Give a room its own identity, with a rug!

I love our little house, but I think the builders went a little overboard with the whole “open space” phenomenon. We have two great rooms downstairs; one was meant to be a formal living room/formal dining room and the second was meant to be a family room/breakfast nook/kitchen.

Having three kids (and a husband) in this open layout means we need to make the most of our space. There is no formal living room (it is now the family room). There is no formal dining room (it has plans to become a library/den but for now, it has a few comfy chairs, kid books, a picture wall and a crap load of toys). There is no breakfast nook and no living room (it is now our dining room adjacent to the kitchen).

Moving the rooms around to best utilize our living space was a must. Then, creating the illusion that we actually have a separate family room, den, kitchen and dining room is where I took over with my design crazed obsessions.

The first open space proved to be an easy fix once we placed our sectional sofa in the room; it created the feel of a different room beyond the couch. The kitchen/dining room area kinda blended on its own– which is fine considering they are both rooms in which food is involved.

I still wanted to, somehow, give the dining room it’s own identity. I found the perfect solution with a rug!

The floors are (very cold) tile and even though it’s easiest to clean, the room echoed and was far too chilly for me and the kids. I drooled over the selection of rugs looking for something dark (to conceal any stains), something easy to clean, something that complimented my style and furniture and this is what I found:

This rug has blended with my decorating style, colors and desire for a separate room perfectly. I am in love with my “dining room”.

If rich reds are not for you, here are some styles from Mohawk Home that will help any room find its distinct identity: