I much prefer modern rugs, but my husband disagrees. He says all elegant formal living rooms have oriental or indian rugs. The modern designs are for casual family rooms only. Help!
Absolutely not. Any beautiful rug given your style choice adds elegance to a room. If your choice is contemporary, a fabulous contemporary rug adds elegance. If your choice is more traditional, then an oriental is perfect or you can mix. A mix of styles takes a little more finesse but it is done and can be done. In the mix, elegance is about choosing your style and doing it right. An elegant contemporary room is about picking the right materials and look. Your husband is wrong. Elegance is about putting the right look together.
I certainly think that oriental rugs can add greatly to the appearance of a formal living room. Many designs have a classical tone that works well in formal situations - and many patterns take their inspiration from works of art, cultural symbols and so on. It's all a matter of taste, of course. But an oriental rug can bring several open rooms together, even if they incorporate different colors in the decor. If you have green leather sofas and dark wood, a rug might be able to incorporate all the colors in each area.
I would suggest that you use a modern design (shape, texture, etc.), but with a slightly more formal design. It will be almost like a compromise, and it will look nice. It adds a touch of a modern look, but it will make your living room feel more like a nice place to sit down.
Absolutely not, if anything an oriental rug tends to clash with the hardwood. Their intricate pattern causes too much detail clash with the wood making the room seem cluttered. A modern rug with a lesser amount of detail always works better.
