Should the rugs match? (hardwood floors, painted, tile, cabinets)
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We bought a house in May and are about to finish the last project on it, which will be built-in shelves and cabinets in the "formal" living room. Then I'm going to buy living room furniture. I'm going to try to describe this without taking a picture.
When you walk into the house you're in a foyer and if you take two steps and look to the right you see the living room and dining room which are open to one another, with the dining room beyond the living room. The living room and dining room are painted the same color and the floors are the same tile.
Right now we have a rug under the dining room table that needs to be replaced and when I get the living room furniture I want to get a rug to go in that space as well to define the area. When you look into the rooms you'll be able to see good-size parts of both rugs.
Should the rugs be the same color and pattern, although probably different sizes? Or should they just complement each other somehow? If so, how? One of them a solid that picks up the colors of the other one? Or can they be completely different?
As you can tell, I'm clueless. Any help would be appreciated.
I think all the rugs should be different, but coordinate. For some reason, it kind of bugs me when people have the same style of rug in different sizes. You want to define individual spaces. When choosing two area rugs that will fit within the same living space, pick two different sizes. If they are the same size, your room will appear to be cut in half. It's important to choose a similar pattern and colors for both area rugs.
Your house style is important when you are choosing the pattern.
I think all the rugs should be different, but coordinate. For some reason, it kind of bugs me when people have the same style of rug in different sizes. You want to define individual spaces. When choosing two area rugs that will fit within the same living space, pick two different sizes. If they are the same size, your room will appear to be cut in half. It's important to choose a similar pattern and colors for both area rugs.
Your house style is important when you are choosing the pattern.
OK, I'm getting loud and clear that they shouldn't match. And they will necessarily be different sizes because the living room space will be larger than the dining room space. But similar patterns and colors....I can do that.
Our house style is casual and eclectic, but hopefully not jumbled. I like space and hate clutter. Right now the rug under the dining table is a wannabe oriental/persian pattern. (I know that made people cringe because I'm sure there are differences but I don't know what they are. But it's a traditional pattern--not geometric shapes or leaves or anything like that.)
Buy something inexpensive and easy to take care. With 4 pets, you will appreciate it
You might want to look on line for different patterns, sizes and prices - just to have a general idea.
Here is a good info about choices and care http://www.modernrugs.com/area_rug_care.htm
Matching area rugs would work best if your space is very symmetrical and has a repetitive theme that ties the two rooms together, where various elements in each seating group echo each other. At the same time, coordinating two different area rugs in the same space can be challenging if you don't understand how to mix colors and patterns.
I'd select the rug for the living room first. I'm assuming that it is the larger of the two rugs, and it will be the first seen from the front door. Chose a carpet that has hints of the wall color in it, but not too much. I typically like to take the main color in the room and then add pops of that color in other places. And choose a pattern that compliments your furniture style (e.g. don't go with a Persian rug if your style is urban swank.
Here are a couple examples that I think work really well:
Once you get the living room rug done, then start hunting for the dining room carpet. A couple tips for mixing color and pattern:
The back ground (primary) color for each rug should not match, but when the rugs are laid side-by-side, the colors should compliment and not clash with each other.
Bring a secondary "pop" color into the dining room rug.
If both rugs are a print pattern, make sure they aren't too similar. If one is a small pattern, go with a large pattern on the other.
Don't do two striped rugs
The other thing you can do is go with one solid rug. Choose a color that is a secondary or "pop" color in your color scheme.
I will echo the different but complementary suggestions.....if I had some kind of idea on color scheme/style of the furniture, etc, I would be more than happy to make some suggestions!
Tip for the dining room, the rug needs to be 2' longer and wider than the table in order to be able to pull the chairs out without running off the rug.
Also, you are going to need the kind of rug pads for tile or hardwood to keep the rugs from "walking".
Matching area rugs would work best if your space is very symmetrical and has a repetitive theme that ties the two rooms together, where various elements in each seating group echo each other. At the same time, coordinating two different area rugs in the same space can be challenging if you don't understand how to mix colors and patterns.
I'd select the rug for the living room first. I'm assuming that it is the larger of the two rugs, and it will be the first seen from the front door. Chose a carpet that has hints of the wall color in it, but not too much. I typically like to take the main color in the room and then add pops of that color in other places. And choose a pattern that compliments your furniture style (e.g. don't go with a Persian rug if your style is urban swank.
Here are a couple examples that I think work really well:
Once you get the living room rug done, then start hunting for the dining room carpet. A couple tips for mixing color and pattern:
The back ground (primary) color for each rug should not match, but when the rugs are laid side-by-side, the colors should compliment and not clash with each other.
Bring a secondary "pop" color into the dining room rug.
If both rugs are a print pattern, make sure they aren't too similar. If one is a small pattern, go with a large pattern on the other.
Don't do two striped rugs
The other thing you can do is go with one solid rug. Choose a color that is a secondary or "pop" color in your color scheme.
Thanks for these detailed tips. I really appreciate them.
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And they will necessarily be different sizes because the living room space will be larger than the dining room space. But similar patterns and colors....I can do that. 
