So here’s the thing about rugs…they’re kind of everything for interiors. They can really tie a room, perhaps, an entire home together - even The Dude knew that. The Furbish fam absolutely lives for a vintage rug moment, but most of the conventional “designer rug wisdom” is applicable to rugs old and new. We know rugging can be kind of stressful, especially if you’re shopping for a vintage rug, simply because you can miss out on The Perfect Rug if someone else gets there first. Just remember, we’re constantly adding new, one-of-a-kind rugs to our inventory, so if you miss The One, we promise, there’s another one coming down the line.
"Rules" About Styling with Rugs
There are some helpful “rules” about rugs, things that sort of help keep even an interior design novice on the rails; how to navigate sizing, where the furniture should ideally be placed on the rug - questions of these nature - for which some nice guidelines have been established and can be super useful if you’re styling a room on your own. Yal know we’re not really rule-followers, but these are some well-established design practices that will help your room have a nice, cohesive look, even if you’re going for “undesigned”, or if you’re simply overwhelmed by picking a rug to tie your room together. We love Studio McGee’s guide right hur, it’s a great overview of some typical things designers consider when rugging a space - and again, serve as a great jumping off point for making decisions in your home. Some basics include things like allotting for at least a one-foot border between your furniture and the wall, making sure you’re not going too small (subtract 3 feet from the length and width of the room if you’re doing an area rug) and have at least two-feet all the way around a dining table (don’t forget to account for your dining table’s leaves if it has them), and flat weaves and cotton rugs are good for high-traffic areas. These are baselines, they’re not hard and fast rules.
Vintage Rugs as a Staple
There are some wonderfully consistent things we love about vintage rugs that make them a staple in our design portfolio, the first of which is the durability of vintage rugs. They, as with many old things, don’t make ‘em like they used to. Vintage rugs are mostly hand-loomed and made with generationally-skilled craftsmanship. They are truly meant to stand the test of time. They may not be the most affordable option, but you can bank on them surviving many seasons of your life, or at least your cat or your next dance party. They’re also an incredible way to add layers; you can easily layer a vintage rug over your existing hardwood, tile or carpet and, when done correctly, can really add a high-end vibe to your living spaces.
Off-Standard Rug Sizing
Your space is obviously going to dictate a lot about what you’re looking for when you’re shopping for a vintage rug. Size being at the top of the list. One thing about vintage rugs is that you can often find a slightly “off-standard” size. Many times you can find a vintage rug that will actually fit a space that was screaming custom. A current fave on the site is The Birman rug, a lovely little number with gorgeous colors that could be the statement piece in a smaller or oddly-sized space - consider something like this for an entryway or maybe even a closet!
Fear of Committment
Something we hear a lot is fear of committing to a larger, space-filling statement rug. We love to embrace a bold rug (duh). The thing about it is, a huge rug with loud colors or large-scale designs feels super big and dominating - even overpowering, but ultimately, it goes on the floor. And it will be largely covered with furniture and stuff and people and pets and things. No matter what, it ends up fading somewhat into the background. It may feel like a wild swing laid bare on its own, but as soon as you begin to layer in furniture and decor you’ll notice it starts to be a supporting actor. If you’re working in an existing space, we suggest looking for something grounded in the colors or theme of your room but we certainly don’t ascribe to the belief that the rug needs to match every color and every tone perfectly. There’s a lot of magic in the imperfect. A current fave amongst our larger rugs is Aurora Vintage Rug. This is a great example of a rug that will settle down once it’s actually in your space. The gorgeous, bright pops of pink are balanced out and grounded by the dark, steely grays. The pink will always add an element of interest but will be so much more subtle when it’s in situ.
Rugs in Our Thrive Zone
An accent rug is really in our thrive zone. It is so, so easy to throw down a gorgeous, small vintage rug and take a space from totally geek to totally chic. Our smaller rugs have ended up in powder rooms, at the kitchen sink, next to a crib, covering an insane stain made by a beloved puppy and everywhere in between. These are the styles we see getting snapped up the quickest. Room finishers, if you will! We’ve got some gorgeous examples available right now, if you’re looking for small size, high impact check out the Clarissa or take a look at the Capie Vintage Runner, which is a lovely, smaller runner option. Vintage rugs are such an amazing, custom-feeling solution for these small or difficult design spaces.
A rug can be an incredible home investment that can follow you around for years. The rug that started out in your galley kitchen could end up as a runner or in your home office or closet. They can be a through-line in the story of your home or homes as your life changes. Shop Furbish’s selection of vintage rugs, and don’t forget to come back often as we are constantly updating our inventory.
