The Best Area Rugs without Paying a Fortune
Area rugs can be a total eye catcher when it fits the room it’s in just right, but it can be disappointing when you spend time looking for the perfect rug, only to find that it is out of your price range. Today, I’m sharing where I find the best area rugs without paying a fortune.
I get asked a lot over on Instagram about all of our area rugs. We have wood flooring covering our entire main floor, which means that we also have an area rug, or five, all over our main living space.
Area rugs can be very expensive, but I’ve found that if you source them right, they don’t have to be. I love switching out rugs from time to time, so I don’t want one so expensive that I have to be married to it for a decade.
Rugs, kind of like paint, can change the entire feel of a room. They can make it bright and cheery or warm it up and give it a cozy feel.
Don’t miss my post all about arranging long, narrow rooms that can be difficult to style!
Today, I’m going to source the rugs that I have in my home and share how I’ve gotten such good deals on them.
And, believe me… I have bought and returned so many rugs, so I know a thing or two about the best quality for the money!
Finding Affordable Area Rugs
Finding area rugs is easy. Finding affordable area rugs is where the hard part comes in. In our last house, I bought our first large area rug to cover some very old, very gross carpet.
It was a huge splurge for us, but it was also a rug that went from house to house with us. Since then, I’ve learned how to spot a good deal. I’m going to share my favorite, completely unsponsored, area rug source.
What to look for in an Area Rug
If you’re spending money on a large rug, you want to make sure it will last until you want to replace it. You don’t want it falling apart before then. Somethings to consider are:
- Does it have a structured back to the rug? If so, it will hold its shape better and won’t show as much wear because it has support on the backside of the rug. This is especially important in high traffic areas.
- Will it be used in high traffic areas? If so, then you might want to steer clear of light colored rugs that will stain easily. If you are set on a light colored rug, get one that can be cleaned easily.
- Is this a rug that will be laid on? If so, you will want to make sure you get a higher pile in regards to the rug so that it will be softer and more comfortable to lay on.
Neutral Rugs
There are different styles of neutral rugs available. Today, I’m going to share the neutral rugs that I’ve owned. They happen to be rugs made of natural fibers, which are neutral, and are long-lasting, beautiful rugs.
Handspun Jute Rug
This handspun jute rug is a great value and the perfect base for a neutral rug look. It is even a great layering piece, if you simple want it under another rug to add extra cushion.
This rug was used as a stand alone rug and also with a rug, or two, layered on top.
I love how it brings a neutral feel to the space, but the tassels and natural fibers add so much warmth.
Jute Braided Rug
I got this jute braided rug in the oval shape to layer in my girls’ room over the old carpet. It adds some texture and warmth to the room and was an amazing price point. It has held up very well over the years and has many hours of play time on it, too!
Vintage Style Rugs
Vintage style rugs are where my heart is at right now. The faded color pattern is so beautiful and I love how Rugs USA creates an option that isn’t going to break the bank, but yet still allows me to have that vintage feel in my home.
Tribal Vintage Rug
This rug has been in our foyer for years and was one of the first purchases we made when we moved here. I loved it so much when it arrived and I still love it. I get asked about this vintage style rug all of the time on instagram and I’m always happy to share the link because the colors are stunning.
Clover Tassel Area Rug
I added this rug recently to our bedroom and the warmth it brings in was just what I was looking for. The rich color pattern and woven texture brings in so much beauty to the space. This vintage style rug has a natural fade across the length of the rug that makes it look very authentic.
Faux Fur Rugs
Fur rugs are amazing and the beauty of fur can’t be matched, but the price point is just not realistic for our home, so I turned to a few good faux fur rug options to help scratch the itch.
To be sure, faux fur will not feel exactly like real fur and it won’t wear like it, either. To get both of those qualities, you have to jump up in the price point by a lot. But, what I can say, is that faux fur adds warmth and texture just the same.
Faux Fur Area Rug
Rugs USA has this rug that is affordable, quite large, and thick. I have layered this rug in several rooms and it adds a comfortable, cushion layer to help make walking and sitting on the floor a bit more cozy.
Hand Knotted Wool Rugs
Wool rugs, like vintage style rugs, have my heart. Every time I see a wool rug, I think there’s something so special about it.
A rug made of wool carries a substantial feeling to it. It feels historic and well-made, which are things that I love. The wool rug that I bought from Rugs USA has been in different rooms and different homes. I only recently retired it (for the time being) to try something different, but I’m holding onto it because I love it so much.
Shag Area Rug
This rug has a vintage and boho feel to it. The shag takes it back in time and the tassels and colors bring a boho vibe. This rug has been in a living room and bedroom in our home. We bought it years ago and, in my opinion, it only got better with age.
I get a lot of questions about caring for this rug. I vacuumed it every week and never had any trouble with it thinning or looking worn. I did make sure to be careful with the tassels, but other than that, it has been an amazing rug.
One thing that I loved about this rug was how comfortable it was to walk on. When you put area rugs in a bedroom, you want to make sure it will be a soft rug to step out on when you wake in the morning. This one certainly is!
The biggest area rug mistake
I see this all too often because rugs are pricey and it’s hard to bite the bullet. Do you want to know the biggest area rug mistake?
It’s purchasing an undersized rug. If you’re going to buy an area rug, make sure it will fill the space it needs to fill. An undersized rug will look silly and you will end up wishing you had spent the extra money to get one that actually fit the room.
Rugs USA Sale
Rugs USA runs sales almost all of the time, but there are times when it will add extra bonuses to its sales. This is the best way to get a great rug for an inexpensive price.
- To get the rug you want for the price you want, make sure to peruse their website and pick out the rugs you like.
- Add them to your cart so you can remember which rugs you picked. Be sure they come in the size you’re wanting.
- Wait for the rugs to go on sale, or for sales to double up. Be patient… it will happen!
- If you don’t want to wait, Rugs USA has the best value per dollar on rugs. I’ve tried other sources and I wind up unhappy every time.
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Thank you for this article. I love rugs and need to refresh all the ones in our house. We bought a house with marble flooring and can’t replace it right now so we need rugs and more rugs to cozy it up. For our stairs and upstairs we have carpet and lots of boys so I bought the carpet cleaner you recommended. Do you use the hoover cleaning solution or do you put something less toxic in it? Love your emails. Thank you.
I appreciate your article! I was wondering if you could share your personal preferred method for regularly cleaning your rugs and how often you do so. Also, what do you recommend for spot cleaning rugs? Thank you!
I have an upright hoover carpet cleaner/vacuum that I use. I would like the Bissell green machine, but haven’t yet purchased it! https://amzn.to/3wJIGFn
Am I missing the links to all these rugs? That would be very helpful.
They should be there if you click the bold headings for each section.
Hi Liz!
I think I may be missing the links to each rug, but when I click on the headings of each, nothing happens. Just thought I’d let you know. Thanks !
Oh bummer. I checked them here recently and they all worked. I will double check again. Thank you!
Hi Liz,
They worked for me. I like Rugs USA too.
I was hoping for more information about where to buy good quality affordable rugs. This article seems more like an ad for Rugs USA.
It’s not an ad for them, but I do find them to be good quality at affordable prices, which is why I featured them so much. As a homemaker, I have personally purchased so many rugs from them because they fit my needs.
I don’t want to make the mistake of buying an undersized rug! How do you know the perfect rug size for your living room/room?
It depends on the size of your room. I like to make sure half of all of my furniture can sit on the rug. So, the front legs of my sofas and chairs should all be able to fit on the rug comfortably. If it’s a dining room, I like to make sure the chair legs are ALL on the rug. It’s annoying when you pull a chair out and then the back legs get stuck on the edge of the rug. I hope that helps!
This was super helpful!!! Do you use rug pads? I’ve never spent the money on them before but I wonder if it’s worth it!
I’m glad it was helpful, Michelle. I don’t use rug pads, usually. I do have one under my bedroom rug, but I am not sure it helps that much.