Shabby Chic Decorating with Distressed Rugs

When it comes to decorating, there are a few trends that never go out of style, and one of those is shabby chic. Shabby chic is a decorating style that incorporates items that are old or worn to create a look that's both timeless and tailored. There are many ways to create a shabby chic style in a room, from deliberately distressing and antiquing furniture to picking up a genuine vintage piece at a thrift store to adding accents in a retro or classic style.

Using distressed rugs is one way to incorporate the shabby chic look into your home. Distressed rugs look well-worn, but are elegant, warm and homey at the same time.

1. Dress Down a Dining Room

Formal dining rooms, by nature, can appear stuffy and serious, especially when furnished with large tables, chandeliers, crystal and china. Place a distressed rug underneath the dining table to create a shabby-chic look. Choose a distressed Turkish or Caucasian rug that has a formal, traditional print on it that complements the chic style of the dining room, but still adds that extra "shabby" element.

Antique Sivas Distressed Carpet, No. 24288 7ft. 7in. x 10ft. 4in. 

2. Center a Living Room

The look of a living room is often decided by what is in the center of it. Anchor your living room with a distressed rug to automatically give the room a vintage look. Choose a solid-colored, distressed rug or one with a contemporary pattern to keep things comfortable and livable, particularly if you have contemporary living room furniture. When the largest, most noticeable central piece in a living room is a worn and weathered piece, the space will automatically have a vintage feel.

3. Cover the Walls

One great things about antique rugs is that they are versatile. A great way to incorporate them into your decor is to hang them on the walls. Choose a distressed rug that you love and hang it on a large, empty wall in your space. Hanging a rug on a wall is like hanging a piece of art. It will draw the eye and communicate your shabby-chic vision.

4. Mix and Match in One Room

One fundamental factor of shabby-chic style is that pieces coordinate but don't match, which gives a room a bricolage, makeshift effect that's aesthetically pleasing. Use two different, but coordinating, distressed rugs in one space. Choose rugs that feature similar colors, but different patterns, or two that bring out the colors that already exist in the space. The shabbiness might come from the worn look of the rugs, but the way they complement each other and the furniture in the room will ultimately make the space look incredibly chic.