After what feels like years of scrolling through endless neutrals, there’s a bold shift happening in the world of interior design. Suddenly, there are patterned lampshades and printed wall coverings. Tactile art and richly-hued seats. Maximalist color combos and vivid texture. Everywhere you look, it seems that our decor is once again filled with expressive saturation, eye-popping scale, and renewed vibrancy.
While some might shy away from adding permanent pigment or pattern, others are going all-in and grounding their spaces in color. And not just in the form of area rugs that can quickly be swapped out or moved to another room—but in fully-committed, wall-to-wall carpet in singular shades like bold red, slime green, cobalt blue, and beyond.
Is it a gamble? Perhaps. But, it’s also an undeniable statement. And, when done in a way that’s straightforward and cohesive, it can anchor a room in surprisingly unfussy—yet dramatic—expression.
Photo: Laure Joliet / Courtesy of Lauren Geremia
Daphne Javitch, an integrative wellness coach and founder of Doing Well, didn’t think twice when installing cherry red wall-to-wall carpet in her Los Angeles home. “My husband Pali Xisto Cornelsen is an interior designer and has been working with vibrant colored flooring for a while now,” she shares. “He created a beautiful bedroom for our dear friend, Laila Gohar, several years back with a tatami mat-inspired floor in a pure red textile instead of the traditional weave. When we moved into this Californian, mid-century house, we knew our living room would fully come to life with red, wall-to-wall carpet and matching window finishings.” For Javitch, the carpet added mystique to the room. “A red carpet feels sexy—plus, I love when simplicity is bold,” she says.
Colored carpet has also been a frequent choice for AD100 designer Lauren Geremia, who has used it in several recent projects—including the newly opened San Francisco-based fine jewelry shop No.3. “The cobalt blue was a constant in the original design, and we really doubled-down,” Geremia shares. “I wanted something soft and intimate that also felt luxurious and clean. We also used colored carpet in a recent kids’ space; it was fun and tactile and they loved the green.”
Why the sudden reason for this resurgence? It’s part nostalgia, part functionality—and perhaps, part boredom, too. Monika McCommon, SVP of brand at Stark, suggests people are fatigued with muted carpeting. “During the pandemic, we saw the rise of neutrals,” she shares. “Now that this time is behind us, we’re seeing the return of color in the home influenced by fashion, art, and travel.”