I'm with you on this one. What I ended up doing was buying high-quality carpet remnant, then having it custom cut to a shape that's sort of amoeba-ish. It's a neutral greyish/green, but the shape makes it stand out.

Do you have any other rugs in the house? Maybe a good compromise would be to contrast with what you already have (i.e. if you have a bold rug in the dining room, get a neutral one for the living room, or vice versa).

A rug is too important to be neutral about. I'm with your husband (and The Dude): you need one that will really tie the room together. How about a compromise? A patterned rug with a mainly neutral base, like this, this, or this. You get the idea.

It really depends on how it's done. I always opt for neutral, but that's because it's a lot easier for me to put together than a bunch of vibrant colors. If this isn't your husband's style tho, sounds like it's time for the art of compromise. Some vibrant accents? A throw here or there?

I went with the option that @edmarch suggested. The field is a plain neutral that is on of the 'core colors' of my house, but with a wide, geometric border that brings in more of the colors.

Love the aesthetic but, as someone with two dark haired dogs and oblivious teenagers, can't imagine trying to keep them presentable.

Nice texture echos in image three. What is that wallcovering?

Source for the rug in the first pic? Love that one..

off topic...does anyone know the source for the nesting side tables on the first picture?

I've gone both ways - depends on the size of the room, the light, and the other furnishings. A nice rug is a significant purchase and you'll want to love it. Right now I have a very expensive and beautiful patterned wool rug in my attic because I do not have a room large enough for it, and another similar one on its way from a family member which will also end up in my attic for now. How about a neutral rug layered with a (much) smaller patterned rug? It's an interesting modern look and when/if either of you tire of the look the patterned rug could be replaced, removed, or recycled to a different spot in your home.

Why not both?

The "big" rug purchase being that great (and spendy) neutral, and layer it with a less expensive fun or tradition color/pattern.

This way, you both will be happy in the end. It also allows for some rug alone time if wanted, by simply moving one to another location or storing it, while enjoying the other solo for awhile.

I love my huge wool oriental carpet, it has mass color and with neutral furnishings, I can pull colors out for pops of color around the room.

I think neutral area rugs have been around for so long, that they can look dated. Not always, but personally, I am tiring of them. I am still excited by hairy rugs though -- deep, natural flokatis and long-haired goat rugs.

Similarly, rugs with simple modern graphics look a little dated now too; for the past couple of years, I have been aching for traditional, rich Persians and Oushaks, as well as Kelims and traditional Afghan rugs. They really complement MCM furniture (hey, it's what the designers at the time usually chose), and make a room feel more alive and less static.

And I've noticed that traditional rugs seem to be making a big comeback this year, so I am not the only one who feels this way. I know that in 22 years, I have never tired of the rugs my husband brought back from Pakistan; they will always look and feel good.

Does anyone know what shade of grey that is in the 4th photo? It is absolutely gorgeous

Neutral rugs are easier to work with... but none of the rugs I have or will have will be. Too stubborn for that! Also, it's so hard to find the color I want, if I find it in a massive rug I can finally have it in my life in one shot rather than looking for it in a million little accessories that will probably clash with each other anyway....

I'm with edmarch; the photos mostly look a bit bland to me. However, last year I bought a rug from Pier 1 with a giant red rose on it that looked fantastic hanging on the wall in the store, but ridiculous once I got it home on the floor. So something in between.

As for layering, I've seen some examples of that which look great; but every time I try it it's a disaster; the top rug inevitably "crawls," leaving it lumpy, ugly, and a trip hazard. What's the secret? Do those rubber underlayment thingys work to keep the upper rug in place?

After spending a rediculous amount of time looking at patterned rugs, I got fed up an bought a $40 light tan shag rug as a temporary measure. I like it a lot more than I expected. I thought I really needed a colorful rug to 'pull together' my room, but I like that its less busy now. If anything, I would like to get a larger rug. (I really need a large square rug for my room layout, but they are hard to find for cheap!)

Where can I find that mirror (in the first picture)? I think I might NEED it!

I have Flor tiles similar to the 3rd photo that make up a 8 x 10 area rug. I tend to prefer neutral-ish rugs to define a space for a more calming effect. I love each and every photo above.

I'm with you 100%.

I think the examples work because there is so much else going on in most of these rooms. I am more inclined to favor a rich antique oriental carpet and let the rest of the room kind of bask in the reflected glory. That is, once the carpet is in there everything else can be neutrals and bookcases.

We had a neutral shag in our den for years - it was a very high-pile deal from crate and barrel that looked like a giant bathmat. Then we got a new dog... all I will say is that it didn't end well.

Now we have an oriental rug that is oddly neutral too, in spite of being brown and tan and light blue and several other colors. Something about them fades into the background, perhaps because they are so classic. Maybe try a neutral-toned (i.e., mostly beige) one?

I also LOVE flor - and several of their patterns have an overall neutral tone, but when you look closely there are threads of bright colors that you can pick up in other accessories in the room.

What is up with all the damn fake taxidermy. Why I am seeing tacky paper/ balsa wood animal heads in so many "modern" rooms. Ugh!

Anyone know where I can find/purchase similar white laminate, Saarinen-esque coffee tables in photo no. 4 above. Bo Concept used to sell similar coffee tables, but I don't see them on their website anymore. Thanks.

i would go with a beni ourain rug. they are both neutral and they have a pattern. the issue is a 9X12.. you can do two and have them surged together or try madeline weinraub for a similar type. xoxo.... CTI

I would recommend treating your area rugs like big furniture: purchase something that will hold up both in style and wear over a long period of time. You can always add smaller, cheaper rugs as your tastes change, but the ones you will invest several hundred dollars in should be chosen with the same guidelines as a sofa or dining table.

I bought a nice cream colored wool rug. Huge mistake. It always looked dirty and my dog's hair showed up all over it. I vacuum at least 2-3 times per week. Often, it's daily. That stupid rug looked nasty within half a day. My navy & burgundy kashan, however, goes with everything and always looks fantastic. It was great when I had a light haired dog and with my current black haired one. It's been in my living room, bedroom, and dining room and worked with everything. After almost a decade, I still love it. Even the tradition cream floral rug or the runner that I have manages to look nice for five times longer than the plain one.

I'd say a Persian with mostly neutral tones might be a nice compromise for you and your husband.

Me, if it's not an antique oriental rug (or a decent-enough facsimile), it should be neutral; or at least "neutral-ish." For serious color, why d'ya think god inventedslip covers and throw pillows?

I'm neither completely neutral or outrageously colorful. I don't mind some pattern, as long as it's muted, but I prefer solid colors.

We have a couple small purple rugs (3'x6' or so) that have proved very versatile wherever I have lived. I purchased a few 8'x10' carpet remnants for a whopping $40 ( :D ), one is very neutral: cream and tan with a touch of blue. The other is a medium blue with flecks of green and red. I all of them.

For big, bold pattern, I prefer to draw the eye up. But introducing color into the foundation of the room isn't so bad either.

I think Persian rugs and kilims have a way of being colorful and interesting while classic --- functioning almost the way a neutral would. Beige rugs to me are boring and feel dated, as do a lot of the contemporary patterned rugs I see. I also think nothing beats an kilim or persian rug for practicality. I have a black shedding dog and a white cat (that loves to scratch the rug) and the rug still looks good after years of use.