit bookcase and getting a mcm or antique japanese sideboard instead.
Comments on the couch noted. We'll get something more streamlined when we can afford to.
Thanks again for your suggestions. Looking forward to getting cushions, ottomans, lamps, plants and pictures now.