Can I Put an Area Rug Over Carpet?

Area rugs are commonly used to decorate and protect floorings like hardwood, tile, or even laminate. However, if selected carefully, you can also use area rugs to decorate spaces over wall-to-wall carpet.

Why would I put an area rug over carpet?

There are many reasons why you should put an area rug over carpet. From a design perspective, adding rugs over carpets can introduce additional colors, patterns, and textures to a space. It can also give a room a more luxurious look by layering carpet over carpet.

From a practical standpoint, adding a rug over a wall-to-wall carpet could help hide worn or soiled spots in the carpet. Adding rugs could also help protect your carpet from wear or stains in high-traffic areas, making your carpet last longer.

How to Put Area Rugs Over Carpet

Vary Textures

Introducing a rug to a space is a great way to add texture. When layering an area rug on a carpet, it’s essential to vary the texture. Area rugs tend to work best on short-pile or looped carpets, where you can choose shag rugs to introduce a different texture to the space. Conversely, selecting a low-profile woven rug may be best if you have a plush carpet installed.

Choose Patterns Carefully

Coordinating patterns is a crucial part of any design, and carpets and rugs are no different. When layering an area rug on top of a carpet, it’s typically best to avoid using a patterned rug over a patterned carpet. Instead, try putting a patterned rug over a solid wall-to-wall carpet or a solid rug over a patterned wall-to-wall carpet. Make sure that any pattern of rug you choose complements the existing color scheme and designs already in the room.

Beware of Ripples and Wrinkling

One of the biggest dangers of laying area rugs on carpets is that they can wrinkle or ripple. Unlike on hard surfaces, where rugs sometimes tend to slide, rugs on carpeted surfaces can be prone to ripples depending on the carpet style underneath the rug. This is because the side of the rug that is stepped on will shift while the other side of the rug meets resistance against the carpet, causing ripples.

You can avoid wrinkling by anchoring your area rug with heavy furniture, such as couches and coffee tables, or by using a non-slip pad underneath.

How can Bloomsburg Carpet help?

At Bloomsburg Carpet, we pride ourselves on producing environmentally sustainable, beautiful, high-end rugs and carpets of all types and materials. Whether you are a homeowner searching for a CRI-certified rug or a business owner looking to improve your building, we can help. Contact us for assistance regarding either commercial or residential carpeting.