Think of your rug as the foundation for your room. A well chosen rug will define the personality of the room. Once you define the rooms usage, you will be able to narrow your choice of a rug. For example, is the room formal or casual, or is it traditional or contemporary?

"The rug defines the room"

The well chosen rug will compliment your fabric. Look at the secondary colors in the rug and let those colors guide your choice of fabric and visa versa.

Look also at the character of the fabric and the room to guide your choice of the rug. The scale of a fabric suggests the pattern or character in the rug. For example, leather sofas are generally large scale pieces so a large or boldly designed rug might best suit that kind of fabric. Likewise, a delicate fabric and more formal room would suggest a much more restrained style of carpet.