The best wool rugs are an easy sell, known for their durability, moisture-wicking abilities, hypoallergenic nature, and overall plushness, whether you need that strictly on a textural basis or as a courtesy because you’re a city-dwelling neighbor surrounded by thin walls and loud noises. Our staffers have spent years testing wool rugs in their personal spaces, from easier-to-manage flatweave styles to groovy shag pile options, and they have lots of valuable insights and tips when it comes to styling and maintaining them. They’ve owned some not-so-basic beige weaves to suit any California neutral lifestyle and even grand Turkish rugs that look straight from a bazaar to give you options that will truly floor your house guests.
Our Top Picks for the Best Wool Rugs
Quince Artemis Hand-Knotted Wool Rug
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The Citizenry Mina Hand-Knotted Beni Ourain Rug
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Inside the Article
Best Neutral Option
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Castlery Cora Wool Area Rug
This solid colored wool rug was the perfect neutral-but-not-boring option to balance out the space between visuals editor Lizzie Soufleris’ living room and dining area. “After years of walking across my old flat-weave rug, the plushness of this 100% wool, handmade creation is a major upgrade.” She appreciates that the subtle fringed edges are a subtle nod to more traditional rug designs and that the neutral hue does a nice job balancing out the more colorful accents in her living room. “It feels well-made and sturdy,” she adds. “It laid flat immediately upon unrolling, without any pesky curled edges.”
For Traditionalists
Quince Artemis Hand-Knotted Wool Rug
Commerce editor Audrey Lee was inspired by the cozy rugs in Walton Goggins’ moody Hudson Valley home when she settled on this vintage-inspired rug from Quince. Since it’s not a particularly high-pile carpet, it sheds minimally and Lee notes that the silhouette is great if you’re in search of “a traditional-looking rug design that’s not overly traditional.” With an understated mix of blue and yellow tones that provide warmth but still feel muted.
A Vintage Shag Carpet
The Citizenry Mina Hand-Knotted Beni Ourain Rug
The Citizenry’s Mina rug has an innately rustic feel thanks to the Moroccan weaving techniques used to create this heirloom in the making. “This rug stood out to me because it features some colors I don’t typically see paired—a rich rust and soft pink. I happen to have two macramé leaves on my living room wall with that exact palette, so it was kismet,” says digital features editor Charlotte Collins. She loves how the rune-like figures pull off the look in a way that’s elegant and unexpected. “I’ve never had a shag rug before, but it’s so soft that I sometimes ditch my sofa and sit directly on it.”
Textural Appeal
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Lauren Arzbaecher
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Lauren Arzbaecher
Anthropologie Hand-Tufted Sculpted Daisy Rug
Faux marble flooring in commerce producer Lauren Arzbaecher’s apartment made more neutral rug options an obvious pick to visually balance the busy background. Not wanting something overly drab, she turned to Anthropologie’s Daisy rug for its simple color palette with loaded texture. “The emerald green color is reminiscent of faux grass, which I think adds a subtle, campy element to my space—almost as if I could plop a plastic flamingo on top of it and it wouldn’t look out of place,” she says in her review. “That small taste of humor behind an otherwise unassuming rug makes me smile every time I step into my living room.”
A Kid’s Room Favorite
Racheal Indoor Rug by AllModern
AllModern’s “simple yet charming” Racheal rug is another of Lee’s favorites for a low-pile bedroom carpet that doesn’t need constant vacuuming.“It’s perfect if you’re looking for something neutral that still has character,” says Lee. She has hers stationed in her bedroom, but says it would work just as well in any other room, especially a nursery or a kid’s room. It’s available in six sophisticated colors including a deep chocolate brown, jewel-toned teal, and an of-the-moment rust hue, though Lee opted for the lighter green option because it reminded her of a sheep grazing a bed of grass.”
Shop More AD-Approved Wool Rugs
Pottery Barn Merrin Hand-Knotted Wool Rug
Pottery Barn’s Merrin rug was one of the first pieces contributor Rebecca Grambone and her boyfriend agreed on when they merged homes. She described it as the ideal blend of their distinct styles: “charming and chic, without being too busy or overtly feminine.” Texture-wise, she noted that the fibers are extremely soft, while the chambray multishade colorway is versatile enough to align with different color palettes thanks to the slight hints of neutral shades like grayish blue and beige.
Unlike other wool options contributor Lila Allen had tried, this one from Armadillo “mercifully shed very little, outside of a few tufts of fiber on the edges every once in a while.” The flatweave cable rug made a strong first impression on Allen, who said it looked exactly as she hoped it would. “Be prepared to vacuum often though, doing that helps maintain the health of your rug long-term.” The chambray colorway she chose is composed entirely of Italian and Argentinian wool accented by a small strip of white cotton fringe on the ends. “These rugs add dimension to a space, but quietly—so maximalists, this may not be the one for you,” says Allen, though she advises that they would work well for most other decor schemes, from organic to eclectic.
Executive fashion director Lisa Aiken chose Nordic Knots’ Grand rug for her living room, gravitating to its minimal hues. “The tone and saturation strike a great balance, but I am most impressed by the weight and texture of the pile which is dense and compact, feels luxurious underfoot, and holds shape with heavy furniture on top,” she says. Aiken also noted that the weighty design is another aspect she enjoys about the carpet, though it does make it slightly hard to maneuver. Similarly, the depth of the pile doesn’t rebound if furniture is moved, which can be noticeable for a period of time.
Best Places to Shop for Wool Rugs
Look to West Elm for moderately priced, high-quality silhouettes from the likes of AD100 design firm Pierce & Ward, along with the retailer’s in-house line. We surfaced this mesmerizing geometric flatweave design and a low-pile, tufted option that becomes more condensed toward the edges, creating a faux border that draws the eye.
Rugs Direct is home to an abundance of AD-approved rug brands such as Joon Loloi, Safavieh, and Jaipur Living. That includes lots of feminine florals, traditional Turkish recreations, and more modern options like this scalloped edge wool design and abstract tufted pick.
Don’t sleep on the carpet selection at Edward Martin, the stone-and-tile retailer who also stocks a good selection of rugs and furniture. Not-too-traditional traditionalists might gravitate towards the Mallory rug, which incorporates some abstract patterns that mimic classic Turkish rug patterns upon closer inspection, while the Micah might appeal to more bohemian spaces with its playful tasseled details.
How To Clean a Wool Rug
While none of the rugs that AD team members have tested are machine washable, some wool designs are (typically flatweave options like this one from Fable Home). Most stains from coffee to red wine can be cleaned with water and a gentle detergent or mild dish soap. All the brands recommend lightly vacuuming at least once a week on low suction and without a beater brush attachment to help prevent shedding. A professional clean is also recommended every 12 to 18 months, or when you need to tackle extremely baked-in stains.
