Area rugs can create areas in an open floor plan and also help create a grouping, uniting the room in a function. When you decide where you want to place the area rug, figure out what shape you will need. Area rugs come in a few different shapes- rectangles, squares, ovals and circles.

Once you've got that decided, you want to measure the space, measure your room and the area where you want to put the area rug. The area rug is going to anchor all your furniture, so think of it as a twister mat (you remember that game?) you have to be touching the mat at all times, and so does your furniture.

So- your area rug should be larger than the blank space between your furniture pieces. Write your measurements down and go shopping.

LIVING ROOM- It typically goes in front of the sofa with the coffee table on top, if you have accent chairs, their legs should be touching the area rug as well.

DINING ROOM- The rug should go under the table, and when you pull the chairs out from under the table the back legs should still be on the rug.

BEDROOM- Two approaches: one is to place the rug under the bed with enough of the rug showing on either side of the bed, and the other method is to use multiple rugs with one for each side of the bed or one at the foot of the bed, If you go with the first approach, remember- you won't see much of the rug, so choose something that is plain in design.

These beginning steps will set you on your way to selecting area rugs for your home that look right and save you the hassle of returning it to the store if you hadn't thought about which rug to go with first.