Navy blue is a classic color loved by interior designers for its dignified aesthetic. This versatile hue can do wonders as a backdrop for your decor, letting your accents glimmer and shine like stars in the night sky. This makes a rug the perfect candidate to add a rich pool of color to your interior. Which rug you choose will come down to your taste and the area you're trying to cover.
For a solid area rug that will elevate your home's aesthetic, you can't go wrong with the Safavieh Vision Collection Modern Ombre Tonal Chic Non-Shedding Area Rug.
Navy blue is a stately color associated with power and authority. When used in deeper, darker shades, navy is a great way to add a sense of importance and momentousness to your room. But it can also be peaceful and relaxing, recalling the expansive ocean. Lighter shades not only inspire tranquil reflection, but also positivity and possibility — after all, the big blue sky's the limit.
Navy blue is a cool color, so it pairs best with the warmer side of the spectrum. Colors from blush pink to rust red can balance out the hue. Consider also warm, muted purples, golden yellows and burnt oranges. And navy blends with warm neutral tones such as grays that have red or yellow undertones.
Another tried-and-true pairing is navy blue and white. This crisp, clean aesthetic is a touch nautical, but suits the modern and classical home alike.
If you're feeling blue through and through, try adding lighter, warmer shades of the color, or even brighter greens to lean into the cool half of the color wheel.
While a solid blue rug provides a rich base to play with accents, a patterned rug can have its benefits as well. Patterns tone down navy's domineering qualities. When set against a warm neutral tone, a navy-blue patterned rug, whether floral or geometric, can offer a modest dose of blue's psychological prowess without sucking your entire decor into its awesome orbit.
Choosing the right material comes down to your budget and where you intend to place the rug, as certain materials stand up better to foot traffic than others.
Your rug's weave reflects its manufacturing process. Today, most rugs are produced by machine on a power loom. But you can still find one-of-a-kind handmade ones that not only reflect their makers' idiosyncrasies, but also last for generations.
Both handwoven and hand-knotted rugs don't have a backing. Because hand-knotted rugs are flat woven, they have the added benefit of reversibility, meaning you can flip them to extend their lifespan.
Machine-woven rugs, on the other hand, pull the fibers through a backing. This renders them prone to shedding as the glue deteriorates over time. But the cheaper cost of production does make synthetics an affordable alternative.
Your rug's pile is a measurement of how long or high each individual fiber is, and how densely they're woven together. A high pile height indicates long strands like those of a shag rug. These are fluffy and thick, but shed easily. A low pile can still be dense, but lasts much longer as it's harder to pull these rugs apart. Flat-woven rugs have zero pile.
The cost of a rug depends on its size and material. Smaller rugs are typically $25-$150. A large synthetic area rug can cost as much as $200-$350, and a premium handmade rug can cost $700 or more.
A. Navy blue is a jack of all trades. While it's most often associated with beach houses, this grand color looks great with a muted palette in modern decors, or with rich yellow-to-red tones in classical homes. How you integrate it is a game of accents, and warm metals and natural woods work great in this regard.
A. Most rugs need to be cleaned by hand, though some synthetics can be washed in a machine. Silk must be professionally cleaned.
If you're cleaning by hand, first dust and vacuum your rug to get any dirt and debris out of the fibers. Then, using a carpet shampoo, scrub thoroughly with a brush. Rinse your rug with a hose or a bucket and dry it off. You can do this by blotting with towels first and then hang-drying on a line. When cleaning your rug, it's best to first test a small patch in case your dyes will fade.
Safavieh Vision Collection Modern Ombre Tonal Chic Non-Shedding Area Rug
What you need to know: Cast in deep dark blue, this solid-color rug has a hint of faded glory to soften its presence.
What you’ll love: At 5 feet, 1 inches by 7 feet, 6 inches, this area rug suits bedrooms and living rooms. It's machine-made from polypropylene, a resilient material that resists staining and heavy treading. That makes it a good fit for homes with kids or pets.
What you should consider: Because it's synthetic, this rug will have a strong smell out of the wrapper, so prepare to air it out for a couple of weeks.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Wayfair Basics Shag Navy Area Rug
What you need to know: This shag rug has just the right amount of pile to feel like you're walking on a cloud without looking like it came from some big blue animal.
What you’ll love: This rug is versatile. You have your choice of large area rugs and smaller accent rugs, as well as rectangular and circular shapes. As an area rug, its high pile adds rich texture to your decor. And as a smaller accent rug — say, by your bedside — you'll have a luxuriously plush surface to step onto every morning. The synthetic fibers are durable and resist shedding.
What you should consider: You need a pad under it to avoid slipping.
Where to buy: Sold by Wayfair
Callista Southwestern Navy/Ivory Area Rug
What you need to know: Inspired by Oriental and Persian rugs, it features a geometric pattern that's right at home in boho and classical interiors.
What you’ll love: It has a sophisticated ornamental diamond motif. With just the right mixture of blue and ivory, you don't have to totally commit to navy, making this a great rug for decors that prize the crisp duality of blue and white. It's synthetic, so it's tough. And it comes in a vast array of sizes to fit whatever space you envision.
What you should consider: The rug can get pricey the larger you go in size.
Where to buy: Sold by Wayfair
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Karl Daum writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.