The first recorded purple rug in history, literature or art was in the Greek tragedy by Aeschylus (525-456 BC), in which Clytemnestra welcomes her husband Agamemnon back to the palace by decorating with purple rugs. Of course, that is where he met his death: upon the purple rug.
Purple was difficult to find in nature back then and consequently took a long time to dye fabric in that color. Many shells or flowers were needed, and the process was time-consuming. Purple was used in royal clothing and a few other items but since it was difficult to make, probably didn’t end up on the floor very often. Fast-forward to 2019 and there are now oodles of delicious shades of purple in synthetic dyes to cover our floors.
Purple still holds that royal image today but it’s powerful in many other ways. Purple gives off a feeling of luxury, mystery, mourning, wisdom, romance, peace, magic, and spirituality. Purple can encourage creativity, calm the nerves and invoke gloom. The child of blue and red, purple has three distinct blends yet an infinite number of shades. Blueish-purple (a cool tone), purple (a neutral) and reddish-purple (a warm tone) are the colors the eye can see. So, when it comes to rugs, purple offers a ton of options.
Picking a Solid Purple Rug
A solid purple rug can make a room pop. For a warm look, choose rugs that are reddish-purple. For a cool look, choose rugs that are bluish-purple.
A solid cool purple goes great with trendy grey, white and silver. This purple is not overwhelming and may even provide a calming effect. Solid rugs can be textured or multi-dimensional, also known as high-low, which makes them look patterned. Artistic Weavers Zara in purple is a multi-dimensional rug in a solid color. This one is a blue-purple to offer a cool hue.
A warm purple rug will go well with dark wood furniture. Rizzy’s UP2454 is a warm purple that is multi-dimensional, while Safavieh’s Santa Monica Shag provides a beautiful warm-purple color in a thicker pile. Don’t forget to layer your rugs for added plush underfoot. Layered rugs add warmth, dimension and added interest to your decor. Place a patterned or striped rug over your solid rug.
Picking a Patterned Rug
Purple patterned rugs are a dream. Once you’ve decided to use purple in such a bold way, customize with your personality. Purple sits across the color wheel from yellow so don’t be afraid to mix the two colors in your decor.
Do you like traditional designs? Consider Safahieh’s MNC2431 from the Monaco collection. Filled with multiple shades of purple it also features some yellow and some green.
What about geometric patterns? Surya’s two-toned eggplant colored rug is 100% hand-loomed wool. Jaipur offers a beautiful purple rug with a white geometric design. “Sabrine” is a durable, flat weave rug made of wool. And if you aren’t sure you want a whole lot of purple, Safavieh’s CAM121v offers a purple geometric design on an ivory background.
To pick a perfect purple rug for your loft, try Surya’s PLAT-9005. It is a hand-knotted viscose in purple-prune. Or try Surya’ soft purples with their Serenade rug which is available in either a warm magenta or cool violet. It is hand-tufted viscose and wool blend for softness and durability.
For a modern pattern try United Weavers Spaces rug. And, NuLoom’s hand-tufted Karima in a non-traditional shape is a beautiful modern pattern with a bit of whimsy. Don’t forget a rug pad with any rug you choose.
Diversity of a Striped Rug
A striped rug can incorporate warm, neutral or cool purple tones, or combine them all for a beautiful accent. PlushRugs.com offers a nice selection of striped rugs of all weaves, materials, and thicknesses. Here are some great examples. Remember you can layer with striped rugs, too.
For a combination of purples in a striped rug try Safavieh’s Kilim rug. Combining purple and rust, this hand-woven striped rug is bright and cheery. St. Croix’s Purple Stripes goes from light in the center to darker shades at either end. VTG172 from Safavieh’s Vintage collection is a stripe of charcoal with lots of purple blended in.
Outdoor Purple Rugs
Don’t forget, you can jazz up your outdoor living space with purple, too. Underfoot on a patio, choose a colorful design to go with your furniture. If your chair cushions are already patterned, either mix and match with a patterned rug or choose a solid purple.
A flat weave indoor/outdoor rug looks great and is easy to care for, like Kaleen’s BRI08 in lilac featuring a trellis design. For a brighter rug, Trans Ocean’s Floral in purple and orange will surely liven up any patio or porch.
Be sure to follow up on care instructions for outdoor rugs to keep them lasting longer. Outdoor rugs should also have a rug pad made specifically for the outdoors to allow rainwater to drain from under the rug.
