In her search for the perfect rug, Rachel comes to appreciate — more than ever — its ability to help complete a space's color statement.

Designers are notorious for being the most indecisive clients. It's probably because we can't stand the notion of having to pick just one thing when we know there's a myriad of options out there. I always thought I would know exactly what I wanted when it came time to decorate my baby's room. Boy, was I ever wrong!

Paint comes last (that is, it should)

When working with clients, I always advise them to select paint colors last, after the permanent fixtures of the space have been decided on: furniture, art, rugs, lighting, etc. I tell homeowners there's a wide range of paint hues available to match or complement your pricier items like area rugs. However, it's a whole lot harder to find a rug, after the fact, that will work perfectly with your wall color.

So what did I do? Not listen to my own advice, of course. Too impatient to wait until I found the "perfect" rug, I went ahead and painted my baby's room a brilliant shade of turquoise (similar to Reflecting Pool SW 6486). Let me tell you, searching for a rug that complemented the turquoise and added cohesion to all the other pieces in the nursery was a monumental undertaking.

Rugs: the underappreciated color statement

I've always felt that rugs get short shrift when it comes to injecting color in a space. Why do the pillows, drapes and vases get all the attention? A colorful pattern beneath your feet can add a wonderfully cozy, tactile and personal touch to any space. I like to think of rugs as wallpaper for the floor.While exhaustively poring over online rug retailers, I was increasingly frustrated by the lack of inspirational modern designs. The market appeared to be seriously lacking in alternatives to "traditional" area rugs. But just when I was ready to throw in the towel and purchase a generic, mass-produced rug from a "big box" store, I struck gold ... and fuchsia, tangerine, lime, periwinkle and, yes, turquoise. Gorgeous, saturated colors woven into a wild, unique, whimsical pattern. The rug came from a small studio out of New Hampshire, called Company C.

A wild cacophony of color and pattern

As Company C puts it, "color always comes first." They combine their saturated palettes with design inspirations from all over the globe to create one-of-a-kind rugs. Whether they're attending international textile trade fairs like the Heimtextil in Germany or high-fashion runway shows in Milan, Company C's designers work hard to be on the cutting edge of trends, and to incorporate those influences in their design lines. For instance, during a trip to Paris a few years ago, they were seeing the use of copper everywhere. So, back in the studio, the Company C designers mixed copper with wine, pewter, green and peacock blue, to create an art deco-art nouveau look for their Shimmer rug collection.

In addition, from season to season, Company C updates and evolves its collections, pairing seemingly discordant colors and patterns to create unique new looks. Semiannually, anywhere from two to 16 rugs are introduced, as old collections are discontinued to make way for the new seasonal line. While some rugs only last a season, great sellers, like the Kensington , have been around for more than a decade.

Everyone has a different connection to a rug that "speaks" to them. In my case, Company C's use of vibrant colors and bold, oversized graphics appealed to my personal aesthetic. The perfect rug for my baby's room turned out to be Sarasa Pool. It's sophisticated, but not stuffy. Whimsical, but not immature. Bright and bold, but not "in your face." I can happily spend hours staring at its mix of juicy, vibrant colors and exuberant shapes while rocking my baby.

And while I could have made things much easier on myself by selecting my perfect rug before painting, I might have ended up at Company C, regardless.