Want to inject your home with a little more personality? Take a cue from these six rooms from the WL archives, each of which is complete with a brightly coloured, boldly patterned or uniquely shaped area rug that brings the space to life.

Family room
Photo: Ema Peter

Plush Job

“It was pretty dark when I bought it,” says homeowner and Herschel founder Lyndon Cormack of his North Vancouver property. But with help from friend and designer Omer Arbel, it’s now bright, airy and modern. Fun pops of colour, like the pink area rug in the family room, can be found throughout this 7,000-square-foot waterfront oasis. Learn more about this stunning renovation.

Entry way landing after
Photo: Sharon Litchfield

Groovy, Baby

Designer Brianna Hughes was tasked with giving this circa-1979 five-level split a modern makover—without completely erasing its vintage Brady Bunch vibes. That’s why, in the landing at the top of the stairs, you’ll find this custom blue, green and orange rug from Edmonton artist Rashelle Campbell. See the before and after photos.

Photo: Ema Peter

Ocean Floor

Situated on the shores of West Vancouver, the interior of this waterfront home has a fresh, crisp, white-on-white palette to ensure it doesn’t compete with the views. The TV room strays from this with a dark area rug, but the navy blue colour does still pay homage to the ocean that’s just outside. Explore this West Coast Modern revival by Splyce Design.

Photo: Ema Peter

Whimsy Excuse

This West Vancouver house has got us belting Benson Boone: “’Cause it feels so mystical, magical.” Designer Kelly Deck filled it with whimsical details, including the intricately patterned rug in the husband’s otherwise dark and edgy home office The rug in the foyer, which you can see in the background, is lovely too. Tour this charming manor home.

Photo: Janis Nicolay

Loom Large

With exposed rafters, a daring black accent wall, teak furniture and a bright patterned area rug by Nu-LOOM, designer Emma Whiting Young has given this dining room a Scandi-bohemian style that we can’t stop swooning over. Check out the rest of this Vancouver Island home.

black and white tiles bathroom
Photo: Tina Kulic

Grid Locked

While not as brightly coloured as the other examples on our list, the area rug in this space still manages to make an impact. Designer Ben Leavitt, principal of PlaidFox Studio, layered white and black grid-pattered area rugs to create a striking contrast. Peek inside this playful Vancouver condo.

Kaitlyn Funk

Kaitlyn Funk

Kaitlyn is a design-obsessed writer, editor and content manager based in Vancouver. When she's not busy swooning over gorgeous homes, you can find her reading, hiking and befriending as many dogs as possible.