As for area rugs, Ellen DeGeneres has used hers to subtly define her two main seating areas – a clever visual trick. If you're wondering about the best area rug sizes for a living room, Brittany Rediger, Founder & Principal Designer of Oregon-based Rediger Design, explains:
'In the main seating zone, make sure the front legs of each piece sit roughly 12 inches onto the rug. It’s okay if the backs of those anchor pieces hang off. That actually helps create a connection with surrounding zones rather than isolating the seating area on what I call “rug island.”'
Finally, consider lighting. You can't miss those statement chandeliers in Ellen DeGeneres' living room, but as well as being a design statement they're also another way to define the separate spaces. Brittany explains:
'When I’m defining a zone with lighting, I think about it vertically. Your ceiling fixture acts as the apex. It centers and anchors the zone from above, just as the rug grounds it from below,' she adds 'The ceiling light defines the center, while table and floor lamps create ambient glow around the edges, and sconces can act as subtle boundary markers that visually frame the space. That layered approach creates a light canopy over the zone.'
