Demi Moore uses this emerging flooring trend to bring practicality and playfulness to her neutral living room

With its timeless beauty and unrivaled versatility, the appeal behind a neutral color palette in a living room is unsurprising. In all its benefits, however, it can be hard to keep these hues interesting – meaning we need to introduce personality through other ways, starting with texture. And if Demi Moore's space is anything to go by, we should begin with the floor.

Incorporating and crucially layering textures is a go-to decorating technique for designers who are looking to elevate neutral living rooms – and nothing sets the base for this quite like the perfect rug. Moore has anchored her space with an ornate gray and white piece that complements her white paint and gray sofas that tap into that all-important neutral color scheme. 

The power of a statement rug is no new phenomenon, but we're witnessing a rug revival in 2024. According to Google Trends, there has been a 100 percent increase in searches for layered rugs compared to 2023, suggesting layered techniques similar to Moore's are only getting more popular. Thankfully for us, following suit is simple. 

'Both practical and playful, layering rugs is a beautiful way of making a design statement that is uniquely individual and allows you to express your creativity through pairing different colors and patterns,' comments Jodie Hatton, the design manager at rug specialists Brintons. She expands on the flooring trend, adding how combining rugs with varying textures (including our sofa, accent chair, or pillows) keeps our neutral spaces alive. 

'Layering rugs wonderfully ties a room together, bringing additional warmth and color into a space,' she notes. 

Jodie Hatton

Jodie is a textile designer with over 10 years experience in bespoke design with a focus on high end interior projects.

This technique is one way to keep our living rooms interesting, just as Moore demonstrates – however, it's not limited to this room exclusively. The best thing about neutrals is their versatility, meaning they're a safe choice for every room in the home. No matter the space, the impact of this textured trick remains the same. 

'A neutral color palette is best suited to rooms you spend a lot of time in, such as a bedroom or living room, where relaxing tones are key to creating a happy space,' adds Lisa Conway, the marketing manager at Brintons. 'Neutrals are versatile with the ability to provide a platform and set the scene.'

Shop H&G's neutral rug edit

We're convinced these handpicked rugs will look good in almost every space. Happy shopping.