Do you desire a warm, rustic Southwestern-style home but don’t want the hassle of a major interior design overhaul? Whether you’re short on time or funds, you can achieve the look you want by making just a few decorative changes. Best of all, these design tips make it easy to transform any space on your own.

Accent with Area Rugs

While area rugs may seem like a modest change, they can alter the vibe of a room instantly. Incorporating southwestern area rugs with hardwood flooring or terracotta tile is a great way to add depth to a room and highlight existing furniture. Most stores offer a variety of traditional and contemporary designs, so you can find the ideal rug for your unique space.

Select Earthy Paint Hues

Both homeowners and interior decorators know that paint is a cost-effective way to transform a room. You can choose bold shades for your color scheme as long as they provide a warm, inviting feel. Natural tones of red, blue, green and gold are all popular options. The size of the room should also be considered. Darker shades will make a large space seem cozier while bright colors add volume to smaller living areas.

Add Terracotta Pottery Pieces

No Southwestern home is complete without the addition of beautiful terracotta pottery. You can display the pottery in its natural orange shade or paint it with bold, bright colors to add contrast. These traditional pots and vases can be used throughout the home to add a personal touch to any room.

Choose Rustic or Vintage-Style Furniture

Whether you prefer wood, leather or wrought iron furniture, items that have a distressed or vintage feel work best. You can even distress furniture on your own with a few basic items including sandpaper, paint and polyurethane. The furniture you select shouldn’t compete with your flooring colors. For vibrant furniture choices, an area rug in neutral tones from Roth Rugs is one safe option.

Finish with Accent Accessories

Once you’ve made some basic changes, you can slowly add Southwestern accent pieces to your home. From rugged animal skins to delicate Hopi Kachina dolls, you can create a separate theme for every room.

With all the warmth and personality Southwestern decor has to offer, it’s easy to see why this style never loses its appeal. With a few fresh coats of paint, some new area rugs and traditional pottery art, you can transform your home into an inviting desert oasis.

Just because you live in a shoe-box sized studio in East London, doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of the space that you do have.  There are a number of ways to make your small space seem larger, including sticking a million mirrors in there and knocking down partition walls. But no one wants to sleep in the same room as you take a shower and cook your Sunday roast, or live in your very own spooky House of Mirrors! So you might be surprised to hear that rugs – yes, as in small carpets, can be a great solution!

Fussy styles

Most of us think of rugs in homes with lots of clutter- lots of small rugs or a large rug taking up most of the floor space as opposed to clean, neutral floorboards.  But rugs actually enhance the space that you have, and they are not only beautiful but warming and welcoming too – everybody should have at least one in their home!

[Photo courtesy of Pixabay/pexels.com]

Bedroom beauties

Rugs in the bedroom should be all about comfort and softness.  Of course, if you have a studio flat then your living space is also your sleeping space, but it’s easy to use rugs to define separate areas.  In the area near your bed, a rug which is soft underfoot is great, such as a sheepskin or flokati rug.  These are available in a wide range of colours, from crisp white and fluffy cream to vibrant mauve and hot pink.  Choose your rug to match your existing décor, whether that’s Japanese minimalist or vibrant pretty florals.  The moment you step out of bed in the morning onto this soft, beautiful rug you’ll know you are going to have a great day!

Living room lovelies

Your living room is where you’ll spend most of your time, and in a studio apartment you can use a rug to define this space – try to pick a large rug which extends almost to the edges of the room, or the edges of your living area, for maximum effect.  This will actually help your room to look larger and more spacious.  Opt for clean neutrals or bold brights, but try to keep the pile shallow if you’re scrambling for space.  Whilst deep pile leather shag rugs look amazing in large airy lofts, in a small studio they will simply make everything feel more cramped.  Shallow pile polypropylene rugs are not only ideal for small spaces; they are also hardwearing and stain resistant, perfect for clumsy friends who spill glasses of red wine on your floor…

No matter how small your space, a stunning rug can really help to define it, give it style and make it warm and welcoming. There is obviously always the question of budget, and like anything else, the price of rugs can vary hugely. Head to Ikea for a cheap and cheerful option, or get lost in a designer rugs shop for that really special purchase.  Follow the above tips and you will soon benefit from the beauty of rugs in your home.