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As we’ve complained about before, finding a nice, soft rug that’s affordable is challenging, especially because there are so many online outlets — many with very similar names and often identical products — that each offer thousands of styles that vary wildly in price and quality. But over the years, I, along with several Strategist staffers, have sifted through the mire to uncover a few really great rugs that are not only well made but feel plush underfoot — and also look fantastic. From solid color rugs to a ubiquitous seagrass one that designers swear by to kid- and pet-friendly floor coverings you can throw in the wash, here are the best rugs for every décor scheme and budget.
What we’re looking for
Material
Area rugs come in a range of materials, but the most common ones are wool and cotton or other natural fibers like sisal, jute, and seagrass. (All of these materials can be blended with fibers like polyester and viscose, too.) Deciding what material to go with depends on what your needs are. If you want something plush that feels luxurious underfoot, go with wool. For high-traffic areas like hallways and kitchens, opt for something more durable like sisal, which will feel more like a mat than a rug. If you want something thin and more low-maintenance that you can throw in the wash, consider a cotton flat-woven rug — or a washable one made from polyester.
Style
The material of the rug usually determines its style. Wool rugs will typically be hand-loomed with cut pile or knotted. Cotton rugs are usually flat-woven and will be thinner than a wool rug. Sisal, jute, and seagrass rugs will be woven or knotted and can vary in thickness.
Size range
Many rug retailers offer a range of standard sizes, typically from three by five feet to ten by 14 feet. Some manufacturers even offer customization options, though ordering one will require a longer processing time. When choosing the size of your rug, think about the furniture that’s already in the room, whether you want the furniture to sit outside or on top of the rug, and how much of the floor you want the rug to cover. A good way to visualize an area rug in your space is to mark the outline with masking tape.
Best rug overall
Material: Wool | Style: Hand loomed cut pile, 13mm thickness | Size range: 5’x’8 to 10’x14’
I first wrote about Nordic Knots’ Grand style as an area-rug alternative to crimson wall-to-wall carpeting that I’d seen crop up in the homes of design-minded folks like Laila Gohar and Pali Xisto Cornelsen. CAP Beauty co-founder and CEO Kerrilynn Pamer and interior designer Madelynn Furlong Hudson both have the “brick red” color in their homes. Since that story was published, Strategist senior editor Simone Kitchens and associate editor Jenna Milliner-Waddell have purchased a Grand rug for their homes (Kitchens in Leo, a brownish gold, and Milliner-Waddell in red). The rugs are incredibly soft, thick, and plush, and the jewel-toned colors are rich and vibrant. I ordered sample squares in a few colors and can attest to just how nice and luxurious the rugs feel.
Best (less expensive) rug overall
Material: Wool and viscose | Style: Flatweave, .60 inch thickness | Size range: 3’x5’ to 12’x15’
While the Nordic Knots Grand rug is very nice, it’s on the expensive side, especially if you’re looking to cover a larger room. Kitchens went on the hunt for similarly solid and soft rugs with a lower price tag than Nordic Knots’ and came across this collection of wool-viscose blend rugs from a Rugs USA collaboration with interior designer Arvin Olano that has the closest-matching colors, especially in Verdant Green and Brick. Executive editor at the Cut, Marisa Carroll, got it in green, and Kitchens in red. “It’s very soft — just a hair less soft than the Nordic Knots rug,” says Kitchens. It has a slight white flecking effect that keeps it from looking identical to the Grand rug, but it “picks up light in a nice way and sort of changes when the room gets darker,” she adds. Comparing the bottoms of both rugs, Kitchens says that the Rugs USA rug is very similar in construction and thickness. “The Nordic Knots is the softest of all the rugs I’ve tried, but this surprised me,” she says. And you can’t beat the price: The Rugs USA rug is $771 for a nine-by-12-foot rug — nearly a third of the price of the equivalent size at Nordic Knots.
Best sisal rug
Material: Sisal | Style: Flatweave | Size range: 6’x’9’ to 10’x14’
Rugs made of sisal, jute, and other natural fibers are a bit more affordable than ones made from wool, though they won’t feel as soft to the touch. They’re also very versatile given their neutral colors and durability, making them great for high-traffic areas like entryways, hallways, and living rooms. They’re also great for layering with other rugs of different materials. This expert-approved rug from Crate & Barrel is my pick for best overall sisal rug, as it has a textured bouclé weave that gives it an elevated touch to set it apart from other standard sisal rugs.
Best seagrass rug
Material: Seagrass | Style: Flatweave | Size range: 3’x9’ to 9’x12’
This seagrass rug has also been making the rounds in the world of interior design thanks to its simple yet visually interesting pattern, and more importantly, its very affordable price point for its size. It’s been featured in shelter magazines and shows up in the homes of stylish people with various décor schemes, from mid-century modern to cottage. While it’s scratchier than a sisal or jute rug, it’s easy to style and customize. Made of spiraling square panels stitched together in a diamond pattern, two rugs can easily be sewn together to create a bigger one. Each square can also be removed if one needs to be replaced. Prices start at $165 for a runner, and a nine-by-12 goes for $425.
Best jute rug
Material: Jute | Style: Flatweave, chunky | Size range: 4’x6’ to 7’x10’
Jute rugs tend to be more expensive than sisal rugs because they’re slightly softer. Tammy Price of the Los Angeles–based interior-design studio Fragments Identity recommends this all-jute one from Ikea for a more affordable option. She says it’s super versatile and works all over her house. “I generally use this one as a layering piece and put a smaller rug with an interesting pattern over it,” Price says, like the smaller vintage Persian rug she uses in her living room.
Best washable rug
Material: Polyester with polyurethane barrier | Style: Flatweave or woven| Size range: 2’x3’ to 10’x14’
Ruggable makes some of the most popular washable rugs, and we’ve named its rugs the best overall in the category. Ruggable rugs come in two parts for easy washing: the patterned cover made from a synthetic chenille fabric that looks like a pile rug, and a pad that keeps the rug in place. When it’s time to wash the rug, you simply take the cover off and throw it in the washing machine. They come in a bunch of sizes and designs and are especially great for high-traffic areas like kitchens and hallways.
Best vintage rug
Material: Various | Style: Various | Size range: Various
If you’re looking for affordable vintage, antique, or one-of-a-kind oriental rugs, Rug Source is a great place to start. Strategist writer Kitty Guo and I both bought rugs here and are extremely satisfied with them, especially for the price we paid for them. Five years ago, I bought a vintage nine-by-12 oriental rug for around $700, which is a great deal for that size. Because my older son was a baby then, I didn’t want a fancy rug that would inevitably get dirty, and a secondhand option was something I’d be okay abusing. Because of its pattern, stains are barely noticeable. Now that both kids are older, I would like to replace it with an upgrade, and because it wasn’t too expensive to begin with — or new — I don’t feel as bad getting rid of it. Guo was on the hunt for a plush, colorful Moroccan rug and found a couple of styles she liked on Rug Source — after scouring thousands upon thousands of rugs of all types on the site. While there are over 48,000 options to choose from, the website is easy to navigate based on size, color, material, origin, age, pattern, and pile. Rug Source is also constantly running sales, so you’ll always be able to score a deal. You can find some truly gorgeous rugs if you have the patience to do.
Best Moroccan rug
Material: Wool | Style: Beni Ourain | Size range: Various
For a more curated selection of Beni Ourain rugs (rugs that are made in the Atlas Mountains of North Africa by the Berber people), head to Etsy, where you’ll find rugs shipping directly from the source. Fashion writer Harling Ross Anton recommended a couple of Etsy stores in a recent Cut article, including Berber Moroccan Rugs based in Marrakesh. You’ll find classic diamond styles as well as more intricately patterned ones in bright colors and designs, and you can choose just about any size you like. I also like this store that’s based in Marrakesh.
Best flat-weave rug
Material: Cotton | Style: Flatweave | Size range: 2’x6’ to 8’x10’
If you don’t want a plush wool rug, a flat-weave rug is a low-maintenance choice. Hook & Loom offers a slew of handwoven recycled cotton-blend rugs that are beautifully dyed and are a great, saturated alternative if you’re looking for a solid color. They’re prewashed for softness and can easily be tossed into the washing machine. The rugs are also quite affordable, with an eight-by-ten going for $290.
Best customizable rug
Material: Various | Style: Various | Size range: Custom
Rugs are not one-size-fits-all, even if a brand offers multiple sizes. Ernesta takes the headache out of ordering custom-size rugs — and at a more affordable price point. I am currently in the process of ordering a custom rug for my living room, and so far the experience has been seamless. What I was most surprised by was just how plush and thick the rug samples are (depending on the style). While I am still trying to decide which one to get, I am in touch with one of Ernesta’s designers, who is helping me with sizing as well as styling. Once you choose a rug, they will create a rendering to help you visualize what it will look like in the room. I really love how soft this chunky, hand-loomed wool rug is, but ivory isn’t the wisest choice for two small kids, and the gray color feels too dark. I will most likely go with this white-and-blue tufted rug that will be better at disguising stains and easier to clean.
Best graphic rug
Material: Wool | Style: Hand-tufted | Size range: 4’x6’ to 9’x12’
For a graphic style that will definitely be a statement rug in your home, I love rugs by Pieces. The brand offers striking rugs inspired by sports like tennis and baseball as well as Italian American locations in Brooklyn. The Salerno rug takes its cues from the aesthetics of Italian design from the ’60s and ’70s, incorporating bold color and 3-D-like effects.
Best shag rug
Material: Polypropylene | Style: High pile shag | Size range: Various
When Strategist beauty writer Rio Viera-Newton found the shag rug of her dreams — brightly colored, cozy, and large — on a photo shoot, she was stunned to learn that it was under $100. She brought it home and says it completely changed her apartment from a plain studio to a lively space. Viera-Newton bought a second version in bright yellow when she moved into her new apartment and says it added a kind of warmth she didn’t even realize her place was missing. It comes in more than ten colors and both round and rectangular shapes.
Our experts
• Harling Ross Anton, fashion writer
• Marisa Carroll, the Cut executive editor
• Pali Xisto Cornelsen, interior designer
• Kitty Guo, Strategist writer
• Madelynn Furlong Hudson, interior designer
• Simone Kitchens, Strategist senior editor
• Jenna Milliner-Waddell, Strategist associate editor
• Kerrilynn Pamer, CAP Beauty co-founder and CEO
• Tammy Price, interior designer
• Rio Viera-Newton, Strategist contributor
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