How to Style a Sheepskin Rug or Throw
Soft, natural and incredibly versatile, a real sheepskin is one of those rare home accessories that can move from room to room as your home changes.
At Society House, we know our sheepskins particularly well. Our Devon homeware shop sits next door to Devonia, Britain’s oldest established sheepskin tannery on the edge of Dartmoor, where sheepskins have been traditionally tanned since 1808. Our collection includes natural rare breed skins alongside dyed shades, larger multi-skin rugs and our bestselling Oatmeal Bouclé and Linen pieces.
If you're wondering how to style your sheepskin rug, this is really the fun part when it comes to decorating your home. Their versatility means there are very few rules. Our sheepskins offer natural shape and texture work particularly well in relaxed interiors, where they can make a space feel warmer and more inviting without looking overly styled.
5 Sheepskin Rug Ideas for Your Home
Layer a Sheepskin Rug in Your Living Room
Layer a Sheepskin Rug in Your Living Room
One of the easiest ways to style a sheepskin rug is to place it beside your sofa or favourite armchair.
Unlike a large rectangular rug, the irregular shape of a natural sheepskin doesn't need to sit perfectly square with your furniture. In fact, we think it looks better when it doesn't.
Try positioning one at an angle beside a sofa or underneath the front of an occasional chair. This creates layers of different natural textures and can make a room feel more relaxed.
Neutral shades such as Oatmeal Bouclé, Linen, ivory and natural rare breed sheepskins work particularly well with wood, linen, rattan and other tactile materials.
Drape a sheepskin over an armchair
Drape a sheepskin over an armchair
You don't have to use a sheepskin on the floor.
Draping a single sheepskin over the back or seat of an armchair is one of our favourite styling tricks, particularly if a chair needs a little extra texture.
Allow the natural shape of to fall loosely over the chair rather than trying to position it too precisely. It works particularly well on leather, wooden and neutral fabric chairs, where the contrast in texture can completely change the look of the piece.
It also has the advantage of being practical: you get an extra soft place to curl up when you're using the chair.
Add One to the End of Your Bed
Add One to the End of Your Bed
If you're looking for sheepskin rug ideas for a bedroom, start at the foot of the bed.
A single sheepskin can be draped casually across one corner of a bed, while a double sheepskin works well across more of the bed's width.
Keep the rest of your bedding relatively simple and let the texture of the wool do the work. Linen bedding, cotton throws and earthy or neutral colours are particularly easy to pair with natural sheepskin.
It's a simple way to create a layered, relaxed bedroom without adding lots of cushions and accessories.
Soften a Wooden Bench
Soften a Wooden Bench
A sheepskin and a wooden bench are a particularly good combination.
Lay one across an entryway bench, window seat or dining bench to soften the hard surface and introduce another natural material into the room.
You don't necessarily need the sheepskin to cover the whole bench. A single skin casually positioned at one end can often look more relaxed than something perfectly fitted.
It's also an easy way to change the look of existing furniture without replacing it.
Try Linen for a Softer Neutral Look
Try Linen for a Softer Neutral Look
Our Linen Sheepskin is a customer favourite and a useful alternative if you want a soft, understated neutral.
Use it in bedrooms, living rooms and reading corners, or drape it across an occasional chair.
Because both Linen and Oatmeal sit comfortably alongside other natural colours, they're particularly easy to move around the home as you rearrange or redecorate.
And that's one of the things we like most about sheepskins: they don't have to have one permanent place.
Sheepskin FAQs
Are sheepskin rugs just for winter?
Are sheepskin rugs just for winter?
No. Real sheepskin can be used throughout the year.
Although we naturally associate wool with warmth and cosy winter interiors, wool fibres are breathable and help regulate temperature. This means sheepskin provides insulation during colder weather without needing to disappear into a cupboard as soon as summer arrives.
In winter, use your sheepskin on chairs, sofas and beside the bed for additional warmth. In summer, simplify the surrounding layers and use it as a natural textural feature.
It's one reason we see sheepskins as much more than a seasonal accessory.
What colour sheepskin should you choose?
What colour sheepskin should you choose?
Think about the materials and colours already in your room rather than trying to match everything exactly.
For warm neutral interiors: try Oatmeal Bouclé, Linen, ivory, caramel or warm natural rare breed skins.
For cooler neutral interiors: grey and natural white sheepskins can sit comfortably alongside stone, charcoal and cooler woods.
For darker interiors: chocolate brown, natural brown and patterned rare breed sheepskins introduce texture without creating a stark contrast.
For more colourful interiors: choose a coloured sheepskin and treat it as an accent piece.
Natural sheepskins will always have variations in shape, texture and colour. We see those differences as part of their character rather than something that needs to be hidden.
What size sheepskin rug should you choose?
What size sheepskin rug should you choose?
The right size depends largely on where you plan to use it.
A single sheepskin is a versatile choice for beside a bed, over an armchair, across a bench or as a small accent rug.
A double sheepskin gives you more length and works particularly well at the end of a bed or beside a sofa.
A quad sheepskin creates a much larger surface and works better when you want the sheepskin to function as a main rug rather than an accent.
For larger rooms, look at multi-skin rugs that provide the softness and character of natural sheepskin on a much bigger scale.
How do you keep a sheepskin looking good?
How do you keep a sheepskin looking good?
Natural sheepskin doesn't need complicated day-to-day care.
Give your rug or throw a regular shake to remove loose dust and dirt and gently brush the wool when needed. Deal with spills promptly rather than allowing them to soak into the fleece.
Sheepskin naturally contains lanolin, which helps the wool resist dirt, but it is still important to follow the correct cleaning method if your sheepskin needs a deeper clean.
Read our full How to Wash a Sheepskin Rug or Throw guide for step-by-step care advice.
Why choose a real sheepskin?
Why choose a real sheepskin?
A good-quality real sheepskin is designed to be used rather than simply displayed.
Natural wool is breathable, insulating and hard-wearing, while the individual variations in each fleece give natural sheepskins a character that's difficult to recreate with a synthetic alternative.
The provenance matters to us, too.
Society House is based in Buckfastleigh on the edge of Dartmoor, next door to Devonia, Britain's oldest established sheepskin tannery. Devonia has been tanning sheepskins using traditional methods since 1808.
Being neighbours gives us access to an unusually varied selection, from British rare breed skins to our popular dyed Oatmeal Bouclé and Linen designs. It also means sheepskins aren't simply another product category for us – they're a big part of what we do here in Devon.