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'm late to the game, but I vote for "none of the above." The fabric you chose is lovely, slipcovers are classic, but the rugs look too latest blog/HGTV/trendy and will take everything down to that level. Sisal is a safe choice, but it's just that in this case-- safe. I think you need something genuinely old. It doesn't have to be a $19K rug to do the trick. I am pretty sure you could find something for less than $5K-- probably even closer to $2K. It will take looking, of course-- but CL will be your friend. Now, if the fabric, paint, and slipcovers aren't set in stone, then I would actually re-think them as well. I am a little afraid that the fabric will decorate you into a corner. Your beach house is really special, and deserves the true, collected look. For that, as mentioned above, you will need patience.

I did a lot of research on natural fiber rugs last year. I was primarily concerned with durability, and ended up with seagrass. Jute is softer, but it sheds and is not water repellant the way seagrass is. It is my understanding that seagrass and sisal are the most durable. I bought a large 9x12 rug fom pottery barn for very little. I don't have a cat, but do have a large dog and 2 small kids. It still looks practically brand new, and it has dog vomit and urine on it. (I feel compelled to say that neither were from MY darling pooch. ;-) ). It isn't soft underfoot, and I really hesitated on whether it would be appropriate in our living room. But we don't mind it, and my kids still sprawl out on it with no complaints. It did make my house smell like hay for a good week. That didn't really bother me though, as it reminds me of my grandfathers farm.

Holly-Kay, I did look for a square rug and I really like the one you've chosen; it seems perfect in terms of color and style. However, 10 x 10 would I think be too large for that area although I'm not sure. I just don't think I want to think of rugs right now. My husband had the trouble of packing up and returning this one and it's the second one he's had to do (the other was for the kitchen and I didn't show it here). There is also the problem of area rugs that are laid over carpets tending to bunch up and the problem can't really be fixed. This happened to me some years ago in the same area of the living room and I finally gave up on that carpet. A thinner one might not do that but I would hate to take the chance. I have to say the rug I picked for the kitchen from esale was of really poor quality and the Oriental pattern was so indistinct that it looked very unattractive. katrina_ellen, I'm so glad you like the carpet. I'm learning to appreciate it more every day. It feels really sumptuous underfoot.