The perfect neutral rug can help finish off a room and add much needed texture and warmth! I’m sharing the best neutral rug picks along with my favorite affordable rug sources.
The Best Neutral Rugs
Throughout the day, I receive messages all day long from people searching for various items. By far the number one request is to find neutral area rugs followed by tips for buying rugs online.
I am one of those people that isn’t always willing to spend a lot of money on a rug. There is absolutely something to be said about high quality rugs, however, with our relaxed lifestyle (and three cats) it makes no sense to spend a lot of money in most situations. I never want anything in our home to be too precious for others (or ourselves) to worry about ruining expensive items. I feel like there are so many great rugs out there that are reasonably priced, and I know for our lifestyle, it makes much more sense to not have to commit to a rug for years to come.
Today, I’m sharing a few dozen of my favorite neutral rug finds from all over the internet at various price points. I’m also sharing some of my favorite retailers for finding reasonably priced rugs that also come with good reviews.
This post was originally published on August 21,2018 but has been updated today with current product selection. This post also contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
My Favorite Sources for Affordable Rugs
Following are some of my favorite sources for finding quality, affordable rugs including neutral areas rugs. This list goes beyond just neutral rugs options, and are stores I search every time I’m on the hunt for a new rug. Each of the store names below are clickable and you’ll be directed right to their rugs:
- Amazon – I always price check Amazon against other retailers, as occasionally they’ll have a better price or offer free shipping. Their selection continues to grow with each passing day, too! You can see their current selection of neutral rugs here.
- Joss & Main – owned by Wayfair so I tend to check both sites if I find a rug I like to see who has the best price at the time. You can see their current selection of neutral rugs here.
- Pottery Barn – they always have a great selection, but I’ll only buy their rugs when I can get them on sale since they tend to do this frequently (more so in the past than recently). You can see their current selection of neutral rugs here.
- Rugs.com has a huge selection of very affordable rugs and typically offer free shipping and returns! You can shop their site here.
- RugsUSA – really great sales with great sorting features to find what you’re looking for. You can see their current selection of neutral rugs here.
- Serena & Lily – tends to be a little more expensive than other options, but I always love the timeless look and excellent quality of their rugs. They also have some of the most durable of any we own. You can see their current selection of neutral rugs here.
- Target – with the addition of Studio McGee designed products, I feel like Target’s rug selection has improved recently. You can see the Studio McGee rugs here.
- Walmart has upped their rug game in recent years, and now carries many of the brands you’ll find on Amazon or Wayfair, so it’s worth price-checking all! You can see their neutral rug selection here.
- West Elm – their rugs lean a little more modern but they also have some great natural fiber options. You can see their current selection of neutral rugs here.
- Wayfair – they have arguably the largest selection (which can be overwhelming) but I also find their reviews to be the most helpful! They also have a huge selection of Dash & Albert rugs. You can see their current selection of neutral rugs here.
Reviews online are usually very telling, so when searching for a rug online, take the time to read the reviews! Some sites even allow buyers to upload photos of the rugs in their space, which can also prove to be fairly helpful, especially when looking at color.
If you’re worried about stains, for durability, I always love the Dash & Albert line of rugs. Their patterns are timeless classics and their rugs tend to be very durable (especially the indoor/outdoor options). Most of their area rugs are more of a mat style, but work great with a rug pad underneath. The ones from their indoor/outdoor line can be bleached and hosed down, but are typically still pretty soft underfoot.
I typically look for rug pads at HomeGoods. They usually have a fairly wide selection and their prices can’t be beat! Serena & Lily also have excellent quality rug pads. My favorite for hardwood floors is their premium rug pad. They’re nice and thick and keep rugs from shifting at all!
Favorite Neutral Area Rugs From Around Our Home
Before I jump into a huge assortment of neutral rugs I’m loving right now, I thought I’d share some favorites from around our home! Sometimes I panic a bit when it comes to rug selection, and always feel safe with a good neutral. They can also help to cover up wall-to-wall carpet you might not like! That’s basically what I do for our entire upper level! Let’s look at some favorite neutral rugs from around our home.
In our entryway, we recently added this diamond patterned rug! Ours is the gray color, but it’s more of a warm taupe-like color in person. It’s held up well so far, but I’d definitely recommend a rug pad under it if you have it on solid floors!
ENTRYWAY SOURCES: Faux Greenery | Diamond Rug | Urn Vase | Tall Mirror | White Raffia Cabinet (also here) | Wood Bead Garland | Lantern Pendant Light | Door Surface Bolt Lock | ‘It Is Well’ Canvas
We have this neutral striped rug in our guest bedroom. The pattern is a bit more bold than the others in our home, but it still acts as a neutral because of the tone-on-tone coloring. It’s a great option if you’re wanting something a bit more graphic. The colors on the left side of the photo (where the window isn’t’ flooding it with light) are the most accurate color depiction.
GUEST BEDROOM SOURCES: Upholstered Bed | Windowpane Plaid Bedding | Plaid Lumbar Pillow | Bead Chandelier | Striped Rug | Raffia Nightstands | White Ceramic Lamps (come as a set of two) | Abstract Beach Art | Faux Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree (this is the 5’4″ size) | Mirrors | Similar Drapes | Cane Chair | Striped Pillow
We also have this rug in our kitchen now (in the runner size in Earth) and it’s the softest indoor/outdoor rug I’ve ever found! I love that we can hose it off (although we’ve never needed to), yet it looks like a high-quality indoor rug! We’ve had it going on three years and it still looks like new!
FALL KITCHEN SOURCES: Basket Pendant Light | Bistro Counter Stools | Runner Rug | Tuscan Vase | Cabinet Bin Pull | Cabinet Knob
In our bedroom, we’re using one of my favorite neutral rugs to date! I love how it lightens up our drab (and buckling) carpet! Although it’s a jute, it’s still very soft underfoot, and I don’t have issues with this buckling on carpet like I have some others in the past.
MASTER BEDROOM SOURCES: Similar Bed | Blue Euro Shams & Bedding | Paisley Lumbar Pillow | Cane Nightstands | Bead Chandelier | Faux Olive Tree | Faux Potted Maidenhair Fern | Manzanita Branch | Jute Rug | Dresser Lamp | Nightstand Lamps | Gallery Wall Frames | Striped Curtains | Curtain Rod | Bench | Dresser | Round Grid Mirror | Similar Ceramic Vase | Faux Lemon Stems
In our den, we have another favorite neutral rug that’s been around for years and has held up really well! I love that the pattern is subtle, but also still makes a statement!
DEN SOURCES: Linen Sectional | Acrylic Beach Art | Jute Diamond Rug | Scallop Light Fixture | Coffee Table | Paint Dipped Vase | Faux Greenery Stems | Raised Stripe Pillow | Striped Tassel Pillow | Palm Print Pillow | Roman Shades | Recycled Glass Beads
If you’re looking for a neutral with a pop of color, this hand-knotted rug we used to have in our dining room that is now in our guest room is still one of my favorites of all time!
GUEST BEDROOM SOURCES: Wood Cane Bed | Hand-Knotted Rug | Bead Chandelier | Abstract Art | Spindle Nightstand | Belgian Linen Drapes | Iron Curtain Rod | Iron Finials | Iron Curtain Ring Clips | Woven Bench | Linen Pillows | Velvet Pillows | Plaid Lumbar Pillow | Ceramic Lamp | Faux Fern | Hotel Style Duvet Cover
Neutral Rug Picks
In an effort to keep neutral rugs from being boring, I either look for one with lots of tactile texture or ones with a subtle, but interesting, pattern. I used to have this rug in our coastal dining room. It is very soft for a jute (because of the chenille blend) and is a really beautiful option! It’s neutral but the tone-on-tone pattern and texture mix made it interesting. Fortunately, it was super easy to clean in a dining room.
Following are even more of my favorite neutral rug picks! Simply click on any of the images below to learn more about each of the rugs shown. Most of these come in a variety of shapes and sizes (and sometimes colors).
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Linda Grubbs says
Great post Sarah! I love rugs….and agree with you….. there is no reason to spend a ton on something you’ll be walking on. There are a lot of great options out there… thanks for doing the research!!
Hani Naeem says
Sarah, Amazing work you did here. As rug lovers and working with it I have a great interest to learn more about it. Rugs of cowhide rugs or cow skin rugs are one of the best interior alternative room decorating elements in this modern time. The information you left here are really wonderful and praiseworthy. I would love to thank you for your great effort.
Megan Jenson says
Love everything! thank you 🙂
Pat McLean says
Hi Sarah
I’ve never written to you before but have been following your blog for a couple of years now. Love your clean style! In fact I have ordered your desk, office chair and most recently the York sofa ( during the sale!!) can’t wait to see how long mine takes compared to yours. I also ordered the Linden round dining table and it is arriving on October 9th.
But what I wanted to ask and I’ve never seen posted is info on the rug? Carpet? In your living room. I love the look of it and am needing a neutral cleanable rug for my living room. Is yours a rug or is it carpet. It’s hard to tell from the photos. It doesn’t appear to be included on your post here.
I live in Washington state on the ocean but am a Midwest born girl So I also enjoy reading about Omaha too.
Also love your picks each Wednesday so see what great home tour you have discovered. You do a perfect mix of style, decor and tidbits on your life.
Thank you for doing the research for the rest of us!
Pat McLean
Long Beach, WA
Sarah says
Hi Pat- Thanks so much for reaching out and for following over the years! That is, in fact, carpet in our living room. It was inset into the hardwood floors. Since we are the second owners of the home, I don’t have any information on it unfortunately. If you’re looking for a similar vibe, I think a jute rug would give the same feel (although it may not be quite as soft). I think you’ll love your York sofa! I’d order it again in a heartbeat. Have fun with your new furniture!
Kerry says
If possible, can you add what you’ve found about shedding? We bought a rug a few months back and are STILL dealing with the threads shedding. It looks like we have a cat with our couch but we are animal-free. It’s so hard to figure out the right material to not have shedding!
RugKnots says
I have visited a few sites mentioned by you for affordable rugs and those were pretty good. I have bout two rugs from https://www.rugknots.com/ but they were too expensive. Thanks for your suggestion about affortable places to buy rugs.