Area rugs provide warmth, comfort, a decorative interest into your home. Area rugs are a great way to break up the monotony of the floor and anchor your furniture to the floor to pull your room together. For some, adding an area rug can be overwhelming because they aren't sure how to choose the correct size, color, pattern, and rug placement. If you're thinking about adding an area rug into your home but you're not sure where to start, read on to get a few tips from your expert interior designers at the Lake of the Ozarks, John Elliott Interiors.

In the Bedroom

If you are choosing to use a large area rug in your bedroom that the bed will actually sit upon, it needs to be big enough so that 12-18 inches extend beyond the bed. It's okay for the rug to extend further, but any less and it will appear too small for the space. Another option is to place a smaller area rug at the foot of the bed instead.

In the Dining Room

An area rug underneath the dining room table is a beautiful thing, but it can be awkward if the chairs do not fit on it completely while you are sitting in them. A rug that extends at least 24 inches around the table should allow all four legs of the chair to remain on it.

In the Living Room

Depending on the size of the area rug and the size of the room you are placing it in, that will make a difference on which of the following guidelines that you follow. The area rug is meant to connect all of the pieces of furniture in the room. Generally, the front legs of couches and chairs should sit on the rug with the back legs off. In some cases, such as with accent chairs, it may work best to put all of the legs directly on the rug. Try it both ways to decide which flows best for the room you are decorating.