This Is the One Home Item That’s Actually Worth the Splurge, According to Designers
To quote a popular viral tweet from years past, there are three main “things that you honestly didn’t expect to be that expensive” until you’ve had to buy them for yourself — rugs, comforters, and Parmesan cheese. The last one’s a tale for another day, but any renter or homeowner knows that certain pieces do have sneakily splurge-y reputations (pillows cost how much!?). Even if you budget accordingly or source secondhand, it’s a furniture- and decor-shopping fact of life.
Enter our 2022 State of Home Design findings. We surveyed a handful of designers across the country on their upcoming trend predictions, weighing in on everything from popular furniture silhouettes and materials, the next most influential decade, and — you guessed it — the single home item they’d deem splurge-worthy. One of the most frequent responses? Drum roll, please… rugs.
Yes, that deceptively costly accent also holds major decorative influence. It makes sense — area rugs (literally) lay the groundwork for a room’s overall style. Take it from Marina Hanisch, owner and principal designer of her eponymous New York City firm, who explains that they have the power to “add dimensions, ground the space, and create the focus for your design aesthetic.” Baltimore, Maryland-based interior designer Tiffanni Reidy of Reidy Creative concurs, adding that rugs make a room “feel finished, and can bring color, texture and style in through one piece.”
There’s one specifically that can benefit big time from a rug, according to New York-based design professional Lauren Behfarin: the living room. She notes that living room rugs “are often neglected, but can really make a space feel larger, richer, and more finished.” Behfarin also suggests going for something that’s “expansive, soft, and used to tie in other colors from around the room.”
Not all rugs (or comforters, or cheeses, for that matter) necessarily have to be major investments — there’s no hard and fast rule about how much to spend on one. This specific point from our designer questionnaire was really intended to help you shop smart and decipher your home decorating budgets. With that thought, I’ll leave you with some inspiration. I rounded up a few stylish rug selections from some of my favorite brands at a range of price points. Bonus: Some are currently on sale!
