Striped rugs can bring your colour scheme together, while pairing them with other striped accessories gives your room a fresh look. Stripes are easy to work into any design scheme or room. Techniques for decorating with horizontally and vertically striped rugs can help you define space in your home. Not to mention, it can even create the illusion of longer or broader areas in hallways or rooms. What’s not to love?
Why Stripes and Striped Rugs?
Decorating with stripes, in general, will help to make your room look bigger. When laid on the floor, stripes lead the eye away, making the room appear more spacious. This is ideal for smaller spaces.
Got low ceilings but want to feel less enclosed? Vertical stripes on the walls will help with that too. Similarly, if you have a narrow hallway, adding a horizontally striped runner will create the illusion of more floor space.
There are more choices than just the direction of the stripes, though. The stripe width is also a factor to consider when decorating your room, as well as the space available. For example: pairing striped cushions with plain, block colours can make them an eye-catching addition to any space.
Decorating with Striped Rugs
Striped rugs can set the mood of a room. Wide and colourful stripes, such as bright blue, red or yellow on white, work well with nautical themes and create an upbeat mood. Horizontal stripes in soft or neutral colours have a calming effect, creating a restful atmosphere for a bedroom. Brightly coloured vertical stripes offer an energetic look suitable for a home office or playroom.
Area Rugs: Area rug shapes include square, rectangle and round. Striped area rugs set off living areas in your home. A striped rug that fits the area you want to define, such as a rug large enough to fit under the dining table with the chairs pulled out, brings the room together. A rug with horizontal stripes laid parallel to a sofa can help to make a small living room appear larger.
Throw Rugs: Striped throw rugs can match the colours in the kitchen, bathroom or entry. Multiple striped throw rugs can create a patchwork of horizontal and vertical stripes to decorate an entire room, such as a den, bedroom or kids’ room.
Striped Home Accessories
Looking to compliment your striped rugs? Then choose a similar pattern in complimenting colours for your soft furnishings. For example: adding striped scatter cushions can help ensure the theme travels throughout the room. Pair with a complimenting, solid scatter cushion to add impact to the style.
However, as stripes are so visual, you should avoid more than three colours in a single space. This will consist of one main colour and two accents. You can also add white as a fourth colour to break up the pattern where desired.
Upholstering Existing Furniture
If you’re looking for a bigger change, reupholstering a dining chair or sofa with thick stripe fabric can draw the eye and make a focal point for any room. For example, choosing a soft pink striped fabric to reupholster your sofa can breathe new life into your furniture without the large cost.
Pair with a patterned, gingham pouffe for a complete look, along with plain side tables and cushions.
💡 Top Tip: Already have a pouffe? We have gingham patterned fabric available for upholstering that, too.
What Not to do With Stripes:
- Do not let stripes take your space over. It’s easy to over-stripe any space, so don’t forget to add block colours to your room. Painted stripes onto your wall? Then add framed wall art to break up the pattern.
- Watch out for uneven stripes. If you’re tackling upholstery for the first time, ensure the stripes are level before committing to the look. You don’t want your furniture looking uneven!
- If stripes are completely new to your space, but you want to try the look out, don’t forget you can order free fabric samples on our website! This will allow you to try out the look before you fully commit. It also helps to rule out the possibility of the striped pattern affecting your eyes, as you’ll be able to see it in person without the hassle of redecorating and returning.
- Offset your stripes with something natural. This can be anything from wooden furniture to floral print. This will offset the linear pattern with something organic. For example: Emily added a moss rabbit and fruit to her striped dining table.
