Re: What colour rug? What size rug?
with the contemporary decor, and a hardwood floor, i would strongly suggest to go for some solid color rug or some nice contemporary style one. You might have already known that If you decide to have a contemporary setting, as it sounds from your post, then you gotta make sure that all the big things, furniture/rugs/window treatment etc., that you are going to place in that room should be the same style in order to bring the harmony in your decor pattern.
An oriental or afghan/Persian designed rug just doesn’t go with a contemporary style setting… it simply looks out of place… you see, with contemporary the focus is not on any single item in the room but the room as a whole. Now you can add a little bit hints of traditional or transitional decor if you want, like a vase or something, but again you have to make sure it is not standing out and not making all the other things to go out of focus.
West elm is a very good site and i have bought a couple of wall decor stuff from them, their quality is good and their price is cheaper than their competitors like Horchow, Crate and Barrel, and Pottery Barn. However, i would prefer Horchow and Pottery Barn (esp. with my kids room decor) anytime as their stuff is plainly beautiful, unique, and hard to find anywhere else.
I am planning to have either one of these rugs for our living room:
http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p9059/index.cfm?pkey=cprwrugall
I love shag rugs… they feel so nice and plushy underfoot.
Another ones are:
sheepskin is also so yum yum… either one of these rugs will go really well with my espresso silk window treatment and the chocolate brown leather sofa, and the nice part is… their runner is also available which i would be getting for the passage between my living room and bedrooms.
I also like the second rug that you posted, I am planning to redo my bedroom and attached bath with either the blue-brown OR sage-brown color combo and i would be needing a 4’ x 6’ rug for my bedroom.
PS: One more thing, although hand knotted wool rugs are pricier than the machine made or hand tufted ones, but in the long run they are more durable and will last longer… so it really worth to spend some extra bucks to get better quality of rug for your living room.
Good luck with your decor…