Like a thoughtful array of art, lighting, and other decorative details, layering adds the essential touches that bring rich personality to the home. Your creativity shines as you merge cohesive elements, especially when you integrate offbeat, unexpected decor. Putting theory into practice, one way to get the most out of an area rug is to drape it over the sofa. An ornately patterned rug set against a solid-colored couch could instill interest. The idea of repurposing a rug as other decor is budget-friendly, eco-friendly, and can be stylish. From a general standpoint, though, the “rug-as-a-throw” concept is quite polarizing, with some loving the look and others having no choice but to question it.

On a subject where everyone has an opinion, it helps to check with the experts for dependable direction. We asked Erika Dale, House Digest’s interior design expert and founder of Erika Dale Interior Design, for pro insights into whether a repurposed rug can improve a room’s look. As she discussed in an exclusive interview with House Digest, the answer is a definite “maybe.”

“While I am always a proponent of layered designs to add visual complexity and interest, the idea of putting a rug on the back of the sofa works well in so few situations that I’d hesitate to recommend it to the masses,” Dale cautioned. Generally, any attempt is high-risk, high-reward. “It takes a specific type of rug and sofa to pull it off, and it doesn’t always work for every aesthetic. But when it does work, the effect can definitely be very cool. It is, for sure, a ‘proceed with caution’ type of scenario for me.”

You gain gorgeous pops of color, pattern, and texture as you decorate your home with blankets. When they aren’t keeping you warm, you can layer them on the sofa, on blanket ladders, or cascading from baskets to bring warmth and character to the space. If you’re thinking of using a rug as a stand-in, Dale promotes blanket-like varieties, such as woven rugs.

“This works best with thin rugs that drape like a textile, such as a southwestern Pendleton wool vibe, faux sheepskin, or cool hair-on-hide type of half-blanket, half-rug. Bonus points for rugs with fringe or tassels for added texture,” Dale advised in her exclusive House Digest interview. “These hybrid styles can often be seen hung as wall tapestry or styled as a coverlet at the end of a bed, so hanging it off the back of the sofa certainly falls into the same category of unique and elegant layering. Anything too thick is going to look stiff and odd.”

When they aren’t layering area rugs on the floor, designers have reused them as everything from bed accents to dining table covers with great success. But can rugs be as versatile as throw blankets? “These can be styled by draping neatly and straight along the center back of the sofa or more freeform, like a blanket,” Dale explained. “For the former styling technique, you’ll also likely need to use a sofa or chair with loose or semi-attached cushions, as you might want to be able to tuck it behind the cushions on the front side of the seat for the comfort factor to remain intact, though there are obviously cozy exceptions.”

While you might get a similar effect from a regular old throw, a rug on the back of the couch is a subversive touch that can elevate an interior in unmatched ways. If you pull it off, you’ll gain extra points for the effort. “The advantage of using a rug on the back of the sofa is that it adds a layer of color, pattern, and design interest to the what would otherwise be a run-of-the-mill back of the sofa,” Dale stated in her House Digest exclusive interview. “It also gives off the impression that you aren’t afraid to bend the design rules to create a chic space, which is very appealing.”

“The downside is that when you use the wrong type of rug, sofa, or combination, the effect can be really off-putting and weird,” Dale noted. As she explained, you can assess your interior style to see whether this can work. If it meshes with the rug styles that have more throw-like qualities, you may be in luck! “This layered look works best with more rustic, cozy styles, such as modern cowboy, or pattern-mixing-heavy design aesthetics, such as global eclectic or southwestern. Faux fur and hair-on-hide options have further reach for adding coziness to other aesthetics,” Dale recommended, while doubling down on her warning to play it safe when in doubt. “Otherwise, my go-to would be draping a great patterned blanket instead to avoid a look that is too forced or out-of-place.”