Many people would rather stay within a budget with their basement spaces, but that doesn’t mean that the look can’t be design-rich. Take a look at this lower level room. The solid-surface flooring takes on a personality of its own that perfectly suits the very modern persona of the room.

The most powerful design feature in this room is the suspended staircase. By opening up the stairwell, the homeowners have taken their basement from an unnoticed space and turned it into an exciting addition. The metal and wood staircase has a double value thanks to the light super-shiny floor. The reflection of the stairs actually acts as artwork underfoot.

The rest of the room keeps to the modern tone. A wall of contemporary images in matching frames provides an inexpensive but dramatic attention-grabber as you descend into the room. The conversation area is defined by the white sofa and loveseat and the daring zebra rug. A black and white theme continues with throw pillows and a series of vases.

Other than the addition of the stairway, this room was not expensive to create, but it has a high-priced impact. The reason for that comes from the powerful design that moves this room from basement to an exciting part of the total home.

When it’s time to select an area rug, a little forethought will help you make just the right choice. This rug pulls all of the colors together to create an island in the middle of the room that really suits its style. With a few simple decisions, your rug can be just as integrated and effective as this one.

To start, determine the right size rug for your room. In this case the homeowners chose a rug that would add warmth to the space while still allowing the beautiful hardwood floor to appear. If you want to cover a floor that is not as lovely, consider a rug large enough to cover the entire conversation area. Of course, the larger the rug the more expensive it is, so be sure to factor your budget into your decision.

The second issue is color. This room has a lot of warm tones between the floor, the fireplace and the walls. The rug is primarily warm too, but it grabs the cool colors of the sofa and loveseat as well as the lamp bases and echoes them in the rug’s central design. The grey stripes in particular link the two seating elements together across the room.

Third is design. This room is fairly contemporary and the rug is a style match for that. Its central motif works because the coffee table is airy and simple. Many tables would hide that central design. In those cases, look for rugs with a border pattern or an overall look that won’t be hidden.

An area rug like this one can really pull a room together and provide the final element needed to make a room complete. Spend the time you need to find the perfect rug for your space.