Young House Love

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Trying Different Rugs In The Kitchen

Ah, the rugs in our kitchen. They were $34 from The Company Store ages ago (maybe 2008?). They originally lived in our first house’s kitchen and third bedroom, and they’re awesomely durable and neutral – but they don’t really do anything for the new kitchen (in person they’re a little too small and sort of clash with the avocado walls since they’re so honey-oak-colored). So “find a new kitchen rug (or rugs)” has been on our lingering kitchen to-do list for the last couple of months.

KitchenRugs Original Hall

We decided to tackle this rug situation – well, more like it decided to tackle us – on a recent stop at HomeGoods. Sherry found a pile of awesome 5 x 7′ flat weave options for just $49 each. We saw potential in a lot of them so we lugged them home for what Sherry cheerily dubbed our “kitchen rug fashion show.” As for me, I prepared myself for lots of rug moving – so a disclaimer upfront that the rugs in the pics to follow aren’t perfectly placed, nor are they wrinkle or tag-free (we just threw them down, gauged our reactions, and snapped pics for ya).

KitchenRugs John Shopping

In an attempt to spare myself a lot of work, I suggested we start with what I thought was guaranteed to work: a bold black and white stripe. In my head this was the perfect solution. It became quickly clear that I was wrong.

KitchenRugs BWStripe From Hall11

Even though the pattern was simple, the high contrast black versus white was very visually demanding. We thought that eliminating one of them (in the cooking area) might help, since we’d been leaning towards just having a rug on the fireplace half of the room anyways (to define that area is the cozy living spot in the room). But…

KitchenRugs BWStripe From Hall 11

… that change wasn’t enough to save the black & white rug as an option. In person it was even crazier/more chaotic to look at. But it did confirm that we wanted just one rug in the room (in the living part) since they would have to run different directions to make the most sense – and almost any rug would look odd running length-wise in the cooking area and width-wise in the casual fireplace zone. Eliminating the competing pattern (since they’d be oriented in different directions) also helped to reinforce that the fireplace side was a living / relaxing space.

KitchenRugs BWStripe From Dining

Our next try was with a similar option HomeGoods had – a more subdued gray on white stripe (I wasn’t ready to give up on stripes).

KitchenRugs GreyStripe From Hall

We did like the gray because it sort of carried the gray backsplash over from the other side of the room. But I think it put the nail in the coffin for large stripes. It was still too high contrast for the space and felt sort of cheap and just plain wrong in person.

KitchenRugs GreyStripe From Dining

With my theory about the stripes sufficiently proved wrong, Sherry suggested that we try her favorite rug. It was an ikat-ish diamond pattern that was made up of some of our favorite colors. She also thought the dark colors would keep it from being too jarring against the dark floor.

KitchenRugs Diamonds From Hall

It did seem to work very nicely with the dining room curtains, which are visible from one view (check out Sherry’s hastily draped dishcloth pillow cover in the corner to help tie things in) and it helped her visualize the potential color scheme of that side of the room.

Kitchen Rugs Diamon Curtains

But ultimately this rug got the axe too. The pattern felt too distracting – perhaps because it was still relatively large scale – and the colors felt a bit circus-y in real life (it actually photographs better here than it looked in person). Sherry was bummed, especially because she had found a matching runner for the laundry room (which also has the same color scheme as the kitchen and is attached to the other side of the room).

KitchenRugs Diamons From Dining

By this point we had tried our entire bounty of HomeGoods rugs (which all got returned), and were starting to be convinced that a bold pattern was not the way to go. So we turned to our stash of existing rugs that are not currently “in service” around our house (aka: shoved in the playroom to use either in rooms we haven’t touched like the sunroom or playroom – or to be yard saled/craigslisted eventually) to see if any of them might work – even though we knew that would be a long shot. For instance, here’s the Pottery Barn rug that used to live in our office:

KitchenRugs PBCircles From Hall

Meh. We deemed it too light – and the off-white color just looked dirty in comparison to the white counters and cabinets in the room. Back to the closet for you!

KitchenRugs PBCircles From Dining

And even though we were over the in-your-face patterns, we also gave the old Pottery Barn “Clara” rug from our old den a shot – just to be sure.

KitchenRugs Clara From Hall

We still love it as a rug, but the pattern and color are totally wrong for our kitchen. Once again (like the original jute rugs from The Company Store) the honey-wheat tones were all wrong with the soft avocado walls (which we hear can read differently on many monitors, so our apologis if they look yellow or neon green – they’re really the color of the inside of an avocado- very light and subtle). Sorry Clara rug.

KitchenRugs Clara From Dining

At this point we started pilfering things from other rooms, like our all time favorite yellow moorish Pottery Barn rug from the guest room.

KitchenRugs Yellow From Hall

We were actually feeling this one a little bit. We liked that the sophisticated pattern wasn’t too high contrast. It didn’t scream for attention like a lot of the other larger-scale rugs had.

KitchenRugs Yellow Other Angle

Our only hang up was that the yellow clashed with the walls. Even though we love the other yellow accents around the room, it just wasn’t working (it was a little too orange in person while the walls have green undertones). Of all of the colors we tried, we actually thought that something gray could be the most natural for the space (it’s not clashy with the walls, it would tie into the wall of tile on the other side of the room, etc).

KitchenRugs Yellow From Stove

The yellow rug is still living in the kitchen just-for-now, but we’ve both agreed it’s not permanent. So I guess we still have more rug shuffling in our future, but at least all the shuffling in our past wasn’t a waste. We learned some important things about what we’re looking for: mainly a light, subtle not-too-large-scale pattern – possibly in gray to reference the backsplash and bring that over into the fireplace side of the room. We actually used this criteria to hunt down another rug that we think will be perfect. Cue the choir of angels. The only sad thing is that it’s on order – but once it arrives and we have photos to share, we’ll be able to tell you whether or not we were on the right track. Fingers crossed!

In the meantime, what did you guys do this weekend? Any rug shopping? I hope there was lots of family time too. We got to log some of that – and although four children under the age of three sounds like a recipe for disaster, it was great to have everyone together.

Comments

  1. Roxanne M says

    This post is hilarious to me because I spent most of my weekend rug shopping! We are looking for ‘the’ perfect rug to go in our family room, which just got new flooring. Ended up getting a cheap $50 substitute (for now) jute rug at Hom. I did find one I like at West Elm (Sakura Rug in Blue/grey) and it may be ‘the one’ but it is on backorder.
    I have looked at so many rugs online I am rugged out!

    Reply

  3. Tamara says

    I just love your kitchen and the whole flow of that part of your house! I agree with the previous poster – a light turquoise would be such a nice balance, and would make the other colors seem even more crisp. It would play nicely with your dining room curtains as well as your yellow and green accents. Here’s a pretty soft turquoise/light blue at overstock.com: http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Hand-hooked-Bliss-Outdoor-Pale-Blue-Rug-8-x-10/5608196/product.html.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Don’t you worry- we have a few other ways we’re planning to bring in some blues and other tones- just didn’t want them on the floor in the rug- but they’re coming!

      xo,
      s

  5. Judy says

    I never thought of buying various rugs to try & then returning the ones that didn’t make the cut. That is a good idea.
    Your kitchen has turned out so nicely. Have you ever thought of an oval shaped rug in that area?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We did think about that for a second, but we think since we’re more into circles in here (penny tiles, lights, etc) that an oval might feel like the odd man out (whereas we have lots of rectangles like the peninsula, the cabinets, the shelves, etc).

      xo,
      s

  7. Stacy says

    I’ll take your word for it that it was too distracting in person, but I loved the black and white striped rug in the living space of the kitchen! In picture, it looked awesome and modern. But oh well…can’t wait to see what you guys pick :)

    Reply

  8. Heidi P. says

    Loved the gray. Do you think gray is here for good? Or do you think it’s just in style for this decade? I love love love it, but I’m pretty sure a few decades ago I thought it was blah. But maybe that’s just because I wasn’t up on home decor back then.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I think it’ll always be a nice neutral like navy and mocha – which seem to come in and out more strongly, but you can always find a room with those tones (and a room with gray tones) in any issue of a popular home mag – so they never seem to go out since they’re classic- they just seem to get “more air-time” and then get a little less common (but still done). Know what I mean?

      xo,
      s

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Sadly it would conflict with the stools (they need to be pulled out for us to sit in them, and a large round rug would get in their way (and a small one would look like a tiny round bath mat in the middle of the space). We’d love a round rug for our office though!

      xo,
      s

  11. Catherine M says

    I bought the same exact Ikat rug as well, I love it! I think it looks great in your space, however I realize that I’m not there in person to see it. The same day I bought this rug I also splurged on two suzani printed rugs of the same size/material/price tag, you might want to search another Homegoods – (check out those rugs in my Homegoods shopping post here: http://www.inspirebohemia.com/2012/04/tjmaxx-homegoods-lusting-and-shopping.html)

    I also like the gray, it ties your penny tile wall in nicely! :) Good luck!

    Catherine
    Inspire Bohemia

    Reply

  12. wendy says

    I’ve been looking for a rug for our bedroom 4ever! I finally broke down and ordered one from PB ( awesome sale for Mem day!), now I’m kinda nervous. I hope it works being it’s not returnable since it was on sale!
    Just to let you know PB has a grey rug similar to the yellow one you like best, on sale too!

    Reply

  14. monica says

    rugs are so tough! trial and error is the way to go, the patterns need to be just right. Have you considered traditional oriental rugs? Oriental rugs are also timeless, but more expensiveKilims are cheaper and have a variety of patterns. . Overdyed rugs are trendy and very beautiful, they put a new spin on the traditional but again, very expensive. RugsUSA has these amazing sales from time to time, 50-75% off during holidays! Or, Joss+Main, One Kings Lane will also have rug sales. I’ve been looking for a rug for so long! I’m just waiting for the perfect one (rug, not man) ;)

    So… when does the book come out?!?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks for all the ideas Monica! Always a possibility if the one we ordered doesn’t work out. As for the book- it’s out this fall! Ack! Just spent the whole day editing layouts!

      xo,
      s

  16. Brittney says

    Something with a touch of aqua would be lovely. I think it would pull from your kitchen art piece, the Burger picture, and vases nicely.

    Reply

  18. mp says

    I slapped some paint on a couple of spots on my oak floor — it’s a VERY long story, but it was refinished badly by a hack contractor who had no idea what he was doing, and as a result, the posse has done a lot of damage that a normal wood floor would handle with ease. It’s gonna cost a couple of thousand to have it resanded and -finished, and I don’t have that cash right now, so I slapped down some paint on the spots that were getting dangerously close to bare wood. I’m putting two chairs over that area, so it’s not an unbearable situation.

    I also got my countertop in order, along with the usual laundry & dishes. For me, that’s progress.

    Reply

  19. katalina says

    http://pinterest.com/pin/52846995597426034/

    you probably saw that one too! you ordered a rug? from where? can we all guess which one?!! the suspense ….

    I always like on how the home shows show how a rug can really work…or not.
    I bought a runner from home decorators years ago and still love it–very primitive pattern.

    where was the ikat rug from that did not work?

    k

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Ooh that one’s pretty! We’ll share more deets on the rug as soon as it’s here and we have photos to share! The ikat rug was from HomeGoods. So sad it didn’t work.

      xo,
      s

  20. Caitlin says

    Can’t wait to see the rug you ordered! I’m sure it’s stunning since the two of you have amazing taste! I was just wondering if you’ve had any experience using a wool area rug in a bathroom? (I hope this isn’t a dumb question, haha- my hubby and I are novices when it comes to area/accent rugs). Anyway, we would like to use a decent sized rug in our bathroom, but I wasn’t sure how it would work with the moisture factor. I’d love any advice that you’re willing to give! Thanks!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We hear it works! Mags like House Beautiful and Domino say it can work with wetness since it’s a natural material so as long as you’re not constantly flooding it, it should hopefully work!

      xo,
      s

  21. Chrissie says

    It’s a parade of rugs! I do love the ikat pattern and the light grey tone, so my fingers are firmly crossed that you can find something that combines both.

    I actually picked up a kitchen rug on the weekend too! I’d been looking for one to go in front of the sink, since we have to hand wash dishes (no dishwasher makes for sad Chrissie) and water tends to splash on to our nice wood floors, no matter how careful we are.

    A couple of weeks ago I spotted extra long bath mats that were $55 down to $25, but I couldn’t quite decide which colour or style I wanted to go with.

    On Saturday I had another look, and they were now down to $19.95! I grabbed a pretty, fluffy white one that looks more like a rug than a bath mat. It’s pretty, and so cushy under bare feet while standing around doing a stunningly boring chore :-)

    Reply

  22. Cecelia says

    Why not use the first rug you had in the den of your old house?

    I loved the look of that solid woven grass rug there.. It was so warm and elegant in that space, with the painted paneling and brick.

    For some reason a woven grass rug paradoxically compliments a fireplace rather than contrasting with it.

    I suppose it’s the warmth of the texture.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Sadly that one had a dirty secret that we blogged about a while back (it shedded and gave off so much dust after years of use that we worried about Clara inhaling it all and had to get rig of it).

      xo,
      s

  23. Marjo says

    Having just found rugs for my new home, I know how tricky it can be. I just googled images for ‘zig zag rug’ and ‘ikat rug’ and think there might be some possibilities. I think the main problem with the striped rugs you tried is that the stripes are too large, i.e., narrower stripes would work better. Good luck!

    Reply

  24. Kristin L says

    I grew up in a really traditional home setting, so I have oriental rugs out of habit…I’m ready to modernize. Also, I spent my Memorial Day weekend trying to convince myself that it is ok to paint all the wood in our house white. I kind of like the wood, but you only live once and you should paint something, right? White! =

    Reply

  25. shelly p. says

    Ugh, I just got home from Homegoods here in SoCal. I went specifically to find a new rug, and let me tell you what a disappointment it was. I would have looooved to find those rugs at my Homegoods. Boo hoo:(

    Reply

  26. Patricialynn says

    Haha seeing that you got the original rugs from The Company Store made me jolt! I used to work there as a customer service rep – loved the job and the atmosphere of the company (which was incredibly employee-friendly) and seriously miss the 45% employee discount.

    I’m gonna have to check out their site again for new things. Thanks for the reminder that I can still order from them without working there!

    Reply

  27. Karen says

    The diamond pattern rug is so close, but I understand why it got the axe. Have you considered painting a blank canvas rug? Or what about buying off the roll carpet and binding it? I would match the rug/carpet to an in between the light and dark cork color (or closer to the dark) and bind it in black to match the oven face and fireplace back. It would make it cozier without any distraction. Your art work and accents add the perfect amount of interest. The rugs in picture distract from the beautiful flooring. I would try to match rugs to the flooring and nothing else.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      And all of your alternatives could work if the rug we have on order arrives and doesn’t work (which is subtler and gray, like we mentioned- so it should layer in instead of competing)! We’ll definitely keep you posted!

      xo,
      s

  28. bfish says

    I love the ikat rug which picks up on so many of your colors. The camera must REALLY be playing tricks if it looks unsuitable in person, as you assert, yet so cool in the photograph. Oh well, it will be interesting to see how the rug you ordered measures up. Thanks for sharing your deliberations!

    Reply

  29. Emily says

    Thats funny! I just bought that exact same grey-white striped rug at home goods yesterday (the smaller version). Ah, I love you guys! Don’t EVER stop blogging, totally addicted

    Reply

  31. polly westmont says

    I am in the process of buying a house built in 1951, and was freaking out about how to decorate this young house until I saw your blog. At first, it seemed a lot harder to decorate than the turn of the century arts and crafts style house I currently own. But you all have given me inspiration! Looking forward to giving my own young house a little love in a few months!

    Reply

  33. Jessika says

    You’re right about the yellow rug– the pattern works, but the yellow is…, well, YELLOW (and so are the walls, so boo!).

    What did I do this weekend? I’m glad you asked, especially since you’re on the deck-building kick too. DRUMROLL: I FINISHED OUR DECK! And assembled the canopy and patio set. Triple bonus. And all in time for our friends who came over for Memorial Day dinner. Where’d we eat? That’s right, the DECK. Here are the obligatory before and after photos. I’m like a proud mama showing off: http://oregonkaisers.blogspot.com/2012/05/deck.html

    Reply

  36. Christine says

    Hey, I’m a long-time reader, but first time poster! I love that you guys aren’t afraid to try anything and are also okay with admitting that the selections might not be working, despite a great sale!
    Anyway, not sure what size rug you need or the price point, but I saw this one that I thought would just look so great with your decor.
    http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Hand-tufted-Silver-Cosmopolitan-Rug-5-x-76/6201394/product.html
    PS – I love Overstock… they have a great return policy and if you catch them during a sale, you can get a great deal!

    Reply

  37. Erin says

    I have been following your blog for about a year now and this is my first comment. I felt inclined to tell you guys how much I LOVE,LOVE,LOVE the diamond pattern one! I think it looked so good in there! I guess I’ll trust your judgement though-haha. Can’t wait to see what you guys come up with!

    Reply

  38. Amanda says

    After months of searching for a rug for our family room, we ordered a rug within 24 hours of reading this post and its comments. Just big thank you for a timely post and the great advice in the comments.

    Reply

  39. Tracy says

    I would go with the FLOR tiles! We recently added some to our living and dining room for 2 HUGE rugs that were custom designed by us and color coordinated. LOVE THEM! Can’t wait to add some to the kitchen!

    Reply

  40. shawna says

    I may be in the minority, but I thought the black and white looked really good, and so did the ikat. I am sure you guys will find the perfect one.

    Reply

  41. Jen from insideways says

    I’ve been on a massive rug hunt for about 4 weeks now. I need a rug for my dining room and living room and it’s driving me crazy! Finding the perfect rug feels so good and I just can’t wait :)

    Reply

  43. Kelly Morley says

    ok, am I the only one who actually really like the B&W (and even gray & white) stripes? I thought they looked great!

    Reply

  47. Rachel H. says

    WAIT- Why don’t you like the first option, the black and white striped one? I think it looks awesome! The gray one, too. I guess it must really look different in person, huh. That’s too bad. I know you guys will find the perfect rug in good time.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yup, in person all the things that look 2D in the pic are 3-D, so the shelves, stools, tile to the ceiling, etc are all competing with the rug! So sad.

      xo,
      s

  48. Danica Allen says

    I’m so encouraged that even you guys don’t get it right on the first (or fourth!) try. Thanks for sharing this process with us. It’s super helpful and I can’t wait to see the one you ordered.

    Reply

  50. Matt G. says

    I just wanted to say that prior to this post, I was longing for a cheaper alternative to a rug and had no idea they were referred to as throw rugs.

    Your post had me on a mission in the local HomeGoods. I found many of the throw rugs you guys featured in my on location! How exciting to be that in touch with ‘fame’ :) I also found many other variations and one specifically that matched the palette I have in place for my next apartment (move in two weeks)!

    I will definitely have to try to take some before and afters to share with you guys.

    Reply

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