If you’re looking for an instant update to a room, look to the floor. Rugs are more than just something to walk on. They can define spaces within large rooms, add warmth to wood or tile floors and provide a pop of color and texture to an area.

“Shag is back, and shag is back big time,” said Becky Erdel, a design consultant at I.O. Metro.

Banish thoughts of the matted avocado-colored shag of the 1970s. The new shag can be made of soft suede strips, pebbly wool tufts or fine silken tendrils.

“It just adds wonderful texture and gives a clean, elegant look,” Erdel said.

In addition to shags, patterns can also provide movement and style. Jessica aL Mantia, lead designer at Lifestyles Furniture, said designs, especially abstract modern patterns, are especially popular.

Many times, aL Mantia said, people choose neutral-colored furniture because they won’t have to replace it for a while. Rugs allow them to liven up a place without spending a lot of money.

“People are looking for some color,” aL Mantia said.

Some lines, such as Daylyn’s Splendor Collection, allow you to select the colors used in the pattern, “like a paint by number,” aL Mantia said.

While customized rugs are one way to match the rest of the room, Erdel said rugs, like art, don’t have to match everything exactly.

In fact, some rugs are art in and of themselves, Erdel said, and don’t necessarily have to be thrown on the floor. They can make beautiful wall hangings, and Erdel has used animal-hide rugs to decorate table tops.

Beauty doesn’t necessarily mean a rug won’t last.

Erdel said indoor/outdoor type rugs have greatly improved in recent years and are attractive to use in homes — a good choice for people with children or pets — and sturdy enough to use on porches and patios.

Some notes on rug selection:

● Room-size rugs should leave a border of between 18 to 24 inches on all sides.

● Dining room rugs should be wide enough that chairs don’t fall off when they’re pushed back. Four feet on each side of the table is generally enough.

● Hallway rugs should be about 2 to 4 inches narrower and 18 to 24 inches shorter than the hallway.

● Consider shape. A round rug can emphasize the shape of a round table. Conversely, a square rug can provide geometric variety to a room with a round table, aL Mantia said.

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