Designing for a media room

Whether you’re curling up for movie night, watching cartoons with the kids or hosting friends for the big game, your media room should be as comfortable as it is inviting. The right rug plays a big part in that, serving to ground your space, soften sound and add warmth underfoot. It’s the finishing touch that transforms a functional room into a true retreat for relaxation and connection.

Here’s how to choose the perfect rug to make your media room the coziest (and best-sounding) spot in the house.

A great media room invites you to relax, so comfort should come first. Look for a rug with a thick, soft pile — something that feels plush under bare feet and adds to the room’s overall sense of warmth.

High-pile or densely woven rugs create a cocooning effect that encourages everyone to kick off their shoes and settle in. Beyond the tactile comfort, a thicker rug also enhances the cozy aesthetic, signaling that this is a space made for unwinding, and not just for watching.

In a room designed for lounging, bigger really is better. A large rug visually anchors your seating area and makes the space feel more cohesive. As a general rule, choose a rug large enough so that the front legs of your sofa and chairs rest comfortably on it. But if your budget allows, take it a step further. A rug that extends beneath all of your furniture, or comes within six inches to a foot of the wall, will make the room feel expansive and luxurious.

But size isn’t just about proportion or style. A larger rug (especially one with a thicker pile) also improves acoustics. By reducing echo and softening hard surfaces, it enhances sound quality, which is a must-have feature for spaces built around entertainment.

When you order a rug from Ernesta, you can find your perfect fit with ease. Every rug is custom-cut to your exact dimensions, down to the inch, and delivered in as little as two weeks. If you need help figuring out your ideal rug size, our rug size guide can help you measure and visualize your layout.

A rug pad might not be the first thing you think of when designing your media room, but it’s a small detail that makes a big impact. Not only does it add an extra layer of softness underfoot, it also helps your rug stay in place, protecting both the rug and the flooring beneath it. Rug pads also improve sound absorption — a subtle but effective way to make your room feel quieter and more comfortable.

With Ernesta, it’s easy to add on a pad when ordering your rug. Choose from a classic felt pad for added plushness or a dual grip pad designed for high-traffic areas. Each pad is custom-cut to match your rug’s exact dimensions for a perfect fit.

Think about how you’ll actually use your media room. If the space doubles as a family hangout or snack zone, or if you have kids and pets, durability and easy maintenance are key.

Performance and easy-care rugs are great options for these high-use spaces. They resist stains, clean up easily and maintain their look over time. Wool is another excellent choice: it’s naturally resilient, soft and has the bonus of being sound-absorbing, making it ideal for a space where you’ll be listening and lounging.

When it comes to color, consider mid-tone or patterned rugs that can help disguise everyday wear and the occasional spill. While light, solid colors can be beautiful, they tend to show dirt more easily in heavily used rooms.