Monday, February 28, 2022

An Interior Designer's Ultimate Guide to Rug Sizes for Every Room in Your Home

 Last month, we shared our guide to different rug types and materials. This month, we're sharing another important how-to guide: how to pick the right rug size for every room in your house. 

Choosing the right rug size is important, and it's something many people struggle with. Even if you have a tape measure and determine that the rug will actually fit in your room, there are some cardinal rules of rug and furniture placement that you should follow to make sure your home will look the best. 

If you choose a rug that's too small, your furniture will look out of place and Alice-in-Wonderland-esque in your place (or in the case of your dining chairs, you'll be tripping every time you get up). If your rug is too large, it might not fit in the room. 

Here's our illustrated guide to choosing the right rug size for every room in your home. 

How to choose the right rug size for every room in your home

How to Choose the Right Rug Size for Your Dining Room 

There's one cardinal rule for dining room rugs: your rug should be large enough that when you pull out your chair to get up, the chair should stay on the rug. 

For a standard rectangular 72" table that seats 6 (the most common size dining table), this means that a rug should be no smaller than an 8x10'. 

This is the biggest dining room rug mistake people make - they'll measure and think that because a 6x9' rug looks like it'll just fit the table and chairs, they can save some money and opt for that size. But when the chairs are pulled out slightly, the back legs will be hanging off the rug - a major design no-no. Not only is this a design faux pas, it's unsafe and can be a tripping hazard. 

how to choose the right dining room rug size

Dining room spaces in most houses can easily fit an 8x10' rug, so you should be able to fit one in your dining room - but make sure to measure first. 

If your dining room is large and you want to get a table that seats 8, or you have a smaller table, remember the cardinal rule - make sure that there's plenty of space around the chairs. 

For dining rooms, we love the warmth and elegance of wool rugs. If you want a more casual, beachy look, opt for a sisal (but it'll be harder to clean up spills). If you have messy little ones (or especially raucous dinner parties), try a hardy indoor/outdoor rug for exceptional cleanability. We also now offer custom Stark rugs!  

How to Choose the Right Rug Size for Your Living Room 

There's also one simple rule for living room rugs: your furniture should either be completely on the rug, or the front legs of your seating should be on top of it. You should not have a teensy little rug floating in the center of your seating arrangement, with nothing but the coffee table balanced on top of it. 

how to choose the right living room rug size

If you have a smaller living room and fewer furniture pieces, you'll likely be able to purchase a 5x8' rug. Some spaces could get away with a 4x6' rug, like a small NYC apartment with a petite sofa, but make sure to measure first (and when in doubt, size up as long as it'll fit in the room). 

If you like the look of your furniture fitting completely on the rug, 8x10' is a good starting point. 

Living rooms are versatile when it comes to rug styles and materials - check out our guide for more

How to Choose the Right Rug Size for Your Bedroom

Because bedrooms and beds themselves come in so many sizes, we broke our guide down by bed size. Bedrooms can be the hardest room to find a rug size for, because there are so many bed sizes and looks can be deceiving when you're measuring. 


 Let's start at the smallest rug size for a bedroom and work our way up. 

For rugs in bedrooms, there are two ways to place your furniture: 

  • Completely on the rug (may only work for 9x12' rugs and larger, depending on the other furniture in your room)
  • Just below the nightstands (see our illustration above). For 8x10' and smaller, this gives a balanced look - if you try to fit all the furniture on these rugs, it'll look quite squished, if not be falling off. 

5x3' Rugs: These work for a bedroom if you'd prefer two smaller rugs on either side of the bed. The benefit of doing it this way is that this works for any bed size, from twin all the way up to king. 

5x8' Rugs: This is a great size for guest bedrooms or kids' rooms, when a full or queen size (queen size is pictured in our illustration) is pushed to the wall. If you try to fit a queen in the center, there will be very little room for nightstands on either end (you don't want the edges of your nightstands to extend further than the edges of the rug). If you have a twin, it would fit in the center.

6x9' Rugs: These rugs would fit a full, queen, or twin in the center, as long as the nightstands aren't exceptionally wide. You could also put two twins, with about 28" or so in the middle for a shared nightstand. 

8x10' Rugs: This works for any bed, but it's the smallest rug size if you want your rug to extend all the way under your king size bed. Our illustration has a bench at the foot of the bed, so this rug wouldn't work in that space - without the bench, you may be able to push the rug under the nightstands without it looking too squished. For a king size bed, you'd need nightstands that are around 20" or narrower for this rug (any wider, and you'll want to go up a rug size).

9x12' Rugs: This is a comfortable fit for a king size bed, especially if you like large nightstands or have a big bed frame. It allows for 34" of space on either side of the bed. You could also very easily fit two twins, or even two fulls with a nice-sized nightstand in the middle. 

10x14" Rugs: This is for a very large room! With this size rug and room, make sure you fill the space with well-proportioned accent furniture so your bed and nightstands aren't just "floating" on the large rug. 

For bedrooms, our designer favorite rug section is a great place to start. 

Need help choosing a rug? Want us to design your space for you? Get in touch for our virtual design services!






Friday, February 25, 2022

What Bedding Is Right For Your Style | Registry Guide

 With over ten bedding brands and thousands of bedding items in our shop, there's so much to choose from when it comes to outfitting your dream bedroom. 

When it comes to registering for your wedding or treating yourself to a brand new set of bedding, it's best to start with the bedding brand that best fits your style. You can always mix and match between brands, but we've found it's easiest to get the main pieces from the collection that most closely goes with your personal aesthetic. 

What bedding is right for your style

Click here for a larger image of our quiz!

If your style is a mix of everything or if you're registering for your wedding and you and your fiancé can't agree on a specific look, Pine Cone Hill is the best place to start. They have something for everyone and every style, and so many options for different bedding looks. 

Best Bedding for Preppy, Southern, and Grandmillennial Styles

If you like the traditional or Southern look down to the crisp linens and the monogrammed bedding, Peacock Alley is right for you. Their crisp bedding is reminiscent of the finest hotels, and they offer a plethora of monogram styles and thread colors for your pillows, sheets, and duvets.

If you like more of a colorful, posh, British preppy look, London-based Designer's Guild is a great choice. Their fine satin quilts and bold colors fit right in at a countryside estate or a house in Notting Hill. 



Best Bedding for Farmhouse Style Homes

If you're into the traditional farmhouse look, Taylor Linens is what you're after. With pinstripes, ruffles, ginghams, and seersuckers, their collection is perfect for any farmhouse style home. 


For a modern farmhouse home we love Pom Pom at Home's bright whites and relaxed aesthetic. Their bedding can translate to a farmhouse, boho, or coastal style home, depending on the rest of your decor. 

Best French Country Bedding

If you like a more romantic and feminine French Country look, Taylor Linens is again the brand to choose. They have romantic floral prints paired with feminine ruffles for that shabby chic vibe. 


For a more neutral shabby chic look, TL at Home offers rich textures in whites and more neutral colors. 

Best Modern Bedding Brands

If you want only the finest, choose Sferra Linens, renowned for sourcing the world’s choicest natural fibers and spinning the most gossamer of yarns to weave luxury linens of impeccable quality and comfort. This is the bedding of Hollywood starlets and royalty, handmade in Italy - you can't get anything finer. 


For a more relaxed modern vibe, try Pom Pom at Home

Best Colorful Bedding Brands

If you like more formal bedding, Designer's Guild has gorgeous, saturated colors and prints. 

For a more casual colorful bedding brand that doesn't sacrifice on beauty or quality, try Laura Park's vibrant collection. 



Best Neutral Bedding Brand

If you love the Restoration Hardware look, Matteo is the brand for you. With organic textures and a moody color palette, it's the height of urban sophistication.

For a softer look that still has that organic vibe, try TL at Home

Shop Luxury Bedding at Lavender Fields

Shop all of our luxury bedding and bedroom furniture online at Lavender Fields

Thursday, January 20, 2022

Arte Italica - The Art of Setting a Table


Arte Italica honors the vision of its founder, Ann Skidmore, by offering the very best in quality and creative home decor design. Ann formed Arte Italica in 1997, as a response to her love of Italian history, culture, art and especially vintage pewter. Finding it difficult to acquire in the United States, she began importing this fine Italian pewter. Soon, she was designing and importing handcrafted ceramics, glass and bronze.

It's no secret that we love creating beautiful table settings. Give us any excuse to take out the fancy dishes and glassware and we are all for it. And pitchers! We love pitchers! They make such a great focal point on any table. One of our new favorites is the Tuscan Pitcher. This classic pitcher can be used for any holiday or special occasion. 



Cocktail anyone? Imagine serving your favorite cocktail in the Sofia Cocktail Glass? We can! 





Grandmillennial Style

Grandmillennial Style is old school design, traditional and classic in style, but with a fresh twist of youth. Instead of it looking like your grandmother would live there, it’s a youthful refresh on an old style that’s been around for centuries. It’s a look back at the best of Traditional design and giving it a fresh new twist and we love it! Shop our collection of Grandmillenial fabrics, wallpaper, bedding, lighting and decor. 






Grandmillenial Lighting at its best with the new Madcap Cottage Collection


We love bar carts and trays. So versatile and so much fun! Shop the collection





Sunday, January 02, 2022

Best Galentine's Day and Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for 2022 (Plus, Our Favorite Galentine's Day Party Ideas)

 Valentine's Day is upon us! The bridge holiday that breaks up the winter doldrums, when it's too late for Christmas decor but too early to pull out our springtime decorations - thank goodness for Valentine's Day! In the past few years, Galentine's Day has become a new trend - it's a fun, informal way to celebrate your besties this time of year. 

Best Galentine's Day Party Ideas:

If you're getting together with your friends this year around Valentine's Day, here are some of our favorite party ideas. 

Make it a pajama party - everyone can wear their prettiest pjs! There's nothing like a fun pajama party, and this is a great way to recapture the feeling of slumber parties of years past. Shop pretty pajamas here. 

Give thoughtful favors. Everyone loves a party favor - our Seda France mini pagoda candles or Pre de Provence mini heart soaps are the perfect favors for a Galentine's Day party. 

Serve tasty snacks. Charcuterie spreads and finger foods are an easy way to feed your guests. Try our Country Home Slate Cheese Board for a rustic look. 

Serve a signature cocktail or mocktail. Our Pomegranate Cosmo mixer makes it easy - just add vodka and lime to garnish (or cherries if you're feeling extra fancy). Even better? You can have club soda on the side for guests to make a mocktail, too. 


Best Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for Her

We've compiled a curated Valentine's Day gift section with something for every lady on your list. 

Need inspiration?

For the decor lover: Get her a beautiful art piece or throw pillow from our Sugarboo collection

For the fashion lover: You can't go wrong with jewelry - we have plenty of affordable options. 

For your significant other: Our pajama section is a Valentine's Day best seller every year. 







What Rug Is Right for You? How to Choose a Rug? | Our Ultimate Guide to Rug Types and Materials

 At Lavender Fields, we offer so many different types of rugs in a range of materials and styles: wool, cotton, indoor/outdoor, sisal/jute, and more. The biggest question we get from our customers is what type of rug is right for their unique space - what's cleanable, comfy, durable, and attractive for their home? 

We've put together this ultimate rug guide to answer all your questions. You can shop our rug collection online here, and if you'd like our help with interior design services, you can get in touch with us here

Wool Rugs - Durability, Comfort, and Beauty

Wool rugs are the ne plus ultra when it comes to quality, durability, and luxury in your home. They're made of natural materials, highly durable, have superior insulating properties and will last you for years and years. Their softness and beauty add that luxurious, high-end touch to your home. Wool rugs also hold dye well, allowing for rich colors. 

  • If you have kids and pets and are concerned about keeping your rug clean, go with a lower-pile wool rug. 
  • Wool rugs have good stain and water repellency. 
  • Wool rugs may shed when they first arrive - you will need to vacuum them when they're first installed.

Where to use wool rugs: 

Wool rugs are a good option for anywhere you want a luxurious, cozy, and warm look. We like to use them in dining rooms, living rooms, and master bedrooms.

Dash and Albert Kota Indigo Rug
Shop the Dash and Albert Kota Indigo Rug online here

Dash and Albert Odyssey Blue Rug
Shop the Dash and Albert Odyssey Blue Rug online here

Cotton Rugs: Casual, Lightweight, and Colorful

Cotton rugs are lightweight, easy to clean, and come in a range of fun colors and weaves. There's something for every style, from modern farmhouse stripes to bright and beachy colors to eclectic hooked styles. 

  • Cotton rugs offer a lot of look at a reasonable price
  • They're lightweight and casual, giving the warmth of a rug with a more lived-in feel

Where to use cotton rugs:

We love using cotton rugs in kitchens, whether under your kitchen table or a 2x3' in front of your sink. Many of our customers buy inexpensive 2x3' rugs to switch out in front of their sinks, laundry rooms, and bathrooms throughout the year! 

Cotton rugs are also a great look in a more casual beachy or farmhouse living room or bedroom, and make a fantastic runner up the stairs or down the hallway. 

Dash and Albert Herringbone Dove Grey Woven Cotton Rug
Shop Dash and Albert Herringbone Dove Gray Woven Cotton Rug online



Dash and Albert Olive Branch Cotton Rug
Shop Dash and Albert Olive Branch Cotton Rug online


Jute and Sisal Rugs: Natural, Durable, and Stylish

Jute and sisal rugs are wildly popular: they're stylish, durable, and work well across a range of styles. You can use them in a more traditional home to add a touch of modernity, place them in a farmhouse living room to add warmth without adding too much color, or choose a cool patterned one for an interesting statement piece. 

Jute and sisal rugs are also made of natural materials, making them an eco-friendly option. Sisal rugs are made from the agave plant, and jute rugs are made from the leaves of the Corchorus plant. Sisal rugs generally tend to be a bit coarser, whereas jute rugs are a bit softer. 

  • Jute and sisal rugs are highly durable and are great in high-traffic areas
  • They work well in every style of home.

Where to use jute and sisal rugs:

These rugs can be used anywhere: the answer really depends on your own personal style. Some people prefer an elegant wool rug in their formal dining room, but others might like a cool jute rug in an interesting color or pattern instead. Jute and sisal rugs tend to be a little more informal than a wool rug, but also come in many weaves, patterns, and colors - so have fun with it! 

Dash and Albert Hexile Hand Knotted Jute Rug
 Buy Dash and Albert Hexile Hand Knotted Jute Rug online

Dash and Albert Jute Woven Seaglass Rug
Buy the Dash and Albert Jute Woven Seaglass Rug online


Indoor/Outdoor Rugs: Washable, Lightfast, and Pet-Friendly

Indoor/outdoor rugs have come a long way in the past few years. They used to be stiff and unattractive - something you'd be okay with having on the patio but never bring into your home. Today's indoor/outdoor rugs come in endless colors, textures, and styles, and you'd never know that many of them are even bleach-cleanable and virtually indestructible!

Many of our indoor/outdoor rugs are made of a material called polypropelene, which is bleach-cleanable. Indoor/outdoor rugs are also lightfast, which means you can place them in a sunny spot and the bright colors won't fade. 

P.E.T. indoor/outdoor rugs are similar to wool - they're very soft and durable underfoot. 

Where to use indoor/outdoor rugs:

These rugs can be used in many spaces besides your outdoor living areas. They're great for homes with kids or pets, where you want high style and high durability/cleanability. 

We love them in kids rooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens. 

Dash and Albert Bowline Fuchsia Indoor/Outdoor Rug
Buy Dash and Albert Bowline Fuchsia Indoor/Outdoor Rug Online

Dash and Albert Zhara Stripe Ivory Indoor/Outdoor
Buy Dash and Albert Zhara Stripe Ivory Indoor/Outdoor online

Dash and Albert Herringbone Linen/White Indoor/Outdoor Rug
Buy Dash and Albert Herringbone Linen/White Indoor/Outdoor Rug online


Do You Need a Rug Pad?

Yes, you really should get a rug pad (especially if you're investing in a more expensive rug). 

  • Rug pads help with slippage - this is especially essential for cotton and jute rugs
  • Rug pads can help prevent the underside of the rug from scratching your floor - this is especially essential for scratchier sisal rugs
  • Rug pads help your rug feel cozier underfoot
  • Rug pads also protect your floor from dirt and moisture, especially in high-traffic areas. If your kiddos or pets are running through the house a lot, they'll be pounding the carpet pretty hard - and that dirt (and sometimes moisture, in the case of wet shoes or paws) can pass through the rug to the floor. The rug pad helps absorb this dirt and moisture. 

Get in touch for interior design help and rug questions