The Simple Design Element Joanna Gaines Consistently Uses To Spruce Up A Space

Ever feel like your space has become stale and needs a little something new? Today, we're heading to Waco, Texas to draw inspo from the queen of thoughtful details: Joanna Gaines. Her ability to create beautiful, functional spaces is next level — we're still swooning over her stunning design choices from the Fixer Upper Lakehouse series, to be honest.

No matter what decorating style the "Fixer Upper" co-star goes for, there's one detail she always includes in so many of her projects. It ties a room together, brings texture and color, and best of all, feels warm underfoot. Enter an area rug (or rugs, plural) — one of the easiest ways to refresh a home.

The design guru has proved time and time again that this essential addition can work in so many different areas in a home, not just the living room. Take her photo dump on Instagram, for instance. There's a pretty rug in every corner of the lake house, from the kitchen, to the bedroom, to the bathroom. Now, we're not saying to fill your abode with random rugs in random places. If you want to decorate your home like Joanna Gaines, it pays to be intentional with your rug style, size, and placement. Because who wants to spend a good chunk of money on a rug, only to find out it isn't quite right?

First, consider which room needs some freshening up. Pulling a page from Gaines' design notebook, she likes to use flat-weave or low-pile rugs in high-traffic areas, like the kitchen, entryway, or dining room. Conversely, plush, textured rug varieties are welcome in the living room and bedroom, where coziness is a must.

Most importantly, make sure the rug doesn't look out of place and disjointed. Take notes from Jo's blog, which emphasizes that "an area rug should fit under every key furniture piece in the room, like sofas, coffee tables, a bed, dining room table... so don't be afraid to go big!" Going bigger than the standard 4x6 and 5x7 is definitely an investment, but trust her advice, it will make the room feel more pulled together. 

End the hunt of finding the perfect rug for your space with a design you like. Maybe you already have a lot going on in the room and would rather ground it with a subtle, neutral floor covering. In this case, The Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines x Loloi Jones Rug in Oatmeal ($86) at Meadow Blu could fit the bill. Or, maybe vibrant colors and patterns (like that of SAFAVIEH's Red Oriental Rug, starting from $50 on Amazon) are just what the area needs to feel updated. Keep in mind: you can also leave your main rug as is (if you already have one) and simply layer a smaller piece on top for a whole new look.