3. Cover bad flooring with a rug large enough to matter
Worn laminate, scuffed vinyl and grey rental carpet are the hardest thing to live with and the hardest to change. A rug is the answer, but only if it is big enough — and this is where most people get it wrong and waste the money.
The common mistake is a rug that floats in the middle of the room like a postage stamp. The rule for a living room is that at least the front legs of every seat should sit on the rug. For most rooms that means a 5 by 8 foot rug minimum and often 6 by 9 or 8 by 10. In a bedroom, run it under the lower two-thirds of the bed so it extends past both sides, which is what your feet meet in the morning.
Cost is the objection, and layering is the solution. A large, cheap natural-fibre rug — jute, sisal or seagrass — costs $80 to $150 for a big size and provides the footprint. Then put a smaller patterned or soft rug on top for texture and colour. The combination looks deliberate, costs far less than one large wool rug, and each piece is individually useful in the next flat.
Always use a non-slip underlay. It stops the rug creeping, adds enough cushioning to change how the floor feels underfoot, and protects the landlord’s flooring, which protects the deposit.
For a hallway, a runner takes the wear and dirt that would otherwise go into the carpet. For a kitchen or bathroom, choose something washable and skip the underlay in favour of a rubber-backed mat.