Spruce Up Your Space with The Best 9 Bedroom Rugs That We Tested (2024)

Spruce Up Your Space with The Best 9 Bedroom Rugs That We Tested (1)

A bedroom rug serves as a wonderful compromise for those who want to add some cozy softness and decor accents to the space without completely covering a wood floor. The best type of rug depends on the taste and needs of whoever uses the room.

For a kids’ bedroom or a home with pets, you might want to spring for a stain-resistant rug, while those who want a cushy pile under their feet or a bespoke design might opt for a silky shag rug or a floral wool option.

“I would consider the thickness and material of the rug because I would want the bedroom rug to be comfier and cozier than a rug I would consider in a living room,” says Julieta Alvarez, founder of Julieta Alvarez Interiors.

“I tend to gravitate to small or medium patterns that are tone on tone,” says Ashley Darryl, founder and owner of a namesake interior design firm. “These tend to feel more calm and serene for a bedroom versus a larger pattern that can feel more graphic and loud.”

What We Tested

  • Area Rugs and Washable Rugs: We used data from these two lab tests to make selections for our list of the best bedroom rugs.
  • Quality: To asses quality we looked at rug thickness, density, and pile, as well as stitching and overall appearance.
  • Staining and Durability: Several stain tests were performed on each of the rugs (washable or non-washable). We also vacuumed debris from the rugs and further tested durability but rubbing a pet brush across the fibers. Washable rugs were put through one wash cycle according to manufacturer instructions.

Why You Should Get It

  • This washable rug is easy to care for with soft woven fibers and a comfortable feel that make it great for a bedroom.

Keep in Mind

  • At ⅛ inch thick (plus the additional rug pad), it’s hard to open and close some doors over the rug.

The muted Kamran Rug from Ruggable comes in soothing colors like coral, ivory opal, and royal blue, making it the perfect addition to a relaxing bedroom set-up. Ruggable is best known for its two-piece cover and pad system: the pad stays put, and the removable cover can be thrown into the washing machine.

It’s low-pile with a polyurethane water-resistant coating that is meant to prevent damage and reduce stains. The rug pad worked well to keep the rug in place (although it does not have non-skid backing), and the rug itself was dense while remaining soft and comfortable. Consistently woven fibers made it look and feel high-end.

The rug stood up to vigorous brushing—after being clawed and scratched at, no fibers came up. As for staining, red wine was about 95% removed, leaving only a small pink stain that was hard to spot without looking closely. The coffee grounds and dirt were completely removed with a vacuum.

After washing, the rug remained completely flat, with no edges or corners sticking up. It was washed in a cold cycle per instructions, and while it was a bit hard to get into the washing machine, the results were impressive and left the rug looking brand new.

Note that the rug does have some visible stitching at the corners, and at 1/8th of an inch thick (plus the rug pad), it might be difficult to open and close doors over the rug despite it being considered a low pile rug.

Product Details: Dimensions: 3 ’x 5’ | Material: 100% Polyester, Polyurethane Coating | Pile: Low | Washable: Yes | Colors Available: 10

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  • Spruce Up Your Space with The Best 9 Bedroom Rugs That We Tested (5)

Why You Should Get It

  • With a low price tag and a number of color and size options available, this high-pile faux fur rug is much more luxe than we expected.

Keep in Mind

  • Trickier stains like chocolate were harder to remove.

Finding the best bedroom rug online can prove to be a challenge since you can’t touch or feel it, and the pictures can often be misleading—however, we found the Ashler Faux Fur Rug to be better in person. We found that it was fluffier and silkier than the photos would have you believe.

When removed from the packaging, the rug laid perfectly flat with all of the edges firmly on the ground—a feat at its budget price, especially considering the 2.8-inch pile. The texture was consistently soft and wispy throughout the rug and there were no visible loose threads or shedding.

The faux suede backing helps keep the rug in place without skidding or needing a rug pad (which wouldn’t be possible anyway with its unusual shape). It can be vacuumed, spot cleaned, or even put in the washing machine on a gentle cycle.

Clawing at the rug with a pet brush didn’t damage it, which was surprising considering it’s faux fur. When cleaning, the vacuum worked better on the lower setting and the rug needed to be held down with one foot, most of the coffee grounds came out and none of the fur got stuck, either.

Around 80% of the chocolate stain came out of the rug, but the stain remover needed to be rubbed in twice. We likely would have gotten out more with a quick wash cycle. The rug comes in a variety of colors and sizes, the largest being 6’ x 9’.

Product Details: Dimensions: 2’ x 3’ | Material: Faux Fur, Faux Suede Backing| Pile: High | Washable: Yes | Colors Available: 17

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  • Spruce Up Your Space with The Best 9 Bedroom Rugs That We Tested (9)

Why You Should Get It

  • This gorgeous handmade wool rug has an ombre effect and is the best bedroom rug for those looking to spend a little more on high-quality materials.

Keep in Mind

  • It was difficult to remove stains from the wool.

The beautiful Revival Dawn Ombre Wool Rug is handmade to look like a sunrise with a color palette of rose quartz, dusty rose, and taupe. One of the first things we noted is that the colors and overall appearance were almost identical to the way the rug looked in pictures on the site.

Because it’s a 100% wool rug, it’s not necessarily soft to the touch, but it’s not scratchy either. It also has a stiff, high-density feel and a medium pile. The wool itself is a combination of Sardinian sheep’s wool, known for being sturdy and waterproof and Indian sheep’s wool for softness. It’s hand-loomed onto a 100% cotton foundation.

We concluded that the rug would likely hold up well in high-traffic areas. The scratch test did remove a ball of fibers, but once vacuumed, the rug looked good as new. We also didn’t notice those vacuum lines that are a hallmark of many newly-cleaned rugs.

Coffee grounds were vacuumed completely away in a few swipes and didn’t go deep into the carpet. Removing stains from the wool was less successful, however; the chocolate sauce was only about 65% removed after we applied the cleaning solution and thoroughly blotted, so a moderate mark was left behind.

All in all, this is a well-made, beautiful rug that adds some color to a bedroom without being too vibrant—and, besides the remainder of a stain, it performed excellently during all tests.

Product Details: Dimensions: 4’ x 6’ | Material: 100% Wool, 100% Cotton Foundation | Pile: Medium | Washable: No | Colors Available: 1

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The 9 Best Indoor/Outdoor Rugs for Adding a Touch of Cozy to Any Outdoor Space

Why You Should Get It

  • The included cushioned pad is extremely effective at keeping the rug in place and is very easy to put together.

Keep in Mind

  • It only comes in one color/design.

The Tumble Tabor Washable Rug is a low pile rug that comes with a cushioned pad and a topper that’s easy to throw in the washing machine on a cold cycle. It’s made with OEKO-TEX certified materials, and is treated with a waterproof coating that makes water and other liquids bead up to the surface in order to easily be wiped away.

We were especially appreciative of the rug’s unique pad—it comes in three pieces that fit together like foam puzzle pieces, and it can also be washed with soap and water. Once connected, each corner of the rug is inserted into the pad via a piece of fabric to help it lay flat. It was easy to put together and didn’t move with vigorous twisting.

The texture of the rug itself is soft while remaining low pile, laying flat and smooth. The pad also adds a nice bit of cushion. Brushing the rug with the pet hair brush caused no damage: it didn’t snag or catch, and nothing was removed.

Plus, the waterproof coating worked flawlessly—both the wine and the coffee did indeed bead on top of the rug and could be removed with a paper towel, leaving only a bit of dampness behind. We experienced the same results when paired with a cleaning solution.

It also washes well in the machine and would likely be a great bedroom rug for people with pets or kids who are looking for something durable. It also vacuumed up potting soil very easily. The rug itself has a light, faded pattern, with an ash gray and color that would go nicely with lots of different styles. That said, it’s the only option.

Product Details: Dimensions: 3’ x 5’ | Material: 100% Polyester Chenille, Waterproof Coating, Polyester Knit Backing | Pile: Low | Washable: Yes | Colors Available:1

Why You Should Get It

  • This fluffy, high-density shag rug is soft and buttery, unlike many other shag or faux fur options which can have an unpleasant slick texture.

Keep in Mind

  • It lost some softness and flatness after a trip in the washing machine.

The Ruggable Shag Rug has all of the benefits of the brand’s washable rugs in a cool shag design. It has a fluffy, high pile, loose density, faux fur finish that produces a soft, plush feel under the feet. We felt that the rug felt “buttery” without that silky, slick texture some other shag and faux fur rugs have.

The rug pad managed to secure the rug very well to the floor without slipping during regular (and even aggressive) use—it didn’t move when we pushed on it with a hand or lept on it, which meant that vacuuming was a breeze, too.

After clawing the rug with the pet brush, we noticed some small changes—a slight frizz that wasn’t noticeable from far away, and the loss of a few fibers. When vacuuming out coffee grounds, no visible debris was left behind, but some of the rug’s fibers ended up in the dust bin. Still, there was no visible change in the rug after vacuuming.

After putting this shag rug in the washing machine, it did lose some of its softness, but still kept a consistent texture and flexible shag fibers. While some loose soil was stuck in the fibers after the wash, they were easily removed by hand.

And most importantly, no visible wine or coffee stains remained (and we tested the white rug!). The edges of the rug did begin to stick up a bit after the wash, but we felt the shag fibers easily hid this small flaw.

Product Details: Dimensions: 3’ x 5’ | Material: 100% Polyester, Polyurethane Coating | Pile: High | Washable: Yes | Colors Available:4

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Why You Should Get It

  • A hand-tufted rug that’s best for high-traffic areas, it’s incredibly dense and holds up well to vacuuming.

Keep in Mind

  • This pet brush created visible damage to the fibers and stains took five passes to remove.

The Rugs USA Dotted Diamond Trellis Nursery Area Rug is a hand-tufted, 100% wool rug with a simple diamond pattern that comes in a few neutral and colorful options, ranging from ivory to rich navy. It’s an incredibly dense rug with a low pile and looped wool fibers.

Because it’s so dense, it did quite well when vacuumed, leaving no vacuum lines or footprints visible on the surface—it would likely be one of the best bedroom rugs for high-traffic rooms or young kids’ rooms and nurseries.

We were surprised that no coffee grounds got stuck or caught in the looped wool fibers. However, the pet brush quickly damaged the fibers, leaving visible signs of wear after a few passes. The stains were eventually removed completely, however, the rug needed five passes with the cleaning solution, which put some wear on the fibers.

The rug is not incredibly soft, but it’s well-made. However, potential shoppers should note it doesn’t come with a rug pad—you can purchase one separately for under $50 on the site.

Product Details: Dimensions: 4’ x 6’ | Material: 100% Wool | Pile: Low | Washable: No | Colors Available:7

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  • Spruce Up Your Space with The Best 9 Bedroom Rugs That We Tested (25)

Why You Should Get It

  • This high pile rug is incredibly soft and comfortable to walk on.

Keep in Mind

  • It’s supposed to be stain-resistant but the chocolate stain left a visible mark behind.

The AllModern Walker Checkered Shag Area Rug is a rare combination of high pile and high density, and is made of OEKO-TEX certified material. Its checkered design is both retro and currently on trend, with colors ranging from light gray to burnt orange, all set on a cream background.

The rug itself easily laid on the floor with no curling at the edges. You should note there’s no skid-proof backing on this rug, so it moves around. If that’s not ideal, you can purchase a rug pad separately. While the pet brush didn’t remove any fibers, it did create a visible difference in texture and color.

Vacuuming was easy enough, but did need a few passes to completely clean the debris, and some stray grounds still popped up when we brushed it with our hands. The chocolate stain was mostly removed after four passes with cleaner, but it did leave some visible markings, despite the brand noting its stain-resistant properties.

The best part about this rug is how soft it feels underneath the feet. And while the very high-pile does make it a bit more challenging to clean, it’s well worth it if you’re looking for an affordable rug with a softer feel.

Product Details: Dimensions: Runner 2'2" x 7' | Material: Polypropylene | Pile: High | Washable: No | Colors Available:7

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Why You Should Get It

  • This rug from World Market is both soft and incredibly stain-resistant: it got out wine and coffee with just a dry paper towel.

Keep in Mind

  • After one wash, the edges did ripple, so it may take some effort to flatten them again.

The World Market Iman Black and Ivory Persian Style Washable Area Rug is so soft we thought it was almost cloud-like. However, it’s a thin rug with a medium pile that doesn’t provide any cushion, so keep that in mind depending on your preferences. It also doesn’t have a non-slip backing.

When tested with the pet brush, no fibers came up, but the rug did start to look disheveled and the pattern became less distinct. Because it’s washable, there are multiple ways to clean it: spills can be blotted with a clean dry cloth, it can be vacuumed on low, or machine-washed on cold.

The vacuum picked up soil well, and wine and coffee didn’t soak into the pile and were easily picked up with a dry paper towel. The rug almost seemed to repel the stains, which is surprising given how soft it felt to the touch. After the washing machine we noticed a mild rippling on the edges that flattened out when massaged or pressed.

All in all, we love this rug for its stain-resistance and its softness; it could be a great pick for, say, a kid’s room or a nursery, where spills are more likely to happen.

Product Details: Dimensions: 3’ x 5’ | Material: Polyester | Pile: Low | Washable: Yes | Colors Available:1

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  • Spruce Up Your Space with The Best 9 Bedroom Rugs That We Tested (32)

Why You Should Get It

  • This vintage looking rug has a gorgeous floral pattern with a raised texture, and is durable enough to handle vacuums, foot traffic, and vigorous brushing without disturbance.

Keep in Mind

  • This rug, even with a non-slip backing, still manages to move around on the floor a bit.

The power-loomed Rifle Paper Co. Provence Joliette Rug is a vintage-looking option with a navy background and faded flowers in light blues, oranges, and pinks. In the photos on the site, there is a fringe on the edges, but the version we tested came without.

This rug also has “carved details” which means that some spots are more raised than others, giving it an inconsistent texture throughout. It’s a soft rug with a low pile that feels thin and is nice to walk on.

When brushed with the pet brush, the rug remained fairly undisturbed. Coffee grounds came out of the rug easily with the vacuum, and no fibers appeared in the dust bin, either. A DIY cleaner removed about 80% of the stains during testing, but because of the color and the pattern, remaining residue was hard to notice.

The biggest consideration is that the rug is fairly slippery—even with a pad, it tends to move around. While that might not be a dealbreaker if placed underneath a bed, it might not be the ideal rug for a high-traffic areas. If your style is more vintage or French country, this is a great rug for the bedroom.

Product Details: Dimensions: 2'6" × 4' | Material: Polyester, Polypropylene, Cotton Backing | Pile: Low | Washable: No | Colors Available:1

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  • Spruce Up Your Space with The Best 9 Bedroom Rugs That We Tested (35)

The Bottom Line

Out of the many rugs we tested, the Ruggable Kamran Rug earned our top spot for best bedroom rug—it has a variety of color options and sizes available, it’s machine-washable, and it’s easy to clean, too.

Others We Tested

West Elm Ikat Border Shag Rug

This rug is gorgeous and unique looking, but it wasn’t as soft as some of the other shag rugs we tested—it felt a little matted in texture. The vacuum also had more trouble getting the coffee grounds out during testing.


L.L.Bean Braided Wool Rug, Oval

Another beautiful rug that’s soft under the feet (although, because it’s 100% wool, it is slightly scratchy to the touch), this Land’s End option did well in testing, removing coffee grounds and stains with ease. However, there was significant visible wear on the rug after the pet brush test.


Rugs USA Ivory Moonglade Washable Striped Area Rug

This washable rug is 100% wool and we found it to be thick, soft, and pliable. Liquid stains came up from the rug with ease, but vacuuming proved to be a challenge—without a skid-proof backing, it slipped around a lot.

Our Testing Process

We used the results of two tests—area rugs and washable rugs—to compile our list of the best bedroom rugs. For washable rugs, the preliminary test began with observations around thickness, density, and pile. If the rug had a non-skid backing or a pad, we pushed the rug around on the lab floor with our feet to see if it was easily moved.

Next, we applied one tablespoon each of coffee and red wine, leaving them to sit for 10 minutes. While those were drying, we vacuumed the bottom left corner of the rug and recorded the results. We also tested for durability by rubbing a pet brush vigorously across the rug for 10 seconds to replicate a real dog or cat scratching at the fibers.

Then we put a teaspoon of potting soil onto the rug. We used a DIY cleaning solution of dish soap, white vinegar, and water on the stains for 10 minutes, then blotted and absorbed the remaining residue with a towel. A handheld vacuum was used to suction up the potting soil.

Each washable rug was washed in the machine according to manufacturer’s instructions, then dried in a dryer or on a Z-rack. We then recorded observations around staining, pile, texture, and if the rug still lay flat after washing.

For area rugs that could not be put in a washer, the preliminary tests were identical. Instead of potting soil, however, we used one tablespoon of coffee grounds for the vacuum test. For stain tests, we applied ¼ teaspoon of chocolate syrup for five minutes, then sprayed it with DIY cleaning solution and blotted with a paper towel.

What to Know About Bedroom Rugs Before Shopping

Dimensions

The ideal dimensions for a bedroom rug will depend on where you’re planning to place it, plus the size of the room. It’s a popular solution to place a bedroom rug right underneath the bed, but of course there are other options.

“If I'm doing an area rug under a king size bed I also do a 9 x 12 or larger,” Darryl says “I love when you can hop out of bed and your feet drop down onto a soft carpet vs bare wood. “What I prefer even more than an area rug is a cut carpet that is cut to cover the whole room.”

“This is different from wall to wall carpet as this rug allows a wood border of floor to show on all sides. Doing this sort of rug allows for all pieces of furniture in the room to be unified as they are all sitting on the carpet.” If you want to do the second option with an area rug, look for a large size to accommodate the room

We listed the size of the rugs we tested in the lab, but most rugs have a number of sizes available. For instance, our top pick, the Ruggable Kamran Rug, has area rugs ranging from 2’ x 3’ to 10’ x 14’. To figure out what size works best for you, you’ll have to measure the size of your bedroom.

Pile

A rug’s pile refers to the height from the backing to the top of the rug fibers. Higher pile rugs (like shag rugs) have visibly longer fibers, but aren’t very dense. They’re great for low-traffic areas of the house because they can be a bit finicky to vacuum and keep in place. However, they’re really soft, so they can be great for a bedroom.

Low pile rugs lay flatter while still remaining soft, but are better for high-traffic rooms because they don’t make obvious footprints. Most washable rugs are low pile. Medium pile rugs are usually right in the middle: they’re not too soft, and they’re good for busier rooms while maintaining some give.

“I tend to go with higher pile in bedrooms and lower in higher traffic areas, and high cut or loop pile in bedrooms while lower pile or even flatweaves in spaces like living or dining rooms,” Alvarez says.

Material

Most of the rugs on our list are made of wool or synthetic materials. “Because bedrooms are not high traffic you can take advantage and use natural and more delicate materials,” Alvarez says. “These materials tend to have a lot of texture which are perfect for making a space cozy and inviting.”

Obviously, synthetic materials are great for a softer feel and often have stain- or water-resistant coatings, which can be convenient and comfortable as well.

Durability

If you’ve buying for, say, a children's room that will involve lots of playing on the floor, or if you have pets who sleep in your room, the best bedroom rug for you is probably a washable rug with a low pile. It’s durable, easy to clean, and can survive a run through a washing machine if stains get particularly bad.

If you’re less concerned about traffic, high-pile shag rugs can be just as durable if they’re stain-resistant or washable, and they’re super soft. Wool is also a great option. According to American Wool, wool is tear- and abrasion-resistant, and can bend up to 20,000 times without breaking. However, it’s not as soft as synthetic fibers.

Your Questions, Answered

What is the best shape and size of a rug for under the bed?

“It should ideally be big enough so the edge goes right up to the front edge of the night stands and it is about 3-4 inches all around the bed. I prefer to go bigger because a smaller rug always makes the room feel smaller,” Alvarez says. Leave some extra space around the edge so you can feel the rug right when you get in and out of bed.

Are polypropylene rugs safe to use at home?

Polypropylene is a type of plastic that comes from petroleum, which may lead to some concerns about its safety in the home. It’s typically seen in the waterproof coating in washable or stain-resistant rugs. Rest assured, it has been deemed safe by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Still, if you want to avoid plastics altogether, you can opt for other materials, such as natural fibers like wool and jute. You can look for an OEKO-TEX certified rug, which means it has been evaluated for (and found to be free of) 350 potentially harmful chemicals.

Where should you put a rug in the bedroom?

It’s up to you, although the designers we consulted both said that under the bed is a classic choice. Alternatively, another popular option is getting a rug that’s almost as large as the dimensions of the bedroom itself, leaving a few inches of bare flooring on all sides.

Who We Are

Alida Nugent is a commerce writer with over seven years of experience in the commerce space, working for such online publications as HGTV, Food Network, Wide Open Country, Drew + Jonathan, Bustle, and Romper. She was previously a commerce editor and strategist, working across company-wide portfolios on both editorial and sales content.

What Is BHG Recommends?

Next to all of the products on this list, you may have noticed our BHG Recommends seal of approval. Products that earn the seal have been put through rigorous testing to make sure they're worth a spot in your home. We buy most of the products we test ourselves, but occasionally we are provided samples by companies if buying isn't an option. In these cases, we use the same testing criteria we use to test the purchased products.

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