What Are The Best Outdoor Rugs? Everything You Need To Style Outdoor Rugs In Your Home

Our households are our safe space. We all want our home to feel welcoming and a place where both guests and ourselves can feel at peace. Home decor doesn't start and end with your interior design. You can create incredible outdoor living areas with outdoor decor that results in an additional space in your house to relax, unwind and hangout with your friends and family. Styling an outdoor area is particularly great for smaller homes with limited living space inside and helps to create a cohesive decor theme right from your front yard to your back garden.

One of the great approaches to establishing an outstanding outdoor space is to bring elements of your interior outside! Outdoor rugs bring an incredible homely touch to your home and help to add charm to your outdoor living area. So whether you're hosting your friends and family for a summer gathering, or simply wanting to create an alternative living space in your backyard, why not shop for outdoor rugs and transform your space today! We'll take you through everything you need to know about outdoor rugs to help you choose the best one for your home.

Quick Links

• What Are Outdoor Rugs Made Out Of?
• Why We Love Outdoor Rugs
• How To Use Outdoor Rugs To Create A Welcoming And Defined Space
• What Are The Best Outdoor Rugs For My Home?
• Outdoor Rug Maintenance And Care Advice

What Are Outdoor Rugs Made Out Of?

Although indoor rugs are very stylish, they are often not suitable for outdoor areas due to their absorbent design and soft textures. This is where outdoor rugs come into play. You may be asking what are outdoor rugs and what makes them different from indoor rugs? Although they may have similar patterns, shapes and designs, it's what outdoor rugs are made from that sets them apart. Outdoor rugs are typically constructed from durable materials and are crafted to be weather and water-resistant. This ensures they are able to withstand not just high foot traffic areas, but also light rain, wind and sunlight.

You can find rugs made from a range of materials specifically, synthetic fibres and polypropylene. These fabrics are used with durability in mind while still enabling stunning designs to be created.

Why We Love Outdoor Rugs

Not only are outdoor rugs incredibly durable and stylish, there are many other reasons why we love styling our outdoor areas with outdoor rugs, including:

• They help to provide comfort underfoot when walking around your outdoor area
• Offer insulation benefits to your outdoor area that makes them great for providing comfort in the summer months and warmth in the winter months
• Helps to reduce noise due to these insulation properties
• Assist in protecting your flooring, particularly great for preventing scratches on your decking areas.

How To Use Outdoor Rugs To Create A Welcoming And Defined Space

While rugs offer both decorative and functional benefits, they can also be used to define areas in your outdoor space. Learning how to use outdoor rugs unlocks a range of options for you to create the perfect outdoor living space. No matter your styling desires, you can be sure to find a way to style rugs that works for you!

Outdoor Dining Room

There's nothing quite like bonding with friends and family while sitting around the table on a warm summer night. Enjoy your culinary creations with a cool outdoor breeze by creating a stunning outdoor dining area. Shop for larger outdoor rugs that form a beautiful and often artistic base for your table setting. Make sure to think about the size of your outdoor dining table and chairs when shopping for rugs. You want to ensure that you can easily pull a dining chair out from under the table without the legs of the chair getting caught on the edge of the rug.

Additional Sitting Areas

Use outdoor rugs to anchor down your outdoor living areas. You can position your outdoor rug in the centre of your space, surrounded by chairs and outdoor sofas to create a welcoming and peaceful sanctuary right in your backyard. Again, take into account the sizing of your area. It's all about balance when it comes to rugs. There are two common styling options for outdoor rugs for living areas:

• A large rug that covers the entirety of the sectioned living space, fitting seamlessly under your furniture, acting as a carpet-like appearance
• Centralised, positioned with space between the edge of the rug and furniture. If styling using this method, make sure to not leave too much space between your furniture and the edge of the rug as this can make the rug look underwhelming

Quiet And Decorative Corners

Create a peaceful sanctuary in your outdoor living area by using outdoor rugs that are smaller in size. Position these rugs under or in front of an outdoor chair or hammock in the corner of your space. This method is great for creating an area for relaxing, reading or writing with a refreshing cool breeze. These methods are also great for working from home on a sunny summer day.

One Big Open Space

Creating distinct spaces helps to establish a sense of unity in your home styling. Alternatively, creating one big space can sometimes make your outdoor area appear to be larger than it is. If you're wanting to create one big open space, consider shopping for larger rugs that span the length of your outdoor area. This makes your space feel like an additional larger room in your home due to the decor piece that unifies the area.

What Are The Best Outdoor Rugs For My Home?

Decorating our home is an expression of personal style and aesthetic. Before shopping for rugs, you should first decide on the particular interior theme you're wanting for your space. It's a good idea to shop for outdoor rugs that coincide with your interior decor to create cohesiveness in your home styling. Yet this isn't the only option. You can shop for outdoor rugs completely opposite to your original home styling to create a place that feels separated from your interior. For example, if you've opted for a more maximalist theme throughout your home, consider shopping for a botanical patterned rug with subtle leaf print patterns and transform your outdoor areas into a tropical oasis, styling your rug alongside artificial plants. Or, to contrast a minimalist aesthetic inside your home, you can shop for outdoor rugs with captivating geometric patterns to bring an artistic accent into your home styling. Play around with designs and colour tones, comparing them to your interior decor to find an outdoor style that works best for you!

Outdoor Rug Maintenance And Care Advice

Due to their positioning, outdoor rugs will naturally accumulate a build-up of dirt and dust. However, they are designed with this in mind, meaning it is particularly easy to rid your rug of any dirt for a low maintenance refresh. You can easily shake the rug or give it a quick vacuum to remove any built-up dirt. You can also spot-clean your rug to prevent any stains from causing further damage. Some outdoor rugs can even be hosed down to help maintain its appearance.

While outdoor rugs are designed to be water resistant this does not mean they are waterproof so be careful in your cleaning. Make sure to follow any provided care instructions to prevent further damage to your rug.

Care Tip: Store your rugs away in a cool dry place when not in use to ensure longevity.

Transform Your Outdoor Area With Outdoor Rugs

Take the elegance of your interior decor and bring it outdoors with our incredible range of outdoor rugs. With a range of shapes, sizes, patterns and colours to choose from, you'll be sure to find the perfect rug to complement your outdoor space.

Looking for more advice when it comes to shopping for and styling rugs in your home? Be sure to check out our helpful buying guides and styling articles for more information and inspiration when it comes to decorating with rugs both inside and outside your home!