An area rug is a pretty dominant part of any room, and despite being considered more of a piece of decor than a piece of furniture, it often takes up more room and definitely more space visually than a couch, a bed, or a dining table. So deciding on whether a rug should be darker than your flooring is as important a decision as deciding on the colors of any other piece of furniture you bring into the space.
When deciding on a rug you of course want to consider size and shape and pattern and color, but you also really need to think about how it's going to look against the flooring underneath. Do you want the rug to pop against the flooring or subtly blend in? Do you need it to provide a lift for the darker floor below or ground a lighter shade?
