Designing with Natural Fiber Rugs

{I used a sisal rug with a geometric pattern by Patterson Flynn Martin in the room I designed for the 2019 Kips Bay Showhouse. | Photography by Brittany Ambridge}

One of the questions I get all the time on social media is about my favorite natural fiber rugs. As you can see from my projects featured here, I use natural fiber rugs quite a bit! The purpose of a rug from a design perspective is to add texture and to ground the room. Because rugs literally set the foundation of a room, they play an important role in the overall design scheme of a space and can act as the foundation for the overall color palette and textiles used.

{I used a chunky abaca weave called “Keno” by Patterson Flynn Martin in the dining room I designed for the 2020 Lake Forest Showhouse.| Photography by Aimee Mazzenga}

While I love tailored, glamorous elements in design, I often use natural fiber rugs, which lend an effortless, relaxed quality to any room and can keep it from feeling too formal, as you see in the dining room pictured above. The other great thing about natural fiber rugs such as seagrass, sisal, and jute is that they can be pretty durable, neutral, and generally inexpensive. I recently discovered that sisal can be Fiber Sealed which has been a game-changer in my own home because Tate only ever gets sick on the sisal rug in n our dining room! It cleans up beautifully and doesn’t stain since I’ve had my rugs sealed. While we most often have rugs custom cut to suit our clients’ spaces, there are plenty of great options that you can purchase directly, even if you aren’t working with a designer. Some of them even allow for custom sizing.

{I get a ton of questions about the rugs in my home. This is Canyon Sisal in Limestone from Williams Sonoma Home. It’s the prettiest color and a great value!}