We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.
When it comes to art, lighting, bedding, storage—most things in my home—I can pinpoint what I like (and what I don’t) in seconds. Rugs are my weakness. I only learned this conclusion when I began my search for a new living room rug a little over a year ago. Getting to pick out an area rug was a pretty big moment for me, because up to this point, I’d been living in a narrow studio apartment where you could only see a sliver of the 5×7 rug crammed underneath my couch and TV console. Moving into a new space with my fiancé meant upgrading to a much larger rug that could really serve as an anchor for our furniture, including our beloved Tidal sectional from Crate & Barrel.
The tricky thing about looking at beautiful homes day in and day out is that I’ve come to appreciate all sorts of aesthetics, and by default, many styles of rugs. I get the long-term value of a durable flatweave. I appreciate the laidback look of sisal. I have even been drawn to odd-shaped rugs (including a 60-foot-long rainbow one). Now that I’ve finally found my dream rug, I’m looking back at where I started my hunt and all the options I almost bought along the way.
The Runner-Ups
Rugs USA Arrel Speckled Wool-Blend Rug (Brick)
The Inspiration: A lounge space at Hotel Particulier in Paris and a Nordic Knots campaign image.
The Verdict: I’m convinced that a solid colored rug is the answer to design decision fatigue. Saturating the floor in a juicy color automatically makes a space look chic and, frankly, less cluttered if you’re someone like me who has a lot of books, vases, coasters, and candles scattered about. I was really sold when I saw a photo of a room at Hotel Particulier designed by Joséphine Fossey that combined a cream colored sofa and a textured brick-colored rug. When I traced that exact piece back to the renowned French atelier Manufacture Cogolin, I realized I’d have to find something way more affordable, which brought me to Rugs USA’s popular Arrel Speckled Rug by Arvin Olano.
So what stopped me? Fear of going too bold, I’m a little embarassed to admit. I have zero experience decorating with red, and doing it on such a large scale made me nervous. Instead, I decided to snap it up in the form of a 12-foot-long runner for our hallway and am super happy with that compromise.
Rugs USA Maru Wool Rug (Blush)
The Inspiration: A cozy library-slash-game room by Nickey Kehoe.
The Verdict: Still convinced at this point that a solid hue was in the cards for us, I started considering a slightly warmer tone after I got a glimpse of Rugs USA’s collaboration with Ashley Tisdale. I’d seen blush act as a neutral in a minty green space designed by Nickey Kehoe. The only tricky thing was convincing my S.O. He’s all for trying new ideas in our space, but I did a half-hearted job convincing him the rug wouldn’t be super pink IRL. Without being able to see enough examples of it in other customer’s spaces, we decided to put a pin in it.
CB2 Pascala Moroccan Copper Wool Area Rug
The Inspiration: My fiancé’s parents’ living room
The Verdict: While looking for our own living room rug, I was simultaneously helping my future in-laws pick out a small rug for a cozy corner of their living room. I recommended this hand-knotted gem from CB2 and they followed through. I was honestly a little jealous once I saw it in person, and while I believe imitation is the greatest form of flattery, I had a hunch all of our rich wood furniture (we’d just bought a vintage teak coffee table) wouldn’t get the chance to shine against a rug so dark.
Carrier and Company x Loloi BON-01 CC Rug (Olive/Grey)
The Inspiration: Luxe New York City apartments, like this Madison Avenue project by Josh Greene.
The Verdict: Designer rug collaborations are where it’s at, and this one between interiors firm Carrier and Company and Loloi is one I continue to return to. The silver tones and snowflake-like pattern in this rug look straight-up fancy—and the $9,000-plus price tag backs it up. I snapped myself out of my fantasy and went to the most budget-friendly shop I could think of…
IKEA Stockholm 2025 Rug
The Inspiration: IKEA’s highly anticipated Stockholm collection for 2025.
The Verdict: IKEA, of course! I saw this graphic rug in the most idyllic Stockholm apartment while traveling with the brand on a press trip this past February and I can attest it looks way more expensive than it really is. Its Arts and Crafts vibe is exactly what I’m going for in our guest bedroom, so I chose to scoop it up for that space and find something a little less busy for our living area.
Ernesta Eleanor Rug
The Inspiration: Remi Ishizuka’s zen Texas living room.
The Verdict: By now, I had sifted the rugs offerings at almost every brand I could think of—or so I thought. Then, Ernesta came to mind. When the company launched in 2023 under former Peloton founder John Foley, I got a good look at some of the samples and was drawn to its assortment of wool rugs. They just felt good. After seeing how an ivory rug set the scene for a soothing space in influencer Remi Ishizuka’s Texas home, I gave this one a long hard thought but ultimately decided the subtle check pattern was too similar to the Loloi rug in our bedroom. I needed a change.
Ernesta Lily Jute Rug
The Inspiration: Nate Berkus’s old West Village apartment.
The Verdict: To get back on track, I went way back in my mental rolodex of inspiration and took a look at Nate Berkus’s West Village studio apartment, published by O, the Oprah Magazine in 2007. What did I find? A jute rug—and the space still looks so fresh. I’ve lived with (and loved) jute and sisal rugs in the past. My only qualm was a small one: they’re not always lovely so sprawl out on, and with very little seating in our living room, that’s often the case when we have a lot of people over. Whatever I chose, it had to be soft.
The Winner
Ernesta Copeland Quinn Rug
Ernesta
Copeland Quinn Wool Flatweave Rug with Attached Rug Pad (10×11)
The Inspiration: Nancy Meyers movies and the thumbs-up from stylish friends and family members.
The Verdict: Not only was I on board with most of the natural fiber styles at Ernesta at this point (the Nancy Meyers vibes are strong), I loved that I could customize the width and length down to the inch. To score a custom rug for under $4,000 was a win in my book. After getting a third opinion from my stepmom, whose got a special knack for design, and a fourth opinion from former Domino style editor Julia Stevens, I landed on the brand’s Copeland Quinn Rug in the color Stone.
Looks wise, I love that the hand-stitched stripes lend a bit of preppiness to our small space but aren’t so in-your-face (they’re spaced out a foot and a half apart). The soft gray hue was the perfect complement to our sofa without being too matchy-matchy, and, two weeks in, the wool has not shown any signs of excessive shedding. To make laying it down 10 times easier, I opted for an attached non-skid pad on the backside. Less time readjusting meant more time enjoying.