Culture

The Best Affordable Rugs That Really Perk Up A Living Room

Spruce up your living room with a rug that doesn't cost a fortune. 

by Ally Sabatina
Unsplash / Josh Hemsley

My desk faces my living room. As I type this, I look at the 8x10 foot jute rug I was given for free right before I moved into this apartment. I was so grateful for that rug the day I got it, but the more times I vacuum up its shedding fibers or glance at the slight discolorations, the more I consider shelling out the big bucks for something I like.

When looking for a new rug, it’s important to take note of how easy it will be to clean if it’s a light color or consider a darker color if you’re not going to steam clean it regularly. It’s also important to consider what’s friendly for pets as you don’t want a jute rug like mine that’ll shed more than ten Siberian Huskies. It’s also important to take the dimensions of your living room and its existing furniture so that you don’t opt for a too-small or too-big rug.

Whether you’re doing a whole living room redecoration project, or like me you’ve recently purchased a new couch that just doesn’t “go” with your living room the way you’d like, or you’ve put off getting a rug for quite some time because of the intimidating price tag—pro tip: don’t go browsing for rugs leisurely, you’ll die of sticker shock—I’m here to remind you that you can have a rug you like and it doesn’t have to send you to the poor house.

Below you’ll find the best affordable rug options on Amazon and they’ll really perk up your living room.

The Machine Washable Rug For Less than $150

Why We Picked It: When you have pets or children rugs can very quickly become a cesspool of snot, dirt and grime. Unless you own a steam cleaner and have the time to do what it takes to steam clean the right way, sometimes it seems like a rug is more work than it is benefit. But that’s where Ruggable shines. For less than $150, you can purchase this 5 by 7 foot 2-piece rug system with a non-slip rug pad included and a removable machine washable cover in a style that can elevate your living room decor in any way you’d like. All Ruggable rugs are sustainable, made from 100% polyester from recycled plastic bottles.

What Reviewers Say: “I believed this product would be too good to be true but I took a risk and bought several. I have washed them and they look as good after wash as when I opened them. I’m very impressed indeed. I recommend heartily. They are very well priced and work really well with my other other much more expensive rugs. I couldn’t be happier!”

The Imported Rug From Turkey Designed to Last

Why We Picked It: Machine loomed in Turkey with 100% polypropylene fibers, this rug is designed to be ultra-soft as well as durable enough for high traffic areas and the everyday wear of pet ownership. Dubbed Amazon’s Number 1 choice for area rugs, nuLOOM offers a wide variety of rug sizes—ranging from runners and accent rugs to round rugs and 12 foot options—and understated stylish patterns to breathe new life into your living room decor.

What Reviewers Said:

[The Vintage Rug Brand You’ve Likely Seen in Magazines—And It’s More than Half Off](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GS1R2GE?aaxitk=Phdxa0tss78D2xQXwPF8rg&pd_rd_i=B01GS1QOWM&pf_rd_p=44fc3e0f-4b9e-4ed8-b33b-363a7257163d&hsa_cr_id=4625997540001&sb-ci-n=productDescription&sb-ci-v=Safavieh%2BEvoke%2BCollection%2BEVK256A%2BVintage%2BOriental%2BNavy%2Band%2BIvory%2BArea%2BRug%2B(5%271%22%2Bx%2B7%276%22)

Why We Picked It: If you don’t have a modern sense of style a la Ikea or West Elm, you might have a hell of a time finding a rug that complements your style without waiting for your grandparents to leave you a family heirloom. Safavieh has long been—over 100 years—a beloved producer of high-quality vintage-inspired rugs that are built to last. Made from a blend of polypropylene, jute, polyester and cotton, these durable synthetic fibers will limit shedding while providing a comfortable pile height of half an inch. Retailing at over $500, Savafieh rugs are currently on sale in a variety of sizes—from small accent rugs for narrow hallways to runners, round rugs and colossal area rugs—for over 60% off price.