A large room-size area rug can
help cover what's really underfoot.

Cover Existing Carpet

The easiest way to deal with an unwanted carpet you can't change is to cover it up. A room-size area rug will cover enough of the offending carpeting to minimize its color effect.

Even a smaller rug can help change the room's personality if the rug is centered over the most prominent part of the room. The underlying carpet becomes a border for the area rug, and its impact on the room is minimized. Shifting the color scheme or layering rugs can resolve many carpet problems.

In the living room or family room, position the rug to define the primary conversational grouping. In a bedroom, cover the area around the bed, using several rugs if necessary. To keep the smaller rug from "creeping" or bunching on top of the wall-to-wall carpeting, use a double-stick carpet pad under it.