Designer Spotlight: Tips on Decorating from Cristina Stauber

Designer Spotlight: Tips on Decorating from Cristina Stauber

Designer Spotlight: Tips on Decorating from Cristina Stauber

Designing a home can be stressful. You want the perfect pieces to join together harmoniously, creating a style you can be proud of. But how do you start?

If you’re Cristina Stauber, it’s pretty simple: “Find what you like and don’t second guess yourself.”

The Oregonian mother of three came to Swoon Rugs in the fall of 2017, while she was designing her new home in McMinnville. With our help, she pieced together a gorgeous minimalist home that pops with vintage rug accents. And the rest is history.

 

  1. Choose Your Color Scheme

Cristina Stauber Contemporary Kitchen Featuring a Vintage Swoon Rug

Let’s start from the beginning. “My best advice is stick with a central color scheme. I always start with a neutral color scheme and add on layers from that,” says Cristina.

Her kitchen is a prime example. Painted white walls, a geometric white backsplash, and sleek white countertops are contrasted with black cupboard accents.

But to keep the room from feeling too stark, she added warmth through soft hardwood floors, brass handles, and wooden shelves. The vintage rug was the finishing touch—adding a pop of color to tie the room together and add an element of coziness. And this theme is carried from room to room as well. Rich, red rugs add warmth and vibrancy to each room, taking a museum-like starkness and creating a soft, welcoming home.


  1. Go With Your Gut

Cristina Stauber Modern Farmhouse Bathroom with a Vintage Swoon Rug


Once Cristina decided to add rugs for warmth, it was time to choose which ones. Luckily, the choice was easy.

When you see something you like, you just know. “Generally, when you initially like something that’s what you end up coming back to in the end anyway,” says Cristina. So why fight the feeling?

Right away, Cristina was drawn to the Hamadan rug style. Located in Iran, Hamadan is one of the world’s largest cities. Rugs hailing from this area are easily recognized for their geometric patterns, and their vibrant reds and indigo blues. She was sold.


  1. Create Harmony

Cristina Stauber laundry room with a vintage Swoon Rug

In designing her home, Cristina certainly had an eye for consistency and harmony. Throughout each room, she kept the central color theme front and center.

But since many vintage rugs have distinct, often clashing patterns, Cristina had to make a conscious effort to instill balance and cohesion.

“I tried to make sure the bulk of the rugs were the same red tones, so even though they are slightly different in pattern, the similar colors tie them all together,” says Cristina.

Relying on color rather than pattern is a great way to create a consistent mood throughout a home, giving a feeling of softness and comfort.


  1. Get Creative With Sizes
Cristina Stauber dining room with a Vintage Swoon Rug

 

Sometimes, once you narrow down your preferences, you can style yourself into a corner. One issue we ran into with Hamadan rugs? Their sizes. Though the sizes vary, these rugs often run narrow, typically are 4x8 feet or 5x10 feet—sizeable, but narrow.

For the dining area, Cristina wanted a rug that would fit under the table without feeling cramped. She opted to layer a narrow Persian runner over a Buffalo check rug—creating a cohesive harmony. The black and white of the Buffalo check is perfectly in line with the neutral color palette of the house. With the red vintage on top, the rugs are layered perfectly, creating a delightful texture without contrasting in pattern.

Overall, Cristina teaches us that simplicity can be gorgeous, and you don’t have to overthink your decorative styles. Find what you like and go for it. You’ll be happy you did.

At Swoon Rugs, we want to help you find that decorative rug accent you love. We curate a collection of artisan-made, eye-catching rugs that are a perfect staple for your personal style. Check them out! And if you’ve got some creative rug applications, let us know at swoonies@swoonrugs.com.

Cristina Bathroom design with a vintage rug from Swoon Rugs black cabinets, leather pulls, a round mirror, white walls