How to Style Your Rug Like a Designer (Hint: It’s Not on the Floor)

ICYMI, Apartment Therapy just released the third episode of our podcast series, Design Defined, and you definitely are going to want to tune in. In this episode, our two most stylish editors-in-residence — Danielle Blundell, executive home director, and Zee Krstic, senior home editor — are sharing their top takeaways from all of the fabulous design events they visited this spring. 

Reporting on events like Design on a Dime (a showcase put on by Housing Works where attendees can shop rooms curated by designers for charity) is a crucial part of a home editor’s job; these happenings help editors stay ahead of the trend curve and provide a chance to speak with the pros for innovative tips and tricks. One of Danielle’s main takeaways from this year’s DOAD stood out to me in particular. It’s a trend we’ve reported on before, too. This year, she says, designers are really breaking the mold and bucking the trends with one item we’re likely all very familiar with: the rug. 

Rugs are perhaps one of the most ubiquitous (and even underappreciated) pieces in any home. They provide physical comfort, yes, by keeping things soft and warm underfoot. They also protect the floors. But they have a huge impact on a space aesthetically as well. A rug can help anchor a space, add texture, and even determine a color palette. Designers seem to think that it’s high time they got the recognition they deserve. 

According to Danielle, rugs are actually moving off of the floors and into an entirely new space: on the walls. “This one’s a little weird,” Danielle says, before explaining: At this year’s showcase, she “saw rugs trimming out mirrors, which is really interesting,” as well as layered rugs, “and sometimes a hanging rug instead of artwork.” For example, in this stunning space by New York-based design firm Apartment 48 (pictured below), a rug becomes a statement-making tapestry. 

Zee points out that we recently ran a story in which the writer actually used a rug as a tablecloth. “Of course it sounds wild, but it totally works,” he says. “It has to be a very thin rug,” Danielle adds. I tried the layered rug trend myself not too long ago and loved it — and after seeing this episode, I’ve simply got to try hanging a rug on the wall next!

So take it from Danielle and Zee (and me): If you want your space to look designer, you’ll have to think like one. Always try to think outside the box when it comes to styling even the most mundane of items, and don’t be afraid to take a risk. Catch the rest of the episode on YouTube for the rest of this dynamic duo’s hot takes and hot tips — and subscribe to the Design Defined newsletter below to get even more of Danielle’s expert insights delivered straight to your inbox each week.