How to Save Money on Large Area Rugs

8×10 rugs often ring in between $600-$1,000 a piece, so how can you save money on large area rugs? These three budget-friendly hacks bring down the upfront cost IMMENSELY, and still give you that lush and expensive look!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Wow! I've been looking for an 8x10 area rug for my living room, and never imagined you could save this much money on them. Now thanks to these genius money saving hacks, I know exactly what to do with that too-small rug I bought months ago! #savingonrugs #rugs #frugalliving #decoratingonabudget #rugsonabudget #savingmoney #moneysavingtips

One of the things I love most about our house is the floors in our living and dining area. They’re not real hardwoods, but they still look really chic, and we get compliments on them all the time. They’re pretty fab, and more importantly, easy to clean!

But we also have a wide open space that combined with those awesome floors, produces an echo-y sound that sounds more like a school gym than a cozy hangout.

We desperately needed an area rug to not only anchor our living space, but also put an end to the constant echoes.

But do you know how expensive large area rugs are? I mean, do you really? Because I certainly didn’t. I needed at least an 8×10 to adequately cover the space, and the $800-$1,000 range I found online and in stores just wasn’t in the budget. That, and I didn’t feel like dropping my life savings on a rug!

Why are area rugs so darn expensive anyway?

Here’s a few factors that affect price:

  • High thread count
  • Man-made instead of commercially-made
  • Expensive materials {ex. wool vs. nylon}

Well, I can certainly appreciate quality rugs, I still don’t want to pay more than $300 for one. Call me cheap, but that’s my limit, no apologies. So what’s a girl to do?

Improvise.

After scouring the internet for clues, I found three budget-friendly hacks that dangle those large area rugs within our reach…without the high prices!

1. Layer a Small Decorative Rug on Top of a Plain Larger One

Neutral, one-color rugs tend to be significantly cheaper than decorative ones, but if that swirly pattern makes you swoon, buy it in a smaller size, then layer a plain rug underneath.

I did this with the Bella Beige and Blue area rug from Wayfair. An 8×10 would have cost me close to $600, so I bought the rug in a smaller size, then layered it on top of a simple white one. The end result is a textured masterpiece that looks lush and expensive…except that it’s not!

living-room-rug-5

2. Tape Two Smaller Area Rugs Together

I had no idea you could even tape rugs together until I read this post from Sarah at The Ugly Duckling House {who is such a fun DIY blogger to read, by the way!}

She bought a too-small rug by accident, so she improvised by taping two smaller rugs together with carpet tape. Surprisingly, this does cost less than one large area rug and you can barely tell the difference. Head over to her blog for the full tutorial and gorgeous end result!

Photo Credit
Photo Credit

3. Purchase a Carpet Remnant

Another idea is to go to an outlet store or carpet warehouse and look at carpet remnants. These are pieces left over from carpet installs, and are often deeply discounted in price.

You need to know your exact measurements before shopping, but after that, it’s time to work some binding magic. Rachel at RachelRossi.co has the best tutorial for binding your own carpet, and the entire project {including carpet} cost her less than $200!

Photo Credit
Photo Credit

Large area rugs are looking more and more affordable, yes?

Even better, I’ve personally picked nine of my favorite 8×10 rugs from Wayfair that…wait for it….come in under $300! So if these money saving hacks really aren’t up your ally, you can still core a fantastic rug for a great price. Plus, you get free shipping on orders over $49 just by shopping through this link!

I have been searching for the perfect 8x10 area rug and hate how pricey they are! I can't believe all of these cost less than $300. Any of these would look awesome in our living room, and BONUS, you get an extra $10 off if you shop through her link in the blog post!

Woosley Oriental // Mistana // Ashanti // Mariela // Millwright

Kilkenny // Corum Abstract // Robb Navy // Bronte Navy

What are your tips for saving on large area rugs?

Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I also received product from Wayfair in exchange for my honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Read my full disclosure policy here.

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4 Comments

  1. I have had great luck at places like Ocean State Job Lot and Big Lots. I found the *perfect* living room rug – 5×7 for $40 at OSJL.

      1. From their website: Ocean State Job Lot is an American discount retailer operating throughout Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, New York, and New Jersey.

  2. Always compare by the cost per square foot. This holds true most of the time for new rugs. This simple formula is used by all people in rug trade, when buying new rugs. Do not be misled by a fancy showroom. It simply means, higher prices to cover their costly over head. A reputable rug dealer should not conceal the per square price he is asking for a rug. You can simply calculate price per square foot for your self to compare. There is no reason for the buyer to be kept in the dark about this simple rug buying formula. Do the simple math, before being impressed by a new rug.

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