Angela Scanlon is easily our go-to girl when we need bold and whimsy interior inspiration, so you can only imagine how pleased we were when we spotted that she had taken to Instagram to share a stunning, cosy corner of her dining room.
Embracing all things warm, rustic, and slightly more eclectic, Angela's taste in home furnishings and design has always been something we've resonated with – and the presenter referencing the trending 'mob wife' aesthetic in a recent post is proof that she's certainly in the know of the latest home decor trends. Therefore, it's no surprise she's nailed this key design trick: using rugs to zone an open-plan space.
Commenting on using rugs to your advantage when considering home design, Lucy Mather, interiors expert at Arighi Bianchi says, 'Rugs offer a multitude of benefits beyond adding colour, texture, and decoration. They serve as practical and aesthetic tools for effectively zoning areas within a home.'
'Using rugs to zone areas of your home can offer several benefits, playing a key role in creating a cohesive and stylish look,' begins Cassandra Leisz, creative director at Ruggable. 'Rugs can visually separate and define different areas within a room, such as a seating area in a living room or a dining area in an open-plan layout.'
This creates distinctive zones for different activities in your home, bringing purpose and organisation to a room without structural dividers. Explaining further, Daniel Prendergast, design director at The Rug Seller says, 'They act as visual cues that delineate different areas within a room, helping to define separate functional zones without the need for physical barriers.'
'By placing rugs under furniture groupings or within specific areas, you can clearly define spaces for various activities such as dining, lounging, or working,' he adds. In this case, Angela has shown how she uses this corner in her dining room for relaxing, sipping your daily cup of joe or quiet activities like reading.
Better yet, if you size your rug generously and place it under furniture just as Angela has, it's one of the simplest ways to make your dining room look more expensive. Or, any room for that matter. Not to mention, it's a surefire way to instantly add a touch of cosiness and make a space feel inviting – even more so if you opt for a warmer dining room colour scheme like Angela's.
When zoning with rugs, Cassandra's biggest tip is to incorporate rugs of different textures, patterns, and colours to add visual interest to your interior. 'In particular, an oversized rug can make a bold statement and act as a focal point in the room, drawing attention to itself and tying together the overall design scheme.'
Therefore, if you're keen on snapping up a new oversized rug to zone a room in your home, here are some of our top picks to bring into your space to emulate Angela's coveted look.
Shop rugs
The rich, varied tones give off a dark and moody vibe, allowing you to tap into the chic hotel trend by emulating a city boutique.
With a traditional pattern, this oriental style, multicoloured rug combines soft colours like dusty pink, blue and rust orange to go effortlessly into any boho living room idea.
This vintage rug fits effortlessly into any interior style with its stylish patinated and antique effects. Its sanded patterns blend in with both classic and ultra-contemporary settings.
Featuring a brightly coloured design, this Jonathan Y rug from Amazon will instantly update any zone in your home and tone in with most colour schemes to boot.
With the look and feel of vintage antiques, this rug brings lavishly ornate Persian and Turkish rug designs together in a richly colourful assortment.
Featuring a distressed design in vivid blue and pink hues, this rug by The Rugs Store will add a touch of vintage style to any room decor.
So, whether you're looking to make a statement with bright colours, introduce new patterns, complement existing textures in a room, or enhance a specific zone of the room, Johanna Constantinou, trends expert at Tapi Carpets & Floors assures that your choice of rug can help achieve your preferred look.
'For example, if you have an open plan kitchen and dining area, then placing a brightly coloured, patterned rug under the dining table as Angela has done can help you separate the dining space from the rest of the kitchen, creating a sense of purpose and giving character to the specific zone without looking clustered,' she continues.
We'll be following the presenter's lead for our springtime home decor refreshes.
