We love rugs around here. They ground a space and draw your eye to the focal point of a room. A lot of times it can be hard to decide on a rug because 1) they aren't cheap and 2) they provide such a focus on an area that it can be tricky to decide how bold (or not bold) to go.

So, today we've partnered with Loloi to show you two ways that a room can look simply by your choice of rug and how it affects some of the accessories around it. Take a look at these two options—both which I love in different ways. Both rugs have graphic patterns (because you know I'm all pattern all the time), but one is neutral and one has a very defined color…

Option 1 – A rug with a strong and clear color. I chose this light blue rug because of the pattern and because it has a color that I've generally always liked. If I'm going with a colorful rug, it's gotta be a color I can live with for a while. For me, that's usually blues and greens (hence the green couch). Your favorite colors may be different than mine, but the rule holds true. Don't pick a color that's too trendy or that you know you'll hate next year.

After placing down the blue rug, we accented the space with a couple large pillows in other complementary shades of blue as a base. Then we added in a couple neutral pillows, as well as a contrasting pop of color with that velvet peach pillow. The artwork is neutral and simple in this version to avoid competing with the graphic, colorful rug. The great thing about a colorful rug is that it brings a ton of life to the space, but you just have to be more mindful of the other elements around it.

[Rug and blue pillows by Loloi, couch from Room & Board, side table from Target.]

Now here's option 2 – A neutral, graphic rug. This cream and black rug serves as a fun, neutral base that's way cooler than defaulting to a plain grey rug. If you're scared to incorporate both color and pattern, a neutral rug like this with a bit of pattern makes for a good way to dip your toes into that patterned water.

After placing down the neutral rug, we accented the couch with a few graphic pillows that pull in some of the black and white from the rug. Then we added in a neutral pillow and that same peach pillow we used in the first version. This shows you how you can use some of the same pillows with different rugs. But to make it all work together, it looks best when a couple of the pillows tie into the rug as well. The artwork here is a bit more mixed and can include more colors and variances because this rug doesn't distract too much away from the wall.

[Rug and patterned pillows by Loloi, couch from Room & Board, side table from Target.]

So, what do you guys think? Which one do you like better? Would you pick a neutral rug or a colorful one?

P.S. You can purchase Loloi's rugs on sale this week over at Zulily. Otherwise, you can find them at Wayfair and Rugs Direct as well as retailers around the nation.

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Loloi. All content, ideas, and words are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that allow me to create new and original content like this for Oh Joy.

{Photos by Casey Brodley and styling by Julia Wester for Oh Joy}