A room in our home isn’t complete until it’s layered in every possible way – of course without it looking overwhelming. I’m constantly looking for different ways to create vignettes and layer with lighting, pillows, art, decor, and rugs.
One of the final things I do before photographing a room reveal is lay a cowhide on top of the area rug. It’s like an Emeril Lagasse “BAM” moment and it truly is a minor ingredient that really kicks the room up a notch.
Today I’m sharing some of my favorite rug layering combos, but before I do, there are a few tips I want to mention:
TIP #1:
I personally like pairing a neutral-ish/solid area rug with a patterned cowhide, as I can easily swap out a different cowhide if I wanted to. The foundation of the room is neutral, and that pop of pattern stands out while adding depth.
I usually choose the area rug first and then depending on the room, I will choose the cowhide to either completely contrast with the area rug, or choose a cowhide with similar colors to the area rug. No matter what, I make sure they complement each other and don’t clash.
A few examples:
In our bedroom, I layered an antelope cowhide over a neutral rug. That antelope rug was the pop of pattern that the room needed.
On the contrary, my office had a lot of pattern going on with the wallpaper, so I paired a solid cowhide and a solid rug so the room didn’t feel too busy.
In our living room, I layered a solid cowhide over a veryyy busy area rug to tone it down a bit.
TIP #2:
Opt for a lower pile or a flat area rug, otherwise, the top rug will look like it’s sinking into the bottom rug, especially if you plan to place furniture on top.
TIP #3:
The rug-to-rug size ratio is your preference, but here’s my rule of thumb when layering rugs:
– With an 8’x10′ rug as the base, I layer with a rug that’s no larger than 7’x9′ and no smaller than 6’x7′.
– With a 7’x9′ rug as the base, I layer with a rug that’s around 5’x6′
TIP #4:
Play around with the angle of the top rug. I usually position a cowhide on an angle and so that it’s partially off the back of the rug and facing the entry of the room (see above examples). I don’t want the cowhide to cover too much of the area rug, and have found that a cowhide that’s partially off the area rug looks best.
The area rug in our living room is rather large, so I used this leopard cowhide in the center of the rug, but still on an angle.
Consider how the hide can be positioned to complement the room and the surrounding furniture.
TIP #5:
Don’t be afraid to layer with more than one rug. If the area rug is big enough and you have the room for it, you can totally get away with one cowhide on opposite ends of the rug. I’ve done this in our living room since the area rug is 8×11′, and it’s perfect because it adds an additional pop of pattern to a room with basic white walls.
RUG ROUNDUP:
1. Area rug // cowhide 2. Area rug // cowhide 3. Area rug // cowhide 4. Area rug // cowhide 5. Area rug // cowhide 6. Area rug // cowhide 7. Area rug // cowhide 8. Area rug // cowhide 9. Area rug // cowhide 10. Area rug // cowhide 11. Area rug // cowhide 12. Area rug // cowhide
MY NEW FAVORITE RUG SOURCE
Below I’m providing a few more links to rugs from an e-bay shop I stumbled upon a few weeks ago, which I’ve been sharing via IG stories. This shop sells “manufactured damaged” rugs, but the flaws on the rugs I’ve seen are barely noticeable. I ordered one myself and love it – the “flaw” is barely there.
Since I shared this shop, others have ordered rugs from here and say they love their rug too. If you don’t mind minor flaws, you really can’t beat the price!
PS – if you want to know the maker and style of the rug to see reviews/more photos, just google this code in each listing:
Phew. That’s enough talk about rugs for one day, haha! I hope you enjoyed this post.
Have a great week!
xo
Alisa
I love the idea of incorporating pattern into the room with a cowhide. Great post!
I ordered a rug from the ebay shop, too! Lots to choose from, and shipping was quick. Thank you so much for the recommendation!
Where is the eBay page? Can’t find it
Great post.
Where can I buy fabric like your sofa? Love, love it!
where can I buy fabric like your sofa fabric?? Love your blog ,you know just when to stop. !
Hi! Great article, helpful info. I can’t see the ebay link. Can you please send to me?
Hi there I stumbled upon your websiteand I love it you said that you were including a link to defective carpets on the eBay I don’t see that anywhere
could you tell me where you purchased the ceiling light fixture in your office?
Looking for the link to the area rugs on ebay I can’t find it
I’ve been looking for a post like this all day as I’m ordering cowhide and a rug right now to be placed in the same room and this post was EVERYTHING I was looking for. Such cute combos here and you made me feel more confident about mixing hide with prints/ patterns! Thank you!
thank you Charlie! So happy to help 🙂
Any suggestions on how to keep the top rug from moving?
Hi! Can you share where you purchased your area rug in your living room? I’m having a hard time finding something with all of those colors but still a cream/reddish base. Thanks!
Very helpful hints. I feel much more comfortable with layering with my cowhide rug. Thank you.
I have read this article with great information and tips, thanks for sharing.
I have read this article with great information and tips, thanks for sharing.
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I am reading your amazing and interesting article it was so helpful for me, thanks for sharing such helpful content. I have added a new kit to my knowledge dictionary.
I have the same color walls in my bedroom as yours but our bedding is white and gray. My cowhide rug is white, gray, and silver- what rug color scheme would you suggest layering under that? Thanks!!
A few weeks ago, I kicked off a new series called “Best of Classic Design” where I’ll be sharing roundups of my favorite items + details in traditional design (i.e. lighting, pillows, end tables, sofas, etc.) for those of you who also love classic details. My first post was all about table lamps, and today I thought I could share some traditional area rugs.