A Magic Carpet for a Dog

Dear Melissa:
Help, I need some advice on rugs.  I have to have many rugs around the rooms on my first floor, due to one of my dogs who won't walk on the wood floors, so there are more rugs than normal.  My colors tend towards blue and burgundy and are either oriental-type or braided mixed around the areas.  I need to purchase a runner for one area.  Should I be "matchy, matchy" and get the exact same rug as the others in that room nearby, get that same rug in a different, but complementary color or should I get a different type entirely (such as another oriental-type?

Thanks for any help you may be able to give me. J.D., LA

Dear J:

Interesting dog. Have you tried socks?

There are no right or wrong answers in decorating, only effects. Here are some questions you can ask yourself in order to make the right decision. What effect do you see when you look over all these area rugs? Do you see pleasing, delineated groupings of furniture, or is the look rather choppy and busy? Is a hodgepodge of rugs the first thing that catches your eye when entering your home?

Here are my suggestions. If the look is too busy, you might do better with an attractive wall-to-wall carpet for a quieter, more continuous look. If you are happy with the area rugs, consider the effect that a matching rug would have versus the effect of an additional pattern. Where do you want the viewer’s eye to go? Where in all honesty will it go? Here’s a little tip: if you have too many rugs and too many patterns, all you’ll see are rugs, not the furniture, or the view, or the fireplace, etc. If everything looks good as it is, will an additional pattern be distracting?

In either case, any combination of the same colors will help tie the look together. M.A.K.

Tile in the Living Room?

Dear Melissa:

I am considering having ceramic tile installed in my living room. The carpeting I had installed a couple of years ago already has to be replaced due to heavy traffic, a long-haired cat, a 6-month old puppy, and a Newfoundland. The present carpet is forest green with the same carpeting going up the stairway and upstairs hall. My problem is: What do I do with the stairway and hall? Have you ever heard of using ceramic tile in the living room? I am afraid of losing the “comfortable feeling” it now affords if I install ceramic tile. Do you have any alternative suggestions? R.D., IN 

Dear R.:

Don’t I always? I sympathize with the conflict between pets and carpeting. Tile in living rooms is very popular in warm climates, like Florida and the Southwest. You are absolutely correct in thinking it will seem cold (and in fact, be cold to the touch). Some better options might be synthetic stain-resistant carpeting, hardwood (which can actually be priced fairly reasonably); laminated wood, which has improved dramatically; green patterned carpet; or replaceable carpet tiles.

Regarding the latter, I’m not referring to the cheap do-it-yourself carpet tiles of the past. These look exactly like broadloom when installed properly, but the individual stained tiles can be replaced. Commercial carpeting has always come like this. For a more residential feel, take a look at http://www.flor.com/ .

If the forest green carpet on the stairs looks tired or seems to clash with the new flooring, you might also consider a stair runner to make the transition from the flooring downstairs to the carpeting upstairs. It's a nicer look. M.A.K.