Use area rugs to add a pop of color and swap them from room to room wherever you wish (Photo: Shutterstock)
I'm looking around my house at my floor decor, and while I realize we have standard wall-to-wall carpet upstairs, our downstairs living space is peppered with custom area rugs.
They help define a space and enliven a room. Whenever we're bored, we simply change the rugs to suit our mood.
Even better, area rugs are an easy way to bring some of the latest design trends into your home. They're functional, not as permanent as paint and can be purchased relatively inexpensively if you shop around.
You can add a pop of color you might be too afraid to use somewhere else, and swap rugs from room to room depending on your mood.
Make sure an area rug under a coffee table has space between seating on opposite sides (Photo: Shutterstock)
One consideration to remember: When choosing a rug, size matters.
"If you're thinking about a rug for your living room or family room, get one that's big enough to go beyond the coffee table," designer Angelo Surmelis says in a video for Overstock.com. "You want it to go between the first set of legs on your sofa on one side and the first set of legs on your chairs on the other side of your coffee table, at least two to five inches so the rug really fills the room."
A dining room table and chairs should sit entirely on an area rug (Photo: Shutterstock)
In the dining room, Surmelis tells viewers that rugs should be large enough to fit the entire set of furniture -- dining table and chairs -- instead of just sitting under the dining table.
Size is only half the battle when choosing area rugs for your space. Choosing colors can be tough, too, but -- like most home design trends -- what's popular is directly influenced by what's hot in fashion.
"This season's color palette emphasizes a need for balance, while at the same time allowing for individuality, self-expression and excitement," says Leatrice Eiseman, director of the Pantone Color Institute.
Calm greens and blues mixed with bright pops of orange, red and yellow are hot for 2013, and homeowners are sure to find a colored rug that fits their current décor.
Try applying some of the following new rug trends in your home.
Layering. This trend is big in home lighting decor, and look for layering to be popular in rug schemes in 2013 too. This technique is a great way to bring your favorite bright colors into a room, and layering also looks great with neutral tones.
In the living room, use a sisal rug as your base. On top, add a patterned rug with colors that match your current palette. For something bolder, choose a rug in a solid color like lemon yellow or nectarine orange.
Don't be afraid to try layering in other rooms of the house. Try a solid blue rug combined with something in a red-and-white pattern in a bedroom, or a bright green over a bright blue rug in the kids' playroom.
Detailed Persian rug patterns are highly popular (Photo: Shutterstock)
"New old-school." Contemporary versions of classic looks are big in fashion for 2013, and the same can be said for home design. Look for Oriental or Persian rugs in traditional patterns using bold colors like chartreuse, violet and pink.
Preppy patterns like stripes, houndstooth and plaid have been reimagined as well.
Think patterns in multiple shades of the same color -- a striped rug using three different shades of blue, for example.
Natural texture. Natural fibers and colors are gaining in popularity as consumers look to simplify their lives. Sisal, hemp and un-dyed wool are great rug options and will work in your home no matter what your current décor. These rugs also stand up well to everyday wear-and-tear.
Natural fiber rugs come in a variety of patterns and colors, and their texture varies depending on the material you choose.
To be truly green, look for rugs made in the United States -- no overseas shipping means less pollution going into the atmosphere.
Ilyce Glink is an award-winning, nationally syndicated real estate columnist, blogger and radio talk show host, and managing editor of the Equifax Finance Blog. Follow her on Twitter @Glink.