Kilim Rugs

When investing in large-scale furniture like sofas, unless you've got money to burn, I generally recommend choosing solid fabrics, which are less likely to look dated and are easier to clean. If you go down that road, the place to introduce pattern is in your flooring, accessories like pillows, throws, and drapery.

Kilims are one of my favorite types of rugs for this task. The flat tapestry-woven carpets are historically produced from the Balkans to Pakistan, and they can be purely decorative or function as prayer rugs. While you're bound to find a one-of-a-kind original if you head east, there are also plenty of gorgeously-designed kilims available at major retailers in the States. Here are five that I'm absolutely loving now.