Buying a Cream Rug

When we see the hue of cream--nevermind the word--we see pastries. Specifically, an arrangement of French pastries topped with a bit of beurre noisette folded into a fluffy chantilly cream. Café crème on the side.

Palatial, refined, chic.

Or a gorgeous millefeuille aux fraise with espresso-infused pastry cream and of course a café on the side to compliment. (it’s Sunday afternoon. soak those strawberries in bourbon please, thank you.)

If food isn’t your thing, what do you feel when you see a beautiful cream hue?

Whatever emotions you feel from cream can be transported into your home decor through a traditional Persian, classical European, or modern abstract cream rug.

Even though incorporating one of these rugs into your living space is one of the least fussy things you’ll ever do, there are still some things you need to consider.

Let’s chat about it.

Different Styles & Patterns of Cream Rugs

This will be quick.

Cream rugs aren't meant to be boisterous. Conversation starters? Sure, but not boisterous.

Because of this, you'll want to avoid a lot of modern, abstract patterns that would work better in other colours like red rugs.

If you do go modern, keep it simple with basic geometry like triangles, squares, or diamonds. 

Remember: regal, palatial, elegant, classy, soft. Invoke the feminine.

Persian traditional, Oriental, and European classical styles are always safe options.

Why Use a Cream Rug?

Cream rugs are a neutral hue that speaks softly to every accessory and furnishment in your design space; a breath of fresh air that acts like a clean slate.

Adding a Persian or European cream rug into your next home decor project gives you the power of The Gradient.

Designing with creams, ivories, browns, whites and beiges of all shades will rarely, if ever, come across as “hackey” or “gaudy”.

The same can’t be said for gradients based on other colours.

Picture a room styled with a gradient of blues or yellows or reds; it can work but it's always going to have that “theme” feel. (and not in the most polite way)

Creating a gradient of neutrals centered around cream is definitely the way to go.

Tips for Using A Cream Rug

Colour, Pattern, Texture

Cream rugs are all about delicateness when compared with other coloured rugs. This doesn’t mean weak or timid, but you have to acknowledge that a cream isn’t a red.

Do everything you can to reinforce this ethos through your rug choice.

In terms of which shades of cream to choose for an elegant look, any will be perfect.

Avoid harsh, overly angled patterns. Instead, use intricate curves and tessellated borders if you want shape and print--things you’d see in Persian Traditional and European classical designs.

If you want to keep the patterning minimalist and still be graceful, you can achieve this with the texture you choose.

The higher the pile height, the more give the rug will have; and depending on the texture of the  material, you can introduce more softness--like a shag.

Cream Rugs and Other Furnishing

The large pieces of furniture in your home decor space should be neutral in tone and pattern.

You want everything to blend in smoothly when designing around cream rugs.

To add life into your space you do it with accessories: books, lamps, statues, art, vases, vessels, and plants.

You can go off the beaten path (not really) just a bit here with the texturing and colouring of these accessories. Try olive and forest greens or distressed oranges, greys, and golds.

Texture, Texture, Texture

Home decor centered around cream rugs needs to blend smoothly. Without proper texturing though, this blending can feel mute.

Yes, you’re not using a black, white, and grey gradient; but without something to speak out from the larger foundation, your living space can feel bland.

Introduce a lot of textures into your space; materials like wood, pottery, rope, and rattan can all contribute to giving your space personality.

Your accessories can tell stories through textures.

Subtle embroidery on larger objects is a great place to target.

Your cream rug can steal the show here. Again, try a shaggy.

Contrast Is So Important

We’ve talked about the importance of colour, patterns, and texture.

All of it can be summed up like this:

You want to create a contrast in everything you do when designing with a cream-anchored neutral gradient.

Yin and Yang.

Dark and light.

Masculine and Feminine.

Squares, triangles, and circles.

Dense and relaxed.

This contrasting will ultimately make your arrangements more stunning.

Cream Rug Challenges

Cleaning Cream Rugs

Avoid placing your cream rugs in high foot-trafficked areas.

We know we told you we were foodies but:

Stay out of the kitchen!

You do not want to increase the chances of spilling something on your beautiful new Persian or European cream rug.

With those warnings established:

You’re not wrapping your life in cellophane, so when your new cream rug does inevitably get dirty here is how to go about solving the problem:

The construction and fiber of the rug will dictate how it’s cleaned, so always check with us  before experimenting with cleaning methods.

For spot removal on most cotton, wool, and indoor/outdoor rugs, drizzling or spraying a small amount of white vinegar over the spot and rubbing gently with a clean cloth will usually wipe out stains.

Always test this method on an inconspicuous area before moving on to a larger one.

 Larger-scale cleaning is best left to professionals, as is cleaning of more delicate fibers like silk and viscose.

Trust us on this one: you don’t want to accidentally bleach or water-stain one of these fabrics.

Design Ideas for Cream Rugs

Scandanavian Home Decor: Learn From It

Scandinavian home decor is about being light, bright, and airy to create an open feeling.

This design is marked by minimalism so there’s nothing extreme in the accessorising, furnishing, or colouring of this arrangement.

If you want to bring this design together: use simple accessories, a minimal amount of objects in the space, and modern furniture.

Your cream rug should be simple on the patterns with a pile height high enough to be warm and inviting.

Remember: Open, open, open. You want the space breathable.

Make sure you use sofa or bedroom throws with a lot of texture. You want to introduce the warmth of fur from the great outdoors into your living space.

Yes, You Can Do Bohemian

Think less, “...was out late last night with the squad...” and more,

“Mother Nature herself came into my life and decorated my room herself. An organic, nourishing garden.”

I know we said no to “boisterous” and yes to “open, airy, and calm”, but femininity doesn’t lose its elegance or charm when you introduce a bit of controlled chaos into the room.

To accomplish this style, use colours furthest away from the creams and ivories and beiges and browns without breaking the neutral colour gradient. Think pinks, golds, and greens.

The majority of the room will be in the cream to brown range, though.

Play with a lot of shapes here: L-shaped sofas, rounded reading chairs, square picture frames, oblong mirrors…remember: controlled chaos.

Your accessories--books, lamps, statues, art, vases, vessels, and plants (emphasis here)--will be your way of adding those pinks, golds, and greens mentioned earlier. Take aim at picture frames and the patterns for the pots that hold your plants.

In terms of placement, keep it saturated; fill up the corners of the room; keep everything tight, but not claustrophobic.

Notice how we haven’t spoken about the rug?

Your cream rug will get lost here, but that’s ok.

Honestly, with the exception of overly abstract modern designs, any pattern and texture for your cream rug will do. Persian traditional, Oriental, or European classical rugs are all perfect choices for this look.