I once went a year without repeating an outfit. (Yes, it was before I had kids or my own business!) It was partly about the challenge of remixing pieces, but mostly it came from a place of desiring originality and wanting to keep things fresh.

Similarly, we pride ourselves on sourcing all original items in our projects; while we have a few favorites that might pop up in different colors, we rarely repeat a specific item. There are, however, categories of things that we consider important tools in our toolbox, and a big one is Moroccan rugs.

Moroccan Rugs

“Moroccan rugs” is actually a pretty broad category (including Azilal, Boujad, Boucherouite, Beni Ourian, etc.), and we love them all! We love that they are geometric but organic, that they add a dose of global influence to a space, and that the patterns are available in many scales and color palettes.

Access to Moroccan rugs is now really easy. We have purchased vintage and new, one-of-a-kind and mass produced. This really just means there is a huge range of price points, making them really accessible. Jump to the bottom of the post for some specific recommendations.

Statement Rugs

In an entryway in San Francisco, a vintage 70s rug with a cobalt blue ground, sourced on 1st Dibs, sets the stage for the exciting mix to come.

In a living room in Jersey City, nearly fluorescent colors wake up a largely tonal space. The cobalt threads o the rug repeat in the dining room artwork at right and the powder coated picture ledges at left.

Color is not the only element that can make these rugs bold. In a custom room-sized rug in San Francisco, the high contrast black and white brings the drama, and the randomness of the pattern adds movement.

In a Minneapolis bedroom, we used a black ground to lean into the moody effect of the dark walls. The medium-scale geometric pattern is a nice foil to the swirls of the ceiling wallpaper. We kept everything else solid to keep the look chic.

Tonal Rugs

For all of the interest but less of the drama, a two-tone rug with a larger, simpler diamond pattern can do the trick. In this Minneapolis living room, the navy pattern on grey ground is a quieter take on this style. Pulling the two tones from other furniture (navy from the couch and grey from the bench) makes the rug even more of a cohesive, supporting player.

Major bonus: chunky braided tassels for allll the texture!

In this home office in Piedmont, blue is the thread that carries the space, from the grasscloth wallcovering to the fabrics to the line in the rug, sourced from Dash and Albert and available in many standard sizes!

Neutral Rugs

When you love the pile texture but want a subtle pattern, try a mostly neutral rug with a low-contrast line. In my brother’s living room, we used a star-and-cross patterned rug to add just a hint of the exotic to a fairly tailored room. In this case the rug also complements, rather than competes with, the more dramatic vintage rug in the entry.

In my own living room, a white rug with beige and gold diamond pattern brightens the room and sets off the darker furniture.

In the seating area of this primary bedroom in Piedmont, we skipped the pattern altogether! The texture and tassels do plenty, and we love the overall serene vibe with the absence of pattern.

Strategy: Rug pairs

In a San Francisco project where the living room and TV room are back to back, we used a matching pair of rugs to connect the spaces. I love the quiet stripe effect of the pattern in this pair, sourced at Restoration Hardware.

We used the same trick in a large Piedmont living room, divided into two seating areas. Rather than one extra large, room sized rug, we had two made, but varied the pattern direction for added interest. The pattern in this rug is made from a high-low weave, not a contrast yarn.

Where Can I Get Them?

There are now dozens of good options to find your rug. We broke them down into two categories: Mass Market and one of a kind. Purchasing a mass market rug can be a great option if you feel strongly about standard sizes or want the ability to use two of the same.

RH

Beni

Lulu and Georgia

Dash and Albert

If you prefer a one-of-a-kind piece, head to these small, direct source shops. Keep in mind that these rugs will likely be odd sizes. We say, embrace it!

Etsy

(look at some of the sarah bacon resources)

On repeat: Moroccan Rugs