Sure you could use an oriental, there are so many styles and patterns. You may also want to consider a kilim rug as it lends itself to a room like you described. I've purchased many on ebay and if you just want to look at styles, go to rugman.com. They're very well priced and good quality. I've purchased from them too. Good luck with your project, I'll be watching for an update.

I think tribal rugs lend themselves well to the kind of decorating you are describing. They are more geometric, less floral. Less frou frou, IMO!

Thank you both for the replies.

I'm very attracted to a certain rug that doesn't seem to be too flowery to me. Tell me what you think?

I don't have tons of choices to choose from because I'm getting these area rugs for free. The company made a mistake while installing our tiles which runs in most of our downstairs and we'd both rather not pull all of it out and start over. The mistake isn't huge but because they are a service oriented company that thrives on word of mouth, they want to keep their customers happy. They sell carpet and flooring and carry only a limited amount of rugs. They will be giving me 2 of them to put into my "formal" living room and dining room combo.

It says on the link, and on the sample itself that this is a light blue rug... let me just say NOT! It's really a greenish rug and not a blue green either, I'd say it's a light green beige background... especially in my greenish taupe house.

Also, if it IS lightblue and I couldn't see it in the store or in my house, perhaps it's a good thing too. It may be a rug that will adapt to paint changes a little better? Should I ever want to go change colour palettes later on when I'm ready?

Here is a link that might be useful: Nourison Saffira rug

I think that is fine for transitional style. Very nice.

Will you get identical rugs for each room? I would prefer coordinating designs, similar yet different.

Amy, like you, I also think that coordination would work better. They have the same rug in a brown which was brought home as well, but I'm not liking the contrast between them.

At the end of May or beginning of July, the store will be getting 98 more designs by the same company, so I'm hoping they will have something that will coordinate with this one.

Amy, I'm loving that room you showed, I could so sit there with a book next to those huge windows. That's the type of decorating I wish I knew how to do... comfort yet stylish. Looks like a real home should look like.

I have a rug in my LR that I think is a Nourison rug. I think this style (I think the name is a Nouristan? something like that...) can work w/ a lot of styles and definitely isn't a flowery sort of rug.
{{!gwi}}

Thanks for the nice compliments. I struggled with that room for a long time....mostly furniture placement. It used to be a garage!

Take a look at the rug linked below. The colors IRL will be different, but this is the direction I would go in. Similar feeling, hopefully a few shared colors between the two rugs. Not identical. I think it is always preferable to have things look like they were collected over time...not purchased all at once because they "match."

The rug I linked is a flat weave, which is IMO, a practical choice for a dining room. Easier to move the chairs around on and scrape the flying sauces from.

Remember, the colors will be different in your home than in either the showroom or the parking lot.

Here is a link that might be useful: A possibility

Mine is from the line in amy's link. Nourmak! (Not 'Nouristan' as I had guessed..)

LOL Sue, what will everyone say if I copy you? (j/k) You do have a beautiful carpet there, great taste!