The Controversial Rug Trend Interior Designers Can't Get Enough Of

While trends in color, material, and pattern come and go, area rugs are a solid staple to most homes, used not only as a functional way to cover and warm up floors but also to designate zones and pull rooms together. While many varieties go in and out of style, some stalwarts remain, including intricately floral antique Persian rugs, colorful woven rugs, and breezy jute or sisal floor mats. A new trend, however, toward irregularly shaped rugs is taking the design world by storm, providing a funky and fresh take on floor coverings.

These rugs present a fresh alternative to traditional shapes when choosing an area rug. Etsy trend expert Dayna Isom Johnson tells Hunker "Shoppers are looking to add pops of personality to their homes, and adding rugs with vibrant colors, unique shapes, or standout patterns is a great way to make a statement and bring that 'wow' factor to any space. And because these rugs come in a variety of shapes and sizes, there's something for every style and budget."

The trend accompanies the waning of more minimalist and neutral-driven rooms, with a movement toward bolder colors and the rise of more maximalist spaces. In these spaces, rugs can become not only a subtle touch that ties rooms together, but a piece of artwork that calls attention to itself. These irregular rugs come in a variety of configurations, including asymmetrical geometric shapes, rounded organic shapes, and rugs with unusual combinations of color, pattern, and material happening all at once.

The rugs are cropping up in more and more design blogs and professionally designed rooms, which means it's an excellent time to find them from retailers in all manner of shapes, sizes, and colors that fit any type of decor scheme. They work equally well in living rooms, bedrooms, and other rooms as a dynamic focal point or as a way to soften boxy and rectangular rooms. Asymmetrical rugs in particular also work to change the symmetry of a room that seems too orderly and boring.

Irregular and unusual rugs are a perfect choice for living rooms, which often use rugs to create and designate zones in a larger room. Keep in mind shape and balance when looking for the perfect area rug for your space.  Rounded organic shapes look particularly stunning in combination with furniture that boasts rounder and arched lines, like a round coffee table or furniture with overstuffed lines. Conversely, a rounded rug can also be great with more severe and straight-lined pieces, like mid-century modern furniture. 

Use an irregular rug as a focal point at the end or to the side of the bed, like this colorful one from Inspire Uplift, where it will help soften those boxy, rectangular lines of the bed and other furniture. A narrow rug with irregular shapes, like this floral one from Apollo Box, can also become a focal point in a small space like a hallway or foyer where it can take center stage. In the dining room, an unusually shaped rug like this one from Etsy can be the perfect element to complement a large round table, while an irregularly edged rectangular rug, like these floral designs from Anthropologie or Lowes, can add texture and visual interest under a rectangular table.