I’m in the market for a neutral area rug for my living room. Per my normal routine, when I’m in the market for something, my first go-to is my search engine. I typed“area rug” in and very quickly became overwhelmed. I felt like I was the little white ball in a pinball machine – bouncing all around from rug to rug to rug.
How is a girl to choose? I love them all! After an hour of browsing online with no progress, I decided to close the browser, stand up, and take a deep breath. I needed a strategy! With the browser closed I needed to decide exactly what I wanted in my new living room rug – what size do I need, do I go with colorful and bright or neutral color, do I want a statement rug or a backdrop rug, and easy to maintain and keep clean is a definite. Without all the visual stimulation and some calming deep breathing, I was able to articulate to myself exactly what I wanted.
My new area rug should be something in a neutral tone that will ground my living room furniture and help define the space, as opposed to competing for my furniture’s attention. It should be simple and clean with a little bit of texture to add a pop of interest, and it should be durable and easy to maintenance.
Armed with this new set of specifics I went back to my search engine and this time typed“neutral colored living room rugs.”
1. Francis Shaggy Diamond Trellis Rug
This diamond trellis patterned area rug meets the texture criteria for sure. All that shaggy goodness adds interest and makes this rug look inviting and comfortable.
2. Shanna Shaggy Area Rug
Here is another shaggy rug with a simple lattice pattern. The hues in this rug are white and gray and it comes in two sizes – 5×8 and 8×10.
3. Black & Gray Retro Modern Area Rug
This neutral area rug incorporates gradient hues of black, gray and white in the form of markings that lend a retro-modern vibe. No shag here, but definitely texture and interest.
4 – 5 Vintage Floral Minta Area Rug & Vintage Arlena Area Rug
These two vintage looking rugs are definitely favorites – the Vintage Floral Minta rug and the Vintage Arlene rug. They both have classic floral medallion designs in a soft gray and are faux faded in all the right places making them look perfectly well worn and aged.
6. Neutral Sarina Diamond Area Rug
I like the pattern and look of the Sarina Diamonds Area Rug, but it gets mixed reviews on the coloring with several reviewers indicating that it is more cream and yellowish in person when compared to the online images.
7. Shelly Transitional Tribal Rug
The Shelly Transitional Tribal rug has a creamy white background with a gray geometric pattern. I think this would look great with dark wood accents.
8. Schuyler Cream Scroll Rug
The neutral colored sculptured designs in this rug give it a more lavish feel. A scroll pattern always offers an elegant touch and add dimension.
9. Brushed Bristol Rug
The Brushed Bristol Rug comes in an 8×10 size and a 5×7 size. This one is a little less subtle than I’d like, but it would certainly add interest to your living room.
10. San Bruno Area Rug
The San Bruno is a solid color area rug but is offered in six different colors and six different sizes. It got me thinking about a round rug! It also has twenty-one five-star reviews and comes highly recommended. It just looks so soft!
11. Vintage Odell Rug
The Vintage Odell Rug is another perfectly faded antique looking piece that comes in your choice of ten sizes and three colors. Make sure to check out the light blue version! When I saw that this rug has a whopping 863 five-star reviews, I knew it was a sign!
12. Nayla Loomed Rug
The pattern in the Nayla Loomed Rug caught my eye. It might be a good choice if you want a little splash of color in your rug. It comes in an ivory and blue combination and an ivory and pink combination.
13. Darcy Crosshatch Area Rug
The crosshatch pattern of this rug is interesting and busy, but it would also be the perfect backdrop for a splash of color. It comes in many sizes, including a mammoth 11×15 size and a 10×14 size.
14. Barret Printed Rug
The Barret Printed Rug from Pottery Barn is 100% wool and is considered a “unique piece of art”. I love the random colored medallion design and the overall vintage, warm feel.
15. Yonati Ivory/Gray Area Rug
With almost eleven thousand reviews and a 4.8-star rating, I HAD to check out the Yonati Ivory Area Rug. It did not disappoint. Another floral pattern perfectly faded to add that lived-in charm look to your living room. Yes, please!
16. George Oliver Grantham Ivory Area Rug
Here is another neutral colored plush area rug with a shag pile. The pattern is simple, but the shaggy makes it almost playful. The hand-braided fringe adds interest and texture.
17-18 Warlick & Ranck Traditional Area Rugs
Both the Warlick Cream Area Rug and the Ranck Traditional Rug have that well-worn, vintage look in either light gray or blue accents. One of the product descriptions describes this vintage look as“purposeful distressing.” Oh, I just cannot decide which one I like better! Both come in a variety of sizes also.
19. McKamey Ivory Area Rug
The McKamey Ivory Area Rug is an indoor/outdoor rug, which makes it extremely versatile and pretty much maintenance-free. Its geometric trellis motif makes it easy to blend with any style.
20. Hillsby Charcoal/Light Gray/Beige Area Rug
This area rug by Hillsby will make any living room appear more fashionable. It’s perfect for a family with small children as easy to clean and vacuumed or spot cleaned for effortless upkeep. Pair this rug with a rug pad to prevent shifting and sliding.
21. Zanzibar Bohemian Area Rug
The Zanzibar Bohemian Rug features a 1.8-inch pile, making it a fairly thick floor covering. This rug is another shaggy version with a hand-drawn tribal motif. It would be perfect for a comfy boho-chic living room.
22. Schuykill Hand-Woven Area Rug
This hand-woven ivory rug is timeless and easy to coordinate with any color palette. It has a clean subtle styling and will certainly allow your furniture to take center stage.
23. Cohan Ivory Area Rug
The Cohan Ivory Rug has a clean geometric motif and the purposeful distressing we’ve seen in several rugs on this list. Several reviewers did comment that a rug pad was definitely needed to prevent slipping when placed on hardwood or vinyl flooring.
24. Amelia Area Rug
This rug is perfect for your modern farmhouse décor. It is available in four sizes and is the perfect combination of elegant and practical.
25. Alonza Hand-Tufted Wool Ivory Area Rug
This beautiful rug is constructed from wool, which is rich with naturally dense properties that easily repels liquid while retaining its shape. It about 0.75″ pile height, making it the perfect pick for adding a plush and cozy feelin your living room.
I hope this list has given you some ideas and inspiration for incorporating neutral-colored rugs into your own living room. I know I have my favorites, and I also have a decision to make! I’d love to hear your favorites! Which one would you buy?