Layering a dark carpet with a lighter rug on top or pairing dark carpet with lighter furniture can create an interesting contrast. Modern chrome finishes and classic darker wood furniture can both highlight the beauty of a deep-color carpet.
In general, darker colors will make a room feel smaller and warmer — if you have a big living room, bedroom, or basement that feels too empty and cavernous, a darker carpet or patterned flooring will help draw the eye inward and make the space feel less sprawling.
Select a carpet that is two shades lighter or darker than the walls for optimal visual interest. When in doubt, a neutral-color carpet is the best choice, no matter the color of the walls. Consider installing darker color carpets in rooms where there is significant foot traffic to hide dirt and stains.
Since a rug serves to anchor the room, the color and style of your rug can establish the mood. Dark, rich colors help define a more intimate space while lighter colors make a smaller space appear larger. Spicy hues such as yellow, orange or red add warmth while cool colors create calm, especially in a sunny room.
Dark colors make objects appear smaller and light colors do the opposite, making objects or spaces appear larger. If your space is small try using a light colored rug to make your room have a more expansive look.
A lighter color on a dark floor will brighten the space, and will go with the drapes and walls. However, it will also show dirt more readily. Something with a pattern, relating both to your style, the colors you love, and colors you might use for accessories, will both brighten the space AND not show dirt as quickly.
Dark brown is one of the best carpet colors for hiding dirt. The darker the shade, the better the dirt will blend into the carpet. Powder and dust won't show up against the dark brown color. While a lighter brown can also be an attractive option, it won't hide as much dirt.
For a cozy vibe and a natural sense of calm, dark carpet is a fine choice. One major benefit to dark carpeting is that your floors will show fewer stains. Mud, wine, or anything that tends to land on carpet will be far more noticeable on lighter carpet.
Many home experts agree that the floor color should be darker than the walls. The rule generally applies because lighter walls and a dark floor make the room seem larger. Most homeowners prefer a spacious looking interior. However, the rule can change with low ceilings.
Using lighter tones of your favorite color throughout the space helps to visually expand the space. Also, lighter colors reflect more sunlight (or artificial light) than darker colors do, so the increased light in the space contributes to a more open feeling.
So, what colors make a room look bigger? For an optimum effect, go with soft tones like off-white, blues, and greens, and always remember that brighter rooms feel bigger and more inviting. And here's another hack: Try painting your wall trim and moldings in a lighter color than your walls.
When it comes to carpet, neutral colors like beige, tan, and gray are by far the most popular.
Greige Goods
Greige good is the term used to refer to synthetic carpet fiber that has been manufactured, but that has not yet been dyed.
Any neutral color such as olive green, taupe, and even black are good carpeting choices that do not draw people's eyes to the floor. These colors keep some dirt and stains hidden. Be careful with black. It is a neutral color, but light dust balls, pet fur, and other light-colored dirt on the surface will show.
Dark carpet hides stains and dirt better than light colors, but cleaning dark carpet can leave more noticeable spots if you use harsh cleaners. A darker color offers a cozy vibe, making it great for living rooms and bedrooms, especially in colder climates.
Carpets made of nylon fibers are some of the most durable and easiest to clean. Nylon is a strong fiber and stands up very well to abrasion. It is also resilient with good texture retention to maintain its original appearance. Plus, nylon carpeting responds very well to steam cleaning.
Well cared for wall-to-wall carpet should last three to five years, however, many homes have carpet that is much older. There are homes boasting original carpets from the 1950s and 1960s, but the quality is much degraded.
Is it dumb to put a rug over a carpet? No, it's not. First, carpeted floors are expensive to clean.
Rugs or carpets can also help you create the illusion of a larger room. Large area rugs (avoid placing several small rugs), can make your place look more prominent.
Two patterned rugs can work well next to each other – the key to making that pairing successful is to vary the scale of the pattern. Pick one rug with a large scale pattern and opt for a small scale pattern for the other rug. The rugs can easily be tied together with one color in common.
Soto follows what she calls the cantaloupe rule: "Decorative accents that are smaller than a cantaloupe cramp a room." Opt for a single, statement-making piece instead. Photo by iStockphoto. Media Platforms Design Team.