I heard a TV decorator say that as a rule of thumb it is better to find a rug first and then decorate than to try to add the rug in later. There are millions of choices in paint, thousand in silks for panels, and hundreds of bed duvets. If you pick everything out first your choices of rugs will be more limited. Still I have picked rugs after the fact and loved my choices. When you say oriental rug that encompasses many different types of rug but the rug in Sashasmommy's example is not an oriental rug. That is either an Aubusson or embroidered rug. They are lovely, flat weave type rugs and if you don't have a lot of heavy traffic aren't bad in a bedroom. They can be very expensive and it can be tough to find a bargain. Many decorators say that a fine oriental is a neutral but mine doesn't. She paid strict attention to color when choosing a traditional oriental Persian carpet for my foyer. Still the dominate color in that rug (bright red) isn't repeated in the room and it still looks stellar. I have two French bergere in bold gold and cream stripes that I think you stellar with it. Some oriental rugs are made in fashion colors and those are probably the best to use if you want that matched look. However the traditional rich colors of oriental rugs will stay in fashion longer giving you the longevity you desire and I recommend the traditional rug colors. With all the neutrals in that room you describe you can easily mix a floral duvet with a traditional oriental rug. When mixing colors and patterns pay attention to the intensity of the colors rather than just the shades so that the two will work well together. If the blue or red in your oriental isn't repeated in the room it won't look out of place if the color is the same saturation as your other colors. Both Allison and Beboopado's rooms are balance through similarity in color saturation. If all your colors are watered down or fashionably greyed then you might want to choose a washed out antique rug. Those can be gorgeous but expensive. The best looking ones were naturally faded from sun and cleaning but some newer rugs are chemically faded. They can look lovely too but they shouldn't command as much money. Nothing looks better than true age on a rug. I don't know where you live but here in Atlanta we have an antique market (Scott's Market) and they offer many vendors under one roof and the prices are very competitive. My decorator and I went to Scott's and bought home 10 rugs to choose the one I now enjoy. Each one was prettier than the next (my decorator has a great eye) but the one we picked stole the show. It just looks beautiful in that space. I would recommend only choosing a rug you can return and trying many different rugs before making a choice. Only buy the rug you love. You really can spend a fortune but you absolutely don't have to overspend to get a good rug. I recommend finding a show with many vendors. At Scott's you can leave without paying for the rugs. You just bring them back the next day. Some merchants will come to you and bring you rugs to unfold in your home. If there is no mart or decorating shows in your area I recommend finding a merchant you like and can trust through word of mouth. Pick a budget and stick to it strictly. Tell them not to bring anything that is over your budget. Pay less attention to the fineness of the rug (when choosing) and more with the color saturations and how the rug looks overall in the room.( Pay attention to fineness on paying.) I LOVE Avesmor's squinty outlook advice. That is precisely how to pick the right rug. Squint! Don't get caught up in details and trust your instincts. There is an artist in all of us. Trust your eye. Another option to consider is layering a small persian over your sisal rug. I don't like rug on rug looks unless it is a sisal or seagrass on the bottom then it can look very polished. Then you can fold up your rug(good Oriental rugs fold up, you don't roll them) and put it away for a fresher look in the Summer. Good luck! Your room sounds like it will be lovely.

I also have....had, gave it to my son and his wife....a 12 by 15 Herize that got soaking wet.....was so heavy there was no way to lift it, so I got some pallets and folded it over on itself and set up 3 electric fans and a dehumidifier set on "desert" and in about 3 days it was dry. Set your rug up on something like milk crates so air can get over and under and blow a fan onto it....it will dry almost over night. If you live in an area of high humidity, bring it into an airconditioned house to finish drying. Those strips at the side are plastic, meant to keep the edges from curling....none of my good old rugs have that, but a newer one does. I think it won't be a problem...just might take half a day longer for the edges to dry.

Yes, ingrid and lascatx, the rug also has navy, greys, and beiges. No, my3dogs, not my rug. :) Here’s mine: I also grew up with orientals being neutral, but pal said what I’ve suspected all along: not all neutrals go with anything or everything. Obviously my rug would go well with navy and grey, but I was kind of hoping that when making accent fabric selections I could pretend that thing on the floor wasn’t there. (Though I really do like it!) I’m gravitating toward warm colors for Roman shades and pillows, like this: or this: But there’s no getting around the fact that the red in the rug is very cool. I don’t think I can get away with the warms, which is too bad, because my kitchen, next to the living room, is very warm, and I’d like a little cohesiveness. (The opening on the right, just past the avocado painting, goes to the living room.)

Another yes. It's a very Bunny Williams/Ben Pentreath/Schuyler Samperton mix : ) . I have mostly Persian/tribal rugs but needed a round rug for the tower room in the new house so went with jute, They also look good layered, with the Persian rug on top. Do we get to see pictures? Please??