I have a confession – rugs terrify me. 

No, not in an axe-murderer sort of way, purely from a design sense perspective. 

They are so important to the feel of a space, and so hard to choose. Add to this the fact that they cost a serious chunk of change, and you now know why they inevitably push my heart rate up.

BUT, I also love them, for largely the same reason. When done right they absolutely MAKE a space.

I was asked to consult on a room design recently, specifically to help with choosing a rug. The guidelines were pretty straight forward – an 8×10′ rug ideally for under $700, to spruce up this space:

Pretty awesome to begin with right?  Here is a shot from another perspective to get a better sense of the room:

First of all, the room is already great as it is, with a lot of solid pieces and building blocks. 

My first reaction though, is that it could use a bit more of a punch. Some definition, some contrast, some pattern.  Make it a bit more fresh.

If money were no thang, I would love to try the blue and white chekat rug below. This 100% wool beauty is soft and substantial, and would be perfect.
 
But alas, it clocks in well over $1,000, so is likely out of budget.

Here are some other options with better price points. What do you think?! Which would you choose?

1. Baja/2.Plaid/3.Cottage stripe/4.Zigzag/5.Chekat