Runners Around the Bed: Why Runners are Perfect for Bedroom Floor Styling
Do you feel like your bedroom is missing something, but you can’t put your finger on it? That's probably because the solution is under your feet! Many times, rug runners around the bed are the missing touch.
Runner rugs are an easy and functional way to transform a bedroom. The key is to find the perfect runner that fits your unique space. However, it’s not just about picking the right rug. To elevate your bedroom rug placement, you also need to consider positioning, styling, rug material, and sizing. With all those components working in harmony, you have the power to dramatically enhance room comfort while expressing personal style.
Understanding runners around the bed: Basics and design principles
To maximize the effect a rug runner has in a space, you should first familiarize yourself with the types of runner rugs that work best in a bedroom. It also helps to understand the variations of rug placements that you can use to deliver both a functional and stylish design.
Types of runners for bedroom spaces
When exploring rugs for your bedroom, the best place to start is with a hallway runner rug. Yes, that may sound counterintuitive, but don't let the name stifle creativity. Hallway runners work fabulously in bedrooms as long as they are sized appropriately. Work with a rug provider that can customize sizing to fit your needs.
With every rug you incorporate into your design, you are making comfort zones around your bedroom — places where your feet can delight in softness. For this reason, you want to make sure that the type of runner you pick is made from a comfy rug material like wool, sisal, or blends of the two.
Fundamental placement strategies
Once you have chosen the runners around the bed, you can master the art of positioning. One of the most common best practices for bedroom rugs is a perfectly aligned runner at the foot of a bed. You can also place a long runner underneath a bed to give your bedroom extra character and visual depth.
If you want a more classical placement, run runners along either side of a king bed or queen bed. It provides an extra dimension and comfort to your flooring scheme. However, if you really want to think outside the box, you can create multidimensional designs by layering rug runners. Start with a neutral-toned runner rug on the bottom and then layer with rugs with contrasting patterns or textures.
Sisal rugs provide a soft landing pad for your feet and are eco-friendly. This is Boucle in Spice.
Selecting the perfect runner for your bedroom
Now that we have the basics down, here comes the fun part: picking the best runners for around the bed. Whatever you choose should complement your bedroom's layout, style, and functional needs.
Sizing and placement considerations
The first step in picking any room rug is precise measurement. Since you’ll be positioning runners around the bed, standard hallway runner measurements won’t do. Instead, measure your desired width and length for every runner you envision in the space. Those numbers together will dictate your desired size. Then, you can get your runner rug in a custom size that fits your vision.
If you were picking an area rug for your bedroom, you would need to consider the width and length of the bed, but since runners can be placed all around the bed, you only need to worry about length. For a king size or queen size bed, you’ll want to ensure that the runner is at least three-quarters of your total bed length. Placement should fall where your feet are most likely to land when you get in and out of bed. The same would go for twin beds, only you can place a runner between the two beds rather than on the outside.
Sometimes bedrooms are full of special furniture or have particularly heavy traffic areas. If you want to get more in-depth with your placement plan to account for these variables, make a diagram of your space to visualize different options.
Matching runner styles with bedroom decor
Aside from getting the measurements right, you’ll also want to make sure the rug goes with the design of your bedroom. To create a cohesive color scheme, lean on the principles of color theory. Start by identifying the central color theme for your bedroom. From there, you can use color theory to review complementary colors and pick a runner rug that will mesh with the room’s palette.
Then look at how visual weight is used around the room. Is there a corner that has a cluster of furniture? Are your ceilings particularly high, or is there underutilized space in your bedroom? All of these factors can affect the proportions of your room. The way you use runners around the bed will depend on how your room is or isn’t balanced. Luckily, even if you have bad proportions in a room, rugs are one of the most effective ways to bring balance.
Rug texture is another element you can play with as you map out bedroom rug placement. You can get creative with tactile texture (the kind you feel with your hands) and visual texture (texture evoked through sight). As you look through wool rug options, think about how you want your bedroom rug runner to look and feel. Visual texture often comes with patterns and colors, while tactile texture relates directly to the material you use. If you are ever unsure, don’t be afraid to ask for a sample of the rug material to test-drive the textures before you commit.
Patterns add extra visual texture to a bedroom. This is a wool sisal blend called Aurora in the color Crystal.
Why natural fiber runners are ideal for bedside use
Speaking of patterns and textures, natural fiber rugs are one of the best options for runners around the bed. They provide unique depth to a space, and are also eco-friendly, comfortable, and functional — not to mention, stylish!
Comfort and functionality benefits
When it comes to luxurious softness, nothing compares to a natural fiber rug runner. Sisal and wool both provide a supple landing place for your feet. Natural fiber rugs can also help regulate a room's temperature, covering cracks in the floor that cause drafts and providing general insulation.
Another practical benefit of bedroom runner rugs is sound absorption. The natural fiber allows you to create a quiet, peaceful oasis in your sleeping quarters. The coverage also protects your floors from wear and tear. If your bedroom rug placement falls in a high-traffic area, consider using sisal, one of the most durable natural fiber rugs in the world.
Health and wellness considerations
Not only do natural fiber rugs reduce noise and provide comfort, two essential components of a cozy bedroom, but they also contribute to your everyday health. For starters, natural fiber rugs are chemical-free. They will not leak volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into your air. This is especially important for people who suffer from allergies or asthma.
Thanks to biophilic design, natural fiber rugs can also help improve your mental health. This design philosophy is all about bringing elements of the natural world indoors. Studies have shown that incorporating nature into a home through natural fibers and textures can reduce stress and improve focus and creativity.
Taking things a step further, when you think about the health of our planet as a whole, using natural fiber runner rugs like sisal is good for the environment. This is because sisal is sustainably harvested and completely biodegradable.
Ready to transform your bedroom?
Your bedroom should be a haven to enjoy, and adding runners around the bed will only enhance this ethos. They can completely transform your space by providing comfort, durability, and notable health benefits. As you begin to map out your bedroom rug placement, explore all the rug runner options to find the right fit for your style. You can start by looking through our custom rug options, ensuring you can tailor your runner rug to your bedroom needs.
