Carpet living room decor


50 Living Room Carpet Ideas

Through These Eyes

Carpet in the living room may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's certainly not an automatic design no-no either. Rather than dismissing it entirely, sometimes, you just need to embrace it.

Aside from being a soft to place to stand, living room carpet can make a room feel cozier and more colorful. Have carpet in your own living room? Here's 50 ways to make it work.

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Rikki Snyder

We all know that one rug can look great on top of carpet, but so does two. Layering multiple rugs on top of carpet creates a multifaceted look full of texture that will take your living room up a notch.

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Louis Duncan-He

For a seamless living room carpet look, pick carpet that is full of colors and vibrant tones and repeat those colors elsewhere in your space, like in accessories, throw pillows, or furniture.

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Cormar Carpets

Dealing with a small space? Pair lightly-colored carpet with similarly colored walls and glass accents for a living room that will feel brighter and more open than it really is.

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Margaret Wright

Need extra seating? Place floor pillows on your living room carpet. Not only do these provide a convenient spot to sit and chat, but they also act as an extra accessory to jazz up your carpet.

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Louis Duncan-He

Just as you can create a cohesive look with similar coloring in the carpet and the furniture and accessories that surround it, so can you create a cohesive look by mimicking the look of the carpet in other spaces as well—like the kitchen cabinets. This works well with open-concept areas.

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Cormar Carpets

Plum accents are the ideal companion to dark gray carpet in your living room. Consider adding a few touches of plum through throw pillows, blankets or vases.

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Louis Duncan-He

Living room carpet is an easy way to tie in fun patterns and texture. Repeat those patterns and texture (or ones similar to it) elsewhere in your space, like in wall art or throws.

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Carpetright UK

A simple cream-colored carpet is the perfect base layer for a boho rug and some cozy floor couches. Finish the look with a dramatic, show-stopping houseplant and some complementary wall art.

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Cormar Carpets

Adding carpet and unsure what color it should be? If your walls are white or off-white, try installing carpet in a similar shade. It can give your living room a marvelously minimalist feeling.

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Design: Kate + Co Design, Photos by Arnal Photography

Bringing texture into your living room doesn't have to mean covering it in wicker or velvet—it can also mean embracing it small ways, like choosing a more prominent weave or tuft in your carpet.

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Cormar Carpets

No matter how you style your living room and its carpet, don't forget some kind of contrasting color, even if you're going with a monochrome look. A dash of color in something as small as a picture frame or decorative bowl can help break up the space and keep it from looking too drab.

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KTII Design Group

Think of your living room carpet like a blank canvas and your furniture like the paint it sits upon it. And though your canvas shouldn't be covered in stuff before paint is added, a little pattern never hurt anyone. Try out a carpet with a small pattern and see for yourself.

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Cormar Carpets

An additional stylish look for your carpeted living room is tying in furniture that's slightly darker than your carpet and pairing it with a rich accent color. The room will feel coordinated, but not too matchy-matchy.

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KTII Design Group

Sometimes, a neutral carpet is the best one in your living room, especially if your decor style is more maximalist. Keeping things simple will help keep things from becoming chaotic.

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Cormar Carpets

For a living room with a timeless feeling, pair your lightly-colored carpet with off-white walls and black accents. Eye-catching black is further highlighted by the cream tones of the space, showing why contrast can be your home decor's best friend.

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Interior Impressions

For a stellar color combo, go for gold and gray. Gray carpet gets a reputation for being boring, but it's the perfect blank slate when it comes to pops of bold and classy gold.

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Cormar Carpets

Break of the monotony of a sea of carpet by placing floor accents, like baskets and bins, on top of it. Not only will they provide some helpful storage, but they'll provide visual interest too.

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Interior Impressions

For a room that feels breezy, bright and everything in-between, use a cream or off-white carpet paired with white furniture and walls. Keep things from feeling too clinical by tying in one or two small and subtle pops of color.

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ALine Studio

For a living room you'll want to be in 24/7, break out the highest-of-the-high-pile-carpet. Extra-tall tufts create a soft and welcoming feel, and your floor might just be as comfy as your couch.

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Rikki Snyder

Who says that rugs have to have all the cool patterns? Take a page from rugs' book and use carpet that's full of designs and color, like this Persian-rug-style carpet.

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R Johnston Interiors

Create a unique space that will set your living room apart with some geometrically textured carpet. Textured triangles, circles, and squares can give your floor a personality all of its own.

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Rikki Snyder

As you're starting to see, the coloring of your carpet is a great jumping off point for the coloring of the rest of your living room. One way to incorporate your carpet color is by using it as the background or base tone in wallpaper or wall art.

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R Johnston Interiors

Living room carpet in earthy and woody tones can give your space an old-world vibe, and it will pair perfectly with wooden accents, like cabinetry or ceiling beams.

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Rikki Snyder

For a fun, down-to-earth pattern, use dots in your carpet. They'll provide a touch of personality to an item that so many simply ignore.

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Through These Eyes

Give your living room a little extra style (and a little extra coziness) by placing a plush rug on top of your carpet.

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Rikki Snyder

A simpler, toned-down carpet means there's room for dramatically patterned ottomans or chairs. Instead of bemoaning your carpet's boring sensibilities, embrace what it allows you to do.

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Glenn Gissler Design

A neutral colored, low-pile carpet with a subtle pattern paired with elegant furniture and gilded accents creates a regal look that's sure to stand out.

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Rikki Snyder

A carpet covered in long lines is the perfect addition to a lusciously linear space. When paired with tall windows, long sofas and geometric coffee table, a linear-patterned carpet ties the whole look together.

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Invictus Carpet

You don't have to cover up your carpet—either with furniture or rugs. A simple look can look just as good as more maximalist one. For the best effect, make sure all your furniture and decor coordinates well with the carpet, since there won't be much of it.

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Invictus Carpet

Another winning color combo is beige and navy. Beige carpet is easy to find (and affordable!) and pairs wonderfully with a touch of navy, for a subtle nautical look.

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Rikki Snyder

Another way to add a unique pop of style is by laying an animal skin rug on top of your carpet. This looks even better when a coffee table or another central piece of furniture sits upon it.

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Clayton Corner

Don't have the time (or headspace) to pick perfectly complementary colors for your carpet and living room furniture? There's an easier way—make them all the same color. Using different shades of the same color will provide a coordinated look with minimal effort.

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Rikki Snyder

You can bring in more than one color into your carpet without a bold pattern or colorblocking. Instead, look for carpet with multicolored tufts, which provide a subtle touch of color.

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GInger Pawws

For a subtlety luxe look, pair plush carpet with a few touches of velvet, like in a throw pillow or ottoman. The richness of the carpet will easily complement the lushness of the velvet accents.

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Mindy Gayer

Hardwood flooring isn't the only way to make your living room look older than it really is. For an equally vintage feeling, use carpet with a washed-out pattern for a subtle centuries-old look.

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Leila Talmadge Interiors

Who says living room carpet has to be neutral? It can also be rich and bold too, like this beautiful shade of blue. For a cohesive look, repeat the color elsewhere, like on the sofa or in wall art.

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The House That Black Built

An easy way to tie in your beige carpet to your living room (without making the whole space beige) is to have a piece of furniture that nearly matches it. Doing this makes the space feel cohesive, but not overwhelmingly carpeted.

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Design: AMC Interior Design; Photos: Mark Harrison Photography

For a rich and visually pleasing look, pair a lighter colored carpet or rug with deeply colored walls. The two will contrast one another and create a grown-up space that will never go out of style.

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Anne Sage

For a pared-down living room that doesn't feel too cluttered, pick a coffee table that has a similar color as your carpet. This works especially well with lighter colored carpets, and it can really open up a room.

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AMC Interior Design, Photos by Heidi Marfitt Photography

Just as you can have bold living room carpet, you can also have a bold area rug on top of it. This is a great choice if you want to go for a colorful look without the commitment.

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Blue Copper Design

If you want to add a rug to your living room carpet, but don't want it to blend in too much, pick a darker rug with a subtle pattern on it. This will create contrast and bring in some extra style.

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Henry Walker Homes

Create the classiest living room by pairing cream carpet with dark blue and gold accents. Together, the color trio creates a rich, visually pleasing look that's ready for the fanciest of dinner parties.

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House of Chais

Not looking to show off your carpet? We get it. Instead, place a colorful or unique rug on top and match its color or pattern with your living room wall art. This will draw the eye away from your beat-up beige.

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Interiors by Rachel Fielding

Trim can really tie together a room, and it's no different when it comes to carpeted ones. Make sure your living room has baseboards—not only do they protect your walls, but they provide a nice buffer between the carpet and the wall too.

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Katie LeClerq Design Studio

One of the best things you can do in you decor is to combine texture, especially when it comes to carpets and rugs. A textured rug atop a textured carpets can give your living room a unique, high-end feel.

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The House That Black Built

Another great way to boost your living room's personality is by pairing simple-as-can-be carpet with a fun floor texture, like vintage tile. Together the two highlight one another, while preventing either one from feeling too dominant.

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Katie LeClerq Design Studio

A room-sized rug is a great answer to the question of what do with unwanted carpet.

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Renovating The Broadway

For a taste of something different, a carpet with a subtle weave and low pile mimics the look of wicker. It's an easy way to bring in texture, and low pile carpet is easier than most to keep clean.

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Devon Grace Interiors

Another great way to incorporate the look of your carpet throughout your living room is by using similar curtains. That way, your carpet colors are seen vertically and horizontally.

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My Little Detached Home

A bright or richly colored rug against a sea of neutrals brings in a lovely touch of color that makes your living room uniquely you.

How To Decorate a Living Room: 20 Ideas and Common Mistakes

10 ways to add warmth and luxury |

(Image credit: Polly Eltes / Future)

Living room carpet is back where it should be, at the heart of the home. Its charms are more than simply good looks, as it ticks the boxes for seductive softness, and in these days of high fuel bills, has welcome insulating qualities for your living room flooring ideas.

The main advantage of living room carpet is the incredible range of decorating possibilities that it offers, thanks to the wide variety of colors and textures, as well as the feeling of warmth underfoot.

The different types of carpet pile available mean you can create a dramatically different look and feel, from the smoothness of velvet pile, to the sumptuous luxury of Saxony. We explore the best options for your living room ideas.

Living room carpet ideas – embrace the cozy feel of carpet 

From patterned to plain, wool to sisal, these inviting carpet ideas can bring a welcome warmth to your home.

1. Go for luxury with a wool carpet

(Image credit: Polly Eltes / Future)

Wool is the preferred option for a living room rug or carpet, not only because it’s a natural fibre but also for its hardwearing qualities and natural springiness, which make it resistant to being compressed by furniture and footsteps. It’s also warm and soft with a luxurious, unmatched feel. 

2. Consider color choices

(Image credit: Brent Darby / Future)

Although the vast majority of us are still opting for neutral carpet, subtle changes are seeping in. The traditional gold and beige tones are being replaced by greys, taupes and stone shades, while strong color is being used now in the same way as wallpaper, to create an accent. Damsons and plums are also popular living room color schemes.

3. Introduce texture to your flooring

(Image credit: Brintons)

Texture in interior design is fundamental, and no more so than on a living room carpet. At the top end of the market textured carpets are clean and crisp, without heavy patterns. ‘However, we are now seeing this smooth surface being broken up by ribbed, herringbone or checked designs,’ says Michael Turner, General Manager, Crucial Trading . 

Deep, long pile gives flooring the feel-good factor, while a mix of high and low pile heights can be very luxurious. ‘This gives you a carpet that feels good at a reasonable price,’ says David Cormack, Marketing Director, Cormar . Nubbly boucle in solid colors are also in demand.

4. Play with pattern

(Image credit: Brockway)

The latest living room trends suggest that pattern in back in a big way. Stripes are in – and are now available in several brave colorways – perfect for stairs and small living rooms. The master of stripes Roger Oates champions the versatility of stripes. ‘You can be bold with widths and colors to create drama, or use fine lines to for a more classic or subtle effect,’ he says.  

Floral designs are also making a comeback. ‘There’s a trend for designs influenced by the floral and fauna found in nature,' says Kelly Butler, Design Manager, Brintons .

5. Focus on materials when choosing a living room carpet

(Image credit: Brintons)

If you’re looking for more unusual effects and finishes, consider some of the more unexpected fibres. ‘There’s a growing trend of using a percentage of silk or artificial silk, which gives the look of silk at a moderate price,’ says Martin Long of The Carpet Library.

‘Lama is another sleek choice, which is stronger than sheep wool and comes in lots of non-dyed natural shades,’ says Jhon Campo, of Van Besouw . 'Luxurious mohair has a unique feel, and a dense pile, with a slight natural oiliness that protects the fibres.'

6. Choose plant-fibre floorings for a natural look

(Image credit: Davide Lovatti / Future)

Natural floorings made from plant fibre are a versatile option, having moved on from merely rustic designs to encompass smart city looks, too. It can be fitted in the same way as carpet, used as a room square or as a rug or runner with a bound or decorative fabric or leather edge. 

Plant-fibre flooring doesn’t cope well with water and high humidity so isn’t the right choice for a kitchen or bathroom. Ask for flooring to be pre-treated with a stain inhibitor. Natural flooring is not as dimensionally stable as carpet (sisal may shrink, while coir can swell and shrink), so it should be stuck down. 

‘For comfort and longevity, a firm underlay is usually used and the flooring is stuck to that,’ says Michael Turner of Crucial Trading.

7. Opt for a made-to-measure carpet

(Image credit: Davide Lovatti / Future)

Bespoke living room carpet can bring an individual look to a room whether used on a sweeping scale for a large drawing room, or for a much smaller project. 

‘Bespoke carpet may seem expensive, yet it’s made to the size required so there’s no wastage, and a border can be made to fit any shape of room,’ says Amy Lawton, Design Director, Concept Hand Tufting . 'A sample is hand-tufted for approval by the customer, before the carpet is made up.'

8. Look for quality with a woven carpet

(Image credit: Robert Sanderson / Future)

If quality is your watchword, consider woven carpet, made in the traditional method way by weaving the pile into the backing.  

‘The quality of a woven carpet is instantly recognizable’ says Ray Snell, Design Manager, Ulster Carpets . ‘The relatively labor-intensive manufacturing process and large quantity of yarn used means a high price ticket, but the quality is second to none, producing stable, very dense carpet.'

9. Or, go for a tufted option

(Image credit: Polly Eltes / Future)

The alternative is tufted carpet, both plain and patterned, made using needles to punch the pile into a backing fabric before a secondary backing is stuck on with latex, to add stability and hold the tufts firm. The quality versions are not necessarily a second-best to woven carpet, and much carpet is now made this way.

10. Factor in the different types of weave

(Image credit: Mark Nicholson / Future)

The surface pile texture can make a huge difference to the look and wear of the carpet. 

– Twist pile carpets have tightly twisted yarns to give a hardwearing carpet with a crisp feel; these are less likely to show footprints and wear and tear.  

– Velvet carpets have a dense low-cut pile, where individual tufts are hardly visible. The density gives a rich, smooth effect though it tends to show footprints. 

– Loop piles are also popular and many are woven to look like natural floorings such as sisal. A mixture of high and low loops or cut and loop pile tufts within the same carpet are sometimes used to create pattern. A good choice for a light-toned carpet, they won’t show indentations from footprints. Most loop piles suit heavy domestic use. 

– Flatweave carpets are similar to loop piles, but have a flatter, smoother surface. These work well for runners and stair carpets. 

– Saxony carpets have a long pile making them luxurious underfoot while shag pile carpets have even longer tufts. Both are excellent for use in bedrooms and living rooms. 

What is the best carpet for a living room? 

Wool is often considered the best choice for a living room carpet. Its hardwearing qualities – and softness underfoot – make it resistant to being compressed by furniture and footsteps.  

If you are after extra durability, then look no further than a blend of 80% wool with 20% nylon or other fibres such as polypropylene. Alternatively, polyamide (nylon) is extremely strong – and has high abrasion resistance. It’s often blended with wool, though it can be used on its own to produce low-cost living room carpet.

Jennifer is the Digital Editor at Homes & Gardens. Having worked in the interiors industry for a number of years, spanning many publications, she now hones her digital prowess on the 'best interiors website' in the world. Multi-skilled, Jennifer has worked in PR and marketing, and the occasional dabble in the social media, commercial and e-commerce space. Over the years, she has written about every area of the home, from compiling design houses from some of the best interior designers in the world to sourcing celebrity homes, reviewing appliances and even the odd news story or two.

Carpet in the living room - 100 fashion design photos of 2020 But how to choose it correctly for the interior of the room?

Today's market is full of carpets of different colors, shapes, pile lengths, materials, hardness levels.

If you can't decide on the choice of carpet for the living room, then perhaps this article will be useful to you.

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