March 24, 2024

How to Style Your Rugs Beyond the Floor

There are plenty of reasons why you may not want to keep your rug only on your floor, like preserving it from the happy chaos of everyday family life. They’re also perfect, vibrant pieces of decor that deserve to be at eye-level. “Historically rugs have been used for much more than floor coverings,” says Lauren Hansen, founder of textile studio Ugly Rugly. 

 “Rugs have been used as decorations, as bedding, displays of wealth and prestige, modular walls for nomadic people, upholstery, prayer, storytelling, art and the list goes on.”

From vintage to new, rugs are super versatile. Shags, Turkish Tulus and small Moroccan rugs are the perfect contenders to drape over a piece of furniture for contrast. Throwing a brightly-toned kilim or flat weave– with enough gusto to stand in for a fine art piece– behind a sofa or in an entryway is a dynamic way to add color and personality to any room. There’s good news when it comes to hanging a rug on a wall: “pretty much any rug works well on the wall,” says Revival Design Director Christina Tullock, “but flatweaves and Aubussons [ flat tapestry weaves] are most popular.” When using rugs in places other than the floor, keep in mind where they shouldn’t go: never directly above or too close to a heat source such as a radiator or a fireplace. 

Shop Flatwoven and Kilim Revival Rugs

Other than that, the only limit to utilizing rugs is your imagination, so Revival caught up with Lauren from Ugly Rugly who is known to get creative with rug placements. She explores using unconventional textile methods to produce rugs and other soft objects.

Hi Lauren! Right out of the gates, where's the craziest place you’ve seen a rug styled?

I've seen some enterprising people upholster their car interiors with rugs. 

That’s truly fun. We’ll definitely keep that suggestion in our back pocket. So, why should someone hang their rug somewhere other than the floor?

At the most basic level rugs bring texture and warmth to a room. Rugs are a good way to bring color and layers into a space. Displaying a rug off of the floor is a great way to preserve their beauty and the artistry that goes into them. We have a huge accent wall in our brick & mortar shop that has a 6'x9' rug hung on it. I guarantee it's always a conversation piece. When you put your rug at eye level, you cut down on wear and tear to those special pieces. 

Logistically, is there anything to note when deciding if a rug should be hung on a wall, such as size? 

There are no parameters to hanging a rug on the wall—it doesn't even have to fit well! It really can spill over the edges and fall to the floor. From a proportional standpoint, larger rugs do tend to look better. I also think the bolder the rug, the better. It adds a sense of softness and texture to the space that can only be achieved with textiles. They can be focal points or accents: you can use rugs in the same way you'd use a painting or a throw blanket. 

What do you find are the best methods to hang a rug as wall art?

Always consider the overall size and weight of your rug, and measure it before purchasing any hanging tools. Plus, be mindful of avoiding a lopsided job: an uneven distribution of weight when hanging could cause a heavy rug to warp or even rip.

For smaller or lighter weight rugs, you can try velcro [many museums use this method] to hang your rug, which is both efficient and affordable. 

For larger and heavier rugs, you might want to try hanging a rug with carpet tacks which can involve screws and an anchor for more security. You’ll need carpet tacks, upholstery nails, a screw and an anchor. Measure the carpet tack strips to the width of the rug (you might need multiple strips depending on the width of the rug you’re hanging up). Next, place the rug on the strip, and hammer the nails into the wall. You can also secure this strip with an anchor and a screw to be on the safe side.

Examples of Revival rugs we love for the wall:

                                Shop Small Moroccan Rugs

                                                Shop Kilims

Examples of Revival rugs we love for draping:

                                        Shop Turkish Tulus