Here are six tips for making this decorating technique work for you.

you might angle a top rug on the bias or at a 45- to 90-degree angle.

Your larger base rug should be placed straight and aligned with the furniture.

A blue patterned rug layered on top of a hemp jute rug

The Spruce / Jason Donnelly

you’re able to then take your smaller accent rug and change its orientation.

Experiment with it and see if you like the look.

Tip

Layering rugs work best when your two rugs aredifferent sizes.

Area rug being used to highlight the coffee table area

The Spruce / Jason Donnelly

One should be large and more dominant, and the others should be smaller and act as an accent.

It’s also great for doing the oppositedrawing your attention away from an area.

Consider Color

The main reason people like to layer rugs is that it allows them to experiment with color.

A colorful patterned rug layered on top of a neutral rug

The Spruce / Jason Donnelly

For other people, a single rug doesn’t offer enough color.

Fortunately, there’s no reason why you’re able to’t layer color on color.

The key is to find colors that complement each other and the rest of the items in the room.

A cowhide rug layered on top of a hemp jute rug

The Spruce / Jason Donnelly

Layer away to your heart’s content.

When experimenting with this look, attempt to use colors of the same intensity.

For instance, don’t mix pastels with jewel tones.

Different patternscan often work together if they are in the same hue family.

Also, think about tone-on-tone patterns.

They can give a room depth and character without coming across as too bold.

Ultimately, when layering patterns, it’s best to trust your eye and go with your gut.

If you like the way it looks, then go with it.

Prevent Tripping or Falling Hazards

Any area rug, whether one or several, is a potential tripping hazard.

Rugs can bunch up on top or move from the bottom if notanchored with a rug pad.

A rug pad keeps the rugs above it fromsliding around.

Rules for Layering Rugs

Tips are suggestions; meanwhile, rules are stricter guidelines.

Here are a few simple rules about rug layering.