An Easy Guide to Matching Area Rugs and Throw Pillows

Area rugs and throw pillows pull a room together by adding texture, color, and personality while complementing furniture like couches and coffee tables. But when they clash, the entire space feels off, so the key lies in matching the rug’s texture, pile, and shape with the pillows’ style, fabric, and form.

This guide shows you how to pair pillows with different are rug types from plush high-pile shags to sleek low-pile weaves and how to match the shape of the area rug with the shape of the throw pillows.

Area Rug And Throw Pillow Pairings

If you’re short on time and want a cheat sheet, here’s a simple chart that shows the best pillow pairings for each rug type and shape along with what to avoid.

High-Pile Rugs (Shag, Plush, or Flokati)

High-pile rugs offer warmth and coziness through their plush depth and rich texture, so pairing them with equally shaggy or fuzzy pillows can strain the eye as both will compete for attention.  Overloading a space with too many textures can make it feel visually heavy vs. being balanced, so be cautious when it comes to pairing with shag and high pile area rugs with heavily textured pillows.

Instead go with sleek, smooth pillow fabrics like a tightly woven linen or sleek cotton because the texture will be perceived as soft and comforting visually thanks to classical conditioning.  The space will be perfect for relaxing.

Pro-tip: If you have problems with furniture getting snagged when you move it across the rug to vacuum, try using plastic furniture slides.

If you want a polished effect, go with fabrics like velvet, linen, or crisp cotton. If they have subtle patterns or tonal embroidery, it can add interest without overwhelming the space.  For deeper couches, try adding rectangular lumbar pillows.  If you stick with the smooth fabrics it helps to offset the softness and squishy look of the high-pile area rug.

Low-Pile Rugs (Flatweave, Kilim, or Short Pile)

Low-pile rugs are loved for their durability as the fabrics are less easily crushed and ripped from normal wear and tear.  The low pile also allows for more intricate patterns making them popular for rooms with monochromatic or triadic color palettes, and modern design aesthetics. Their minimal texture creates space to layer in pillows that bring warmth and dimension.  

Fuzzy, tufted, or faux-fur pillows work well by adding depth and textural elements that a low-pile rug lacks.  The textured pillows enhance the feelings of comfort visually while helping make the room feel more inviting.  

Pro-tip: Textured knits or playful details like fringe and tassels layer well with low pile and flat area rugs. 

To break up straight lines and create visual interest, go with boucle, faux fur, chunky knits, or pillows with raised embroidery in round or cylindrical shapes.  This adds texture to the flat surface of the floor and creates visual interest.  You’ll also want to avoid grouping too many flat-textured pillows together as it can result in a bland and uninspired look.

Matching Rug Shapes with Pillow Shapes

The shapes of the area rugs and pillows can also work to make a room feel complete, or they can work against each other.  The goal is to have them balance and not break the flow of how the coffee table, side tables, couches, and chairs work together.

Rectangular Rugs

Rectangular rugs are used to establish a clear, structured foundation, and they can be layered with square or rectangular pillows to create balance for the space. 

To draw eyes in so the sitting area becomes a focal point, add lumbar pillows or a round pillow with textures like pleating.  This counterbalances the straight lines to break up the monotony, and that slight imbalance brings eyes over. 

Be careful with too many round and oval shaped pillows.  If all sides of the area rug are visible as the sitting area is in an open floor plan, or because there are no side chairs, the round pillows take away from the grounding. 

Round and curved shapes are for creating flow and that may work against square and rectangular shaped area rugs.  Cylindrical and column shaped decorative pillows have the same linear feel but give you the softer round feeling to add comfort to the space more easily.  This is the easier way to add a sense of plushness to the sitting area and comfort without breaking the grounding effect of the square and rectangular area rug.

Circular Rugs

Circular rugs can be used to soften your room’s layout and create flow, and this is balanced with round decorative or cylindrical bolster pillows.  Depending on the shape of your couch, square pillows with tactile fabrics that have the association with soft and smooth touch can work including faux fur and knits.  But don't go overboard as the goal is soft and curved edges, not straight lines.

Pro-tip: When using large square accent pillows and a round area rug, collapse the top center inwards to create an angle and depth with the pillow helping to prevent the straight line from breaking the flow of the curved area rug.

The goal with circular and oval shaped area rugs is to keep edges smooth, materials soft looking and feeling, and an easy flow moving through the room.  It’s easy to offset the straight edges of large square decorative pillows by having a contrasting or complementary color round pillow in front of them.

Matching area rugs and throw pillows is about creating balance by using complementary textures and styles.  High-pile rugs pair perfectly with smooth fabrics, while low pile rugs let you enjoy plush, fuzzy, and over-textured throw pillows.  Straight lines in area rugs are used for drawing attention and creating a foundation, so you’ll want to avoid too many round decorative pillows that can throw this off, and vice versa for round and oval shaped area rugs.