Swedish Design • Rug Buying Guide
A rug has an unusual job in an interior. It needs to bring the furniture together while often being one of the largest uninterrupted areas of colour, pattern and texture in the entire room.
That balance is exactly what makes Layered rugs so interesting. The Swedish brand approaches the rug less like a finishing accessory and more like a piece of design in its own right.
From understated wool and natural jute to bold geometric designs and creative collaborations, the Layered collection gives you the choice between a rug that quietly anchors a room and one that becomes its defining feature.
Explore Layered RugsThe Brand
Scandinavian design with a more expressive side.
Layered was founded in Stockholm in 2015 by Malin Glemme, following her own search for a premium rug that had the design character she wanted for an interior.
That starting point still makes sense when you look at the collection today. Layered rugs often have a distinctly Scandinavian sense of proportion and material, but they are not limited to pale colours or ultra-minimal patterns.
Art, architecture, fashion and colour all feed into the designs, creating a collection that moves from restrained natural pieces through to rugs that function almost like artwork for the floor.
Why Layered?
Rugs designed to contribute to the room.
Colour & pattern
From tonal neutrals to checkerboards and graphic colour fields, the rug can become an active element within the scheme.
Handmade character
Handwoven and hand-tufted constructions introduce subtle variations and more tactile surfaces.
Natural materials
Wool, jute and sisal each give the room a very different texture, feel and practical character.
Creative collaboration
Collections such as Gio and Teklan bring art, architecture and colour directly into the rug design.
An Easy Introduction to Pattern
Layered Chess Rug
The Chess Rug is one of the easiest ways to introduce a stronger pattern without allowing the rug to overwhelm the rest of the furniture.
Its classic checkerboard pattern is handwoven from 100% New Zealand wool using a flatweave construction, creating a surface that is soft but relatively easy to use beneath furniture.
Available at RB12 in Sage, Black & White, Burgundy and Mustard Yellow, the same geometric design can feel completely different depending on the colour palette around it.
Best for: dining rooms, contemporary living rooms and interiors where you want recognisable pattern without excessive visual complexity.
Quiet Pattern
Layered Swedish Grace
Swedish Grace takes a more restrained approach to statement design, using Art Deco references without relying on a strong or complicated colour palette.
Handwoven from 100% wool, its tonal geometric design creates the sort of composed, tactile appearance that works particularly well in larger living rooms and softly furnished bedrooms.
RB12 offers Swedish Grace in Oatmeal and Bone White, with sizes reaching 300 × 400cm — useful when the rug needs to properly anchor a substantial furniture arrangement.
Best for: neutral interiors, large living rooms and spaces where you want pattern to reveal itself gradually rather than dominate the room.
Statement Rugs
When the floor becomes part of the artwork.
Gio and Teklan are the collections to explore when the rug needs to contribute colour, geometry and visual energy rather than simply provide a neutral foundation.
Italian Modernism
The Gio Collection
Inspired by Italian modernism and the design language associated with Gio Ponti, Gio uses graphic lines, rhythmic geometry and contrasting colour fields.
Each rug is hand-tufted in 100% wool, with colour fields carefully cut to different heights to give the surface a more tactile and sculptural character.
Explore Gio
Colour & Geometry
The Teklan Collection
Created with Swedish colourist and designer Tekla Evelina Severin, the collection explores colour, framing, architectural geometry and optical effects.
The Teklan Labyrinth Rug is handcrafted in 100% wool and offered at RB12 in Mulberry Sand and Coral Pink, in sizes reaching 300 × 400cm.
Explore TeklanNatural Fibre Guide
Jute or sisal: which should you choose?
Both bring natural texture into an interior, but they feel very different underfoot and suit different rooms and uses.
Wool Rug Guide
Deep texture or a quieter foundation?
Both bring the warmth and softness of wool into the room, but they play very different roles within an interior.
Find Your Layered Rug
Start with the room, then choose the rug.
Material, pile and pattern all become easier to choose once you know what the rug needs to do.
Dining Room
Keep it flatter
Chess is a strong wool option thanks to its flatweave construction, while Basket Weave Sisal offers a firmer natural-fibre alternative.
Living Room
You have more freedom
Swedish Grace creates quiet pattern. Gio and Teklan turn the floor into a stronger statement. Solid Wool keeps things restrained.
Bedroom
Prioritise softness
Shaggy creates the softest feel, while Swedish Grace and Solid Wool offer more tailored alternatives.
Natural Interior
Let texture lead
Strata Jute and Basket Weave Sisal work beautifully alongside timber, stone, linen and other natural materials.
Size Matters
The most common rug mistake? Choosing one that’s too small.
A rug should normally help connect the furniture rather than look like a small island sitting between it.
Living room
Aim for enough width that at least the front legs of the sofa and surrounding chairs can sit comfortably on the rug. In a larger room, placing the entire seating arrangement on the rug can create an even more unified composition.
Dining room
The rug should extend well beyond the edge of the table so that dining chairs remain on the rug when they are pulled backwards.
Bedroom
Either position a large rug beneath the bed so it extends generously around the sides, or use smaller rugs deliberately rather than choosing a size that looks accidentally undersized.
Several Layered designs available at RB12 reach 300 × 400cm, giving you enough scale to properly anchor larger furniture arrangements.
Styling Advice
Should your rug blend in or stand out?
There is no rule that says a rug needs to match the furniture. Often the most interesting schemes use the floor to create contrast.
Neutral furniture?
Consider Chess, Gio or Teklan. A restrained sofa gives a stronger rug enough visual space to work.
Busy interior?
Solid Wool, Swedish Grace or a natural jute rug can calm the scheme rather than introducing another competing pattern.
Want more colour?
Pick one colour already present in artwork, upholstery or accessories and let the rug amplify it rather than adding several unrelated tones.
Material Guide
Choose the material as carefully as the pattern.
Wool
Soft, substantial and exceptionally versatile. Used across Chess, Swedish Grace, Gio and Teklan.
Jute
Warm, naturally textured and particularly effective alongside timber, linen and earthy palettes.
Sisal
Drier and firmer than jute, giving it a more structured surface suited to practical spaces.
High pile
Choose it where softness and tactile comfort are more important than ease of moving dining chairs.
Finishing the Room
A beautiful rug can still look wrong if the furniture isn’t positioned with it.
Think of the rug and furniture as one composition rather than two separate decisions.
Don’t leave a large gap around the sofa
Bringing the front legs onto the rug usually makes the seating area feel more connected.
Centre the rug on the furniture, not necessarily the room
In open-plan spaces, the rug often works best when it defines a furniture zone rather than aligning with the architecture around it.
Allow statement rugs to remain visible
With a design such as Gio or Teklan, avoid covering every interesting part of the pattern with furniture.
Measure before ordering
Mark the proposed dimensions on the floor before committing. It is much easier to understand scale when you can physically see the footprint.
Complete the Room
The rug doesn’t have to match the furniture. Sometimes it should challenge it.
A restrained modular sofa can gain personality from Teklan. A sculptural coffee table can benefit from the simplicity of Solid Wool. Pale Scandinavian dining furniture can handle the stronger geometry of Chess.
That versatility is why Layered sits particularly naturally alongside the wider contemporary furniture collection at RB12.
Browse the Layered Rugs CollectionLayered at RB12
Let the rug set the tone for the whole room.
Explore more than 30 Layered designs across wool, jute, sisal, high-pile textures, geometric patterns and creative collaborations.
Shop Layered RugsBuying Advice
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy Layered rugs in the UK?
RB12 offers a substantial collection of Layered rugs in the UK, including wool, jute, sisal, patterned and high-pile designs across a wide range of sizes and colours.
Is Layered a Swedish rug brand?
Yes. Layered was founded in Stockholm and its collections combine Scandinavian design influences with art, colour, craftsmanship and contemporary interiors.
Are Layered rugs handmade?
Many designs use handcrafted techniques including hand-weaving and hand-tufting. This means slight variations can form part of the individual character of the finished rug.
Which Layered rug is best for a dining room?
Flatter surfaces tend to work particularly well beneath dining furniture. The Layered Chess Rug uses a flatweave wool construction, while Basket Weave Sisal provides a firmer, durable natural-fibre alternative.
What is the difference between a jute rug and a sisal rug?
Both are natural fibres, but jute generally has a warmer and softer visual character. Sisal has a drier, firmer and more structured surface and can be particularly useful in higher-traffic areas.
What size rug should I choose for a living room?
In most living rooms, choose a rug large enough for at least the front legs of the sofa and surrounding chairs to sit on it. An undersized rug can make otherwise well-proportioned furniture feel disconnected.
Does Layered make large rugs?
Yes. Several Layered designs available through RB12 are offered in sizes up to 300 × 400cm, making them suitable for substantial living rooms, dining tables and open-plan interiors.