The Case for a Statement Rug in a Rented Home

Paint, fixtures, and flooring all belong to the landlord. A rug is one of the few large, room-defining choices that's entirely yours to make — and to take with you.

Size it to the furniture, not the room

A rug should be large enough for at least the front legs of major furniture to sit on it. Undersized rugs are the single most common styling mistake in rented living rooms, and it's a measurement problem, not a taste problem.

Texture over pattern in a small room

In a compact space, a heavily patterned rug can compete with everything else. A textured natural-fiber weave adds interest without adding visual noise, and it tends to suit more of what you'll buy after it.