As you design an interior space, you will notice that it’s always the smallest of details that set off the biggest impacts. Accessories like cushions, paintings and Luxury rugs enhance the layers of complexity of a room – seemingly adding life to it. This brings us to one of the most sought-after accessories of recent – a gorgeous grey rug.
Part of the reason behind its popularity is its extremely versatile nature. A grey rug or carpet will complement a vast majority of possible colour schemes and interior styles with minimal effort.
With an endless variety of rugs out there, the market can get a little confusing at times. We have compiled a thoughtful guide below to help you find the perfect rug according to your interior space.
A classic grey rug is one of the most popular choices today due to its versatile and timeless nature. It will anchor your space while being neutral enough to not overshadow the surrounding furniture and decor.
This versatile colour aligns with a plethora of tastes and it can lend different effects to your space – you can get a classy heritage rug to complement a traditional living room, a shaggy rug to offer some luxurious elegance, or a minimalist wool rug to add just a sliver of texture.
This seemingly passive decor item can in fact help you tie an entire room together. If you feel like your room has been lacking that extra dose of personality, then a grey rug just might be the answer. With the extremely diverse range of this colour out there – you will undoubtedly find one to suit your space.
When selecting a living room rug you need to keep an eye out for something that enhances your space visually without making it an impractical hindrance. You want to avoid high-maintenance shaggy rugs that are prone to wearing off in areas with more foot traffic. Your grey carpet should be mid-toned and neutral in shade, so it does not show stains or get that murky look. Even with regular upkeep, living room rugs need to be sturdier to keep up with our lifestyles.
The rug for your living room should be bringing in lots of texture and personality. Living rooms are usually large spaces, so your rug should be impactful enough to make a difference visually. An appropriately sized rug is also important – you want your carpet to be big enough to cover a major part of the sitting area’s negative space. Another option is to go a little whimsical and layer your room with multiple smaller rugs. This technique is sometimes used to mark out different spaces in a large, open layout room; like a reading corner, a seating area, a TV zone, etc. Rightly used, grey carpets can add cohesion and harmony to your living room.
What colours go well with grey? Well, that’s a trick question – because all colours go well with grey. You just need to know what undertone you’re working with.
Undertones are the subtle colours underneath the surface of our interiors that impact its overall hue. There are three basic undertones – cool, warm, and neutral. A grey rug is so beautifully adaptable that when you pair it with certain undertones, it seems to take on that quality.
Cool-toned colours like blues look great with a more silver-toned grey carpet to create a sleek, cool colour scheme. If you seek to create a warmer space through your interiors, then pair a warm-toned ‘greige’ rug with rich browns and reds (think fall colours). Neutral grey carpets can suit virtually every colour scheme, but they especially enhance lighter and neutral colours by laying on some texture.
There are a few parameters to be kept in mind when choosing the right rug for your room. Let’s go over a few key ones.
Grey carpets come in a varied spectrum of hues and shades. A warm greige, a bluish-cool grey, a dark impactful grey, a relaxed neutral grey – each comes with a unique effect on your interior space. Choosing the right shade can build or break your room’s colour palette.
Your carpet’s size can make your room feel spacious or offer it a more intimate ambience. You need to keep in mind the size of your room, the furniture items taking up floor space, and how your space is going to be used when selecting your rug size.
For instance, a library on the smaller side can look good with a large-sized rug to create a warm, hygge atmosphere. But a small living room with lots of furniture items will look crowded with a large rug, especially in this colour. Your rug needs to work in accordance with the furniture items. A good rule of thumb is to leave at least one-fourth of the floor free of any rugs or furniture to create the effect of ample space
Pile height – simply put – is the height of the carpet depending on its fibre loops. If you plan on following the current trend of subtle overlapping by placing your carpet under furniture items like sofas, you will benefit from a smaller pile height. The goal is to avoid a wobbly, clumsy look. If you intend on placing your grey carpet along furniture items in low foot-traffic areas, then a high-quality fluffy rug with a high pile will be the best option for you.
Due to their popularity, grey rugs are available in a diverse range of attractive designs.
A solid, bare-faced, dark grey rug gives off a rustic and simplified charm. It would go perfectly in a space that is already filled with patterns. Its grounded, neutral tones will offer a soothing break from the brazenness of other decor items for the eye.
Patterned light grey rugs on the other hand are used as statement pieces. Eclectic grey rugs with geometric patterns or unique modernist art are great as conversation starters; perfectly suited to Mid-Century modernist interiors. Persian-inspired mandala patterns add an oriental touch, greatly complementing a traditional interior style.
Perhaps the most sought-after grey rugs this season are those with prints of subtle, faded textures on them. They are the perfect amalgamation of both - the raw simplicity of solid carpets and the impactful personality of patterned ones, making them a great choice if you're looking for modern bedroom rugs.
All interior aficionados will testify that there has been a significant shift in how we style our carpets today to best complement our interiors.
Accessories are no longer passive after-thoughts in our interiors. In fact, many rug-loving clients first select a stunning modern rug and then design their spaces around them. This means that your entire colour palette needs to be in harmony with the specific undertone of your rug. For instance, if your carpet has bluish undertones, you can build a zen-inspired calm and cool-toned interior space around it.
The unimposing nature of a soft, neutral grey carpet ensures a seamless blend into any interior setting. If you feel like any corner of your home needs a layer of relaxing, curated warmth then invest in grey round rugs and watch the magic unfold.
Grey carpets are often used to map out a certain area in a room – say, the sitting area. This creates a clear yet subtle outline that can make the room feel larger than it is.
The neutral, mid-tone nature of a grey rug hides a good number of stains as opposed to whites and pastels. And unlike its darker counterparts, a grey carpet will not emphasise every particle of dust and remnants from your furry friends. Nonetheless, they do require some love and care.
Regularly vacuum your carpet once or twice every week to keep it looking brand-new. Don’t go overboard though, as too much vacuuming can pull out its fibres and make it lack-lustre. No one is safe from accidental spills – just be sure to tackle them swiftly. Blot with a dry towel or use a carpet cleaner for more stubborn stains. For the occasional ‘deep cleanse’, refer to the carpet’s care label. Carpets that are washer-friendly should be washed on gentle, with cold water. If you feel like your stain resistant rug needs a refresh, refer to the experts by getting it professionally cleaned. They have specialised equipment and solutions to cleanse your rugs without damaging any fibres. Proper maintenance can significantly increase your rug’s lifespan so you can enjoy its warm addition to your space for years.
At FCI London, we have over 1000 stunning rugs. We pride ourselves on always keeping up with the trends and understanding our clients’ needs. Browse through our diverse range of luxury rugs and carpets or consult our team of expert designers who can help you easily find the perfect grey rug that’s a match-made-in-heaven for your unique space.
If you need any advice on selecting, designing or layering bespoke rugs, take advantage of our free design consultation. Simply make an appointment to visit our award-winning showroom and our expert team will walk you through all your options, ensuring that you end up with an aesthetic you love.
Transparency's kind of our thing.
Here's what real customers have to say about us.
