The Rug Guide: How to Choose a Rug by Room Color

I’m often asked how to pair rugs together based on a color scheme. I love mixing and matching rugs throughout my home, and I want to help you with the selection process! So I’m using some of my most loved room colors in my house as a jumping board for which CLJ x Loloi rugs I would pick for that space.

If you ever wanted to know what rug to use for your room here’s your guide – by popular room colors! And I’ve sourced the best rug deals for you for each one so all you have to do is click.

For the Blue Room

For a room with a bold blue color like our bonus room, I like to either double down on the room color or play up complementary colors—in this case, I’m using warm beige or rust tones. If your room is large enough to need more than one rug, my suggestion is to mix organic patterns with large and small-scale geometric patterns, so that you can create different dedicated zones.

Paint Color: Stiffkey Blue by Farrow & Ball

From left to right:

Jules Ocean/Spice | Judy Natural/Spice | Louisa Lagoon/Ivory | Polly Navy/Silver

Honorable mentions:

Jules Lagoon/Brick | Bradley Beige/Midnight

For the Green Room

I love a tone-on-tone moment and the gray-green of this room is just the backdrop for these muted picks. These rugs anchor the room in calming tones, allowing the other features to draw your eye to any architectural features or decor within the space. The complementary color to green on the color wheel is red, so rugs with terracotta tones will be really soothing on the eye.

I had to include our new Jules Ocean/Spice as an honorable mention here since that’s the rug that’s currently in our green living room. The combination of warm and cool tones in the Jules really makes it super versatile and an incredible choice for any color room!

Paint Color: Pigeon by Farrow & Ball

From left to right:

Ida Spa/Multi | Fletcher Olive/Natural | Francis Spa/Granite | Jules Lagoon/Brick

Honorable mentions:

Polly Antique/Mist | Jules Ink/Terracotta | Jules Ocean/Spice

For the Brown Room

For a rich chocolate brown room like our primary bedroom, I like to add creamy tones like gold, soft grey, and ivory to amp up the warmth in the space. These rugs also all play nicely with each other if you’re looking for coordinating options for seamless spaces.

Paint Color: London Clay by Farrow & Ball

From left to right:

Ida Bark/Multi | Louisa Taupe/Gold | Polly Ivory/Natural | Jules Emerald/Antique Ivory

Honorable mentions:

Francis Beige/Charcoal | Rosemarie Gold/Sand

For the White Room

In an all-white space, the sky is really the limit for rug styles! To add color, I usually pick a rug with some blue in it, which feels sophisticated and elevates any space. If it’s a well-trafficked room, a darker tone or a more weathered look on a rug will help disguise wear over time. But in a more formal sitting space, a lighter rug helps the room feel more open and airy.

Paint Color: White Flour by Sherwin Williams

From left to right:

Jules Merlot/Multi | Scottie Olive/Pebble | Briggs Mist/Ivory | Judy Natural/Sky

Honorable Mentions:

Bradley Teal/Teal | Jules Ocean/Spice

For the Red Room

Ah, red—she’s the star of any show. Burgundy is such a beautiful choice for a wall color, and I love how a dark rug can emphasize the room’s enveloping, cozy quality. Since red is bold, I’d keep rug patterns more subtle in a red room. A subdued grid, stripe, or traditional pattern lets the walls shine, yet gives that plush comfort underfoot that makes you never want to leave.

Paint Color: Preference Red by Farrow & Ball

From left to right:

Scottie Mocha/Clay | Polly Fog/Wheat | Providence Dove/Charcoal | Henry Olive/Ivory

Honorable Mentions:

Bradley Cocoa/Cocoa | Rosemarie Graphite/Multi | Judy Natural/Dove

For the Gray Room

A gray room is so calming and allows gold metallics to really shine. I’m bringing in some of those gold-like tones with three of these rug picks, plus one misty blue/gray that doubles down on the soothing tones. I like to keep the pattern more modern in a gray room—grids, checkerboards, diamonds, and scallops have a boldness that balances out the subtlety of the walls.

Paint Color: Gibraltar Cliffs by Benjamin Moore
Wallpaper

From left to right:

Briggs Mist/Ivory | Fletcher Ivory/Natural | Francis Beige/Charcoal | Scottie Ivory/Grey

Honorable Mentions:

Ida Bark/Multi | Rosemarie Sand/Lagoon

For the Purple Room

I love how purple saturates a room! It coordinates so well with beige and warm yellow tones (it’s the complementary color on the color wheel, after all!) I love how these rugs add vintage charm and a calming foundation to a kid’s room. They can also be grounding in an office or dining room.

Paint Color: Expressive Plum by Sherwin Williams
Ceiling Wallpaper

From left to right:

Henry Beige/Wheat | Louisa Stone/Multi | Scottie Fog/Ivory | Fletcher Natural/Brown

Honorable Mentions:

Rosemarie Oatmeal/Lavender | Bradley Rose/Blush | Louisa Taupe/Ivory

For the Yellow Room

Yellow is just one of the brightest, happiest colors, and it allows you to go darker with your rug choice. Adding blue and rust colors in a rug help make a yellow room more sophisticated. A stripe or scallop rug feels fresh and modern, while a weathered print feels heirloom and special. It’s amazing how you can really change the feel of a room just with a rug!