Big impact, low cost A good rug really ties the room together, reflecting the furniture, wall art, and decorative accents around it. It sets the primary tone for a space: cozy, artsy, sophisticated, or playful. The combination of color, texture, and pattern creates a visual instrument commanding as much attention as a big piece of furniture, like a sofa or a bed frame, but standing under an inch tall (well, most of the time).
Rugs are also notoriously expensive, especially when you're talking heirloom quality, but it is possible to get big impact for little coin. All eight of the styles here are under $500, including area rugs as big as 8? by 10?. Styles range from vintage-inspired to the most "now": a pastel, watercolor-effect, hand-dyed sheepskin.
Wayfair, 9? x 12? Olga Area Rug by Laurel Foundry Modern Farmhouse, $264.99
With a creamy background and faint grey patterns, this rug is the solution to your hunt for something neutral but not boring. The design comes in a range of sizes and shapes, including round and square.

Aelfie, Watercolor Sheepskin, $259
These tie dye-effect sheepskins?a collaboration with textile design studio Obra Obscura? add a playful, dreamy element to a room, working surprisingly well with countless color schemes. Warm up a sterile, new-build apartment or make a statement under an entry table.

CB2, Gradient Rug 8? x 10?, $399
Inspired by traditional Peruvian rugs, this handwoven wool fl...