Our new kitchen rug has arrived! Yes, it was actually something we ordered online, which is somewhat nerve-wracking since finding a rug for this spot has proven difficult so far (although we have had success with online rug orders before). But based on what we learned from our little rug fashion show, we were pretty confident that we’d figured out the winning formula. At least we were hopeful…
The “winning” rug was actually from Urban Outfitters. The color, pattern, and price were all great – so we thought we’d give it a shot. With a spring discount code they were running, it came to just $69 with shipping – which is obviously a lot cheaper than a 5 x 7′ wool rug, which most likely have been around $125+.
We also thought a flat weave would be better for our kitchen (no worrying about food being mashed into a plush wool rug). And as for why we went with that size, we tried a few different rug sizes before ordering (we have many different sized rugs on hand, and preferred it the most in that space). Anything bigger/wider interfered with the stools being pulled out, and anything shorter/smaller felt oddly tiny – like a bath mat in the middle of the room.
So without further ado – here it is!
We did put a nice thick rug pad under it (from Target for about $30) which not only helps it stay in place (it doesn’t move or slide an inch, even when Clara and Burger are charging around after each other) and it also gives it some nice cushion. We took these pictures just a day after it arrived, so some of the lines from where it was folded are still there – but if it’s like our other flatweaves, those will work their way out as time goes on.
We think it looks pretty darn awesome. It does exactly what we’d hoped (defines the area as a living space without having a color or pattern that’s too demanding – especially since we’ll be adding in more color by painting the stools). The scallop is a nice simple pattern without being too in-your-face (because no one likes an in-your-face scallop…).
See how from the other side of the kitchen it’s really sort of soft and subtle? We just wanted something that didn’t scream “look at me! I’m a rug! Focus all of your attention on me!” and instead just sort of slipped in for a nice layered look. I guess we’d rather gaze at the wall of penny tile or the hallway of frames or the over-sized pendants over the peninsula or the open shelves by the stove – ya know?
And in a weird way, the roundness of the rug pattern kinda echoes the gray penny tile backsplash on the other side of the room – which actually brings some pretty sweet balance to this 25′ looong room of ours:
Kinda penny tile-ish, right?
Another reason we’re happy to have a rug there is to give Clara a little play space. Granted these days a lot of her playing involves running around, but we still find her sitting in this area of the house flipping through a book or dancing to the radio (sometimes while wearing a tutu and three headbands). So it’s nice that the area is soft, but not so plush that we’ve gotta worry about crumbs and junk getting stuck in some dense rug forest.
As for Burger, he doesn’t really care too much about the rug as long as he still has a pillow to curl up on.
So, long rug story short – I think we’re sold. We’ve found our kitchen rug!
We do LOVE a showstopping rug (like the one in our living room and bedroom) but I think this more subtle tone-on-tone guys is just the ticket. And as a little bit of a epilogue to this story, we thought we’d show you one other little update that we made in the dining room – a sort of a mini “Dude Get On That” assignment, if you will. We finally hung the art that I made John for Christmas. Yup, just five months later. Haha. Here it is catching a mad reflection from the front window:
Oh and don’t mind the baggy brown chair covers that are back on our dining room chairs. We put them on when we brought them outside for Clara’s party (for an easy-wash surface to avoid stains) and just have been too lazy to take them off. So yeah, we haven’t even washed them yet. Haha.
Anyway, here’s a better view of the Chrstmas art that we finally got on the wall:
It’s hung right above a little cabinet (it’s actually a nightstand) that we bought from Joss & Main last year that has kinda been floating around the house in various spots for the past six months. Remember we mentioned it here and you got a peek of it here? Well, it seems to keep ending up back on this wall, so for now we’re calling that his home. Can’t guarantee he’ll be there forever though, haha. You know us…
Since the art consists of a bunch of boy scout badges that I scanned, printed, and matted into a grid, I also made a key in a separate frame (to explain that John deserved badges like “Personal Fitness” for being a runner and “Rowing” for taking me kayaking a couple of times – more on that here). So that’s what the smaller frame that you see leaning on the wall below it is all about.
Hmm, I’m not sure how this post went from scalloped rugs to kayaking, but I think you’re all filled in. Next up: a big painted stool reveal. Oh yeah, baby. We’re closer than you think. As in, this is your 24 hour notice. Haha. What have you guys been doing with rugs? Any online ordering? Any searches for something softer that layers into a room instead of a bold guy who becomes the focal point? We can definitely appreciate both approaches to rug hunting, in fact it’s pretty fun to have a few makes-the-room rugs and a few best-supporting-actors, so I recommend a diverse cast of rugs, haha.
Crystal says
I like the pattern. The color is called Tan.
Crystal says
oops hit Enter too soon. A boring color name for a fun rug.
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, isn’t that funny? In person we think it’s more gray than tan (although there are definitely tan undertones) and on the website it looks even more gray!
xo,
s
meleia says
LOVE the rug! where did you purchase the blue pattered pillow and blue ceramic stool/side table?
YoungHouseLove says
The blue stool is from HomeGoods ($39!) and the pillow is from ZGallerie during one of their pillow sales.
xo,
s
Krystle @ Color Transformed Family says
i love the rug you guys went with. I like the subtle color and pattern. We are in the process of selecting a rug from our kitchen as well. I checked Urban Outfitters and they have some great rugs. Unfortunately, I don’t think they have “the one” for us.
http://www.colortransformedfamily.com/2012/06/05/color-the-floor/ ?
Laura M says
Love the rug! I was looking through Urban Outfitters home stuff the other day cause I desperately need a rug for my kitchen too! As a rug-purchasing newbie (and someone who likes them to be pretty soft), is it super soft feeling? I know it says it’s cotton, but would this actually feel nice on, say, lame apartment tile? I’m a recent college grad, so that price tag is WAAAY more appealing than the prices rugs tend to go at.
YoungHouseLove says
It definitely feels nice and soft with a thick rug pad under it (it’s sort of like a dishtowel material since it’s flat weave, so it’s not as soft as a thick wool rug but it’s definitely cozy). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Melissa Breau says
Okay, so I scanned the whole first page of comments before commenting, because I was SURE someone else had to have mentioned this but no dice.
The rug totally reminds me of your background here on YHL. It’s got those rounded shapes (like the hearts) and is sort of the same color… I saw it and I was like YES that’s got them written all over it….
YoungHouseLove says
Hahah, isn’t that funny?! We didn’t even notice. Haha.
xo,
s
Mamaw03T says
L-O-V-E the rug!
Heather Gearhart says
Urban outfitters has great rugs! I just purchased the chevron one for under my dining table and love it. The scalloped one looks great in your kitchen and I am considering the green version of that for my office once we are able to spend the money on it! Its amazing the change a rug can make to any room!
Can’t wait to see what you did with the stools! :)
heathyr says
the grey + white striped rug was my favorite from your kitchen rug fashion show, but I must say I LOVE the one you bought fomr UO even more! perfect selection!
Mari says
Did you ever consider a round (or even oval) rug for that space? It seems to me like there are a lot of rectangles going on there–the wall openings to other rooms, the hearth, the peninsula. I thought a round rug would make better sense there. I do like the pattern on the rug you ended up with, but I think a round shape would have worked better.
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, unfortunately it wouldn’t work with the stools (the center one couldn’t be pulled out).
xo,
s
Crystal @ 29 Rue House says
Love the rug guys – it’s perfect! Can’t wait to see the chairs tomorrow! :)
Sara Fairbairn says
My Husband and I have been searching for the perfect rug for our bedroom under the bed…but sadly we aren’t having any luck…We found an awesome one at HomeGoods, but it was a little pricey and not quite the right color…Do you know of any good websites for cheapish wool rugs, or cheapish natural fiber rugs? So frustrated! LOL
But I LOVE how your ensemble turned out, its perfect!
YoungHouseLove says
Maybe try overstock.com or rugsusa? They both tend to have sales. Also maybe jossandmain.com or wayfair.com? Good luck!
xo,
s
Michele Wesdock says
This rug could not be more perfect! It like it was made for this space. Thanks for showing the whole “rug fashion show” process. It makes the rest of us (or me at least!) feel better when things don’t quite work. It’s so often trial and error, isn’t it?
Jillian {Her Split Ends} says
LOVING the rug. It is the perfect blend of color and pattern…love love love! Nicely done. can not wait to see what color you decided to go with for the stools!?!?!?! Nail bitter over here….
Cheers
~ Jillian
http://www.hersplitends.com
Janelle D says
Love the choice you made! What a lovely rug. I think it’s the perfect color balance between the wall color & the tile. A nice half-way point…
Darcy says
LOVE the new rug! Looks so FAB there – and on my monitor it subtly picks up the green of the walls, and just looks so great!! I really need to take the plunge on ordering a rug online — I’ve been eyeing up a few on overstock, but have, so far, been to chicken to hit the order button!! LOL!
SHerry — Yes, I believe that you have not had really good scallops, because they are AMAZING when cooked well!
Question for you on what you are doing on the other side (the kitchen) of the room for a rug? Are you just not going to have one over there at all? How does that feel – you have had a rug over there, so does it feel weird being “naked”?
YoungHouseLove says
We’re on the fence about ordering another scallop rug for the cooking area, keeping it bare, finding something else that will layer in without matching, etc. Will keep you posted!
xo,
s
Jessica says
Does UO have small rugs/runners in that pattern for under the sink and/or the stove? That might be fun.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s definitely another option! I always worry about dripping on them/getting them messier by the sink/stove but you never know!
xo,
s
Karen says
I love the new rug! It works perfectly in that space with the other colors that you have going on.
Erin says
Great rug!
Have you ever thought about dark purple for the chairs? Like a royal purple? Would complement not only your kitchen’s grellow walls, but also the dark teal in your dining room bookcases. Dunno. Just a thought.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s definitely another possibility! We tried plum in photoshop and didn’t really love it, but you never know!
xo,
s
Brooke Buckingham says
Greetings from Seattle! You just inspired me to buy this rug for my son’s nursery! :) I have been looking for a “gray-ish” subtle patterned rug that was under $100 but was having no luck! After seeing your post I pulled the trigger! I’m really excited. One question – does it look more tan than gray? I noticed technically it’s a tan rug, but it seems to read more gray on the website.
YoungHouseLove says
It definitely feels more gray than tan to us. We were surprised to read it described as a tan on their website, but I guess it does have warm undertones. But either way, still feels gray to us.
-John
Sara says
Perfect. Love that it’s more a warm than cool grey.
Kirstin L. says
Love it! We almost bought the same one, but decided on the navy houndstooth instead for a bolder look.
Dana says
That rug looks great! I also bought an Urban Outfitters rug last August, on sale, and I wish I had bought a less bold pattern. A bit of buyers remorse, but it’s still a nice enough rug to have for now.
One thing I noticed about mine is that it’s a painted rug, which makes it very hard to clean up our dog’s accidents. There is no cleaner, or even just soap and water or water alone, that I’ve found that will help remove the unwanted stuff and leave the rug in good condition. The color has bled and faded in two places where my cleaning attempts failed.
Anyone have any tips for cleaning a flat-weave, painted Urban Outfitters rug?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no! Anyone have tips for Dana!
xo,
s
Brittany says
I LOVE how the rug looks in the room! I’ve actually been eying it for my craft studio space & used it in a mood board that I posted yesterday :) The gray tones in my room are more brownish-gray than yours, though–do you guys think that the rug would work with that shade?
Excited for the painted stool reveal!
YoungHouseLove says
I think so! The gray is actually called “sand” so it has a bit of a tan undertone to it.
-John
Kristi says
Not that I know you guys or anything but it’s so you! Very good pick! I wouldn’t mind one for myself. I want to put area rugs down in our kitchen but unfortunately I have an old pug dog who pees if we leave him alone for 1 second(I know, gross, but he’s family and we can’t give him up).
Kelly says
Love the rug but now the full room pic BEGS for some color on those stools – hope you picked something bright and cheery! cant wait to see!
Kathryn says
You nailed it :) Perfect fit! Exactly what your kitchen needed. Can’t wait ’till you paint those stools.
Denise says
Perfect…love it!
Karen F says
yup, I’d say you guys totally nailed it. Perfect choice. It immediately reminded me of the penny tile. Thanks for taking us through the decision process, too – that’s extremely helpful and one of the many reasons I love your blog!
Side note, I also love the angle in one of the pics with the badge art, being able to see the color of the guest room walls and the back of the dining room built ins and how they kind of tie together. I’m totally inspired to go do something in my house right now (besides laundry!)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Karen!
xo,
s
Autumn says
Love it! I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect rug for my living room area. I had been ogling one on rugsusa.com for a while, but then saw one I thought might work on clearance at target.com, so ordered that one. Then a couple days later the one I wanted at rugsusa.com went on 60% off sale, so I ordered that one, too! The tarjay one has arrived, still waiting on the other to make my decision!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, lucky! I hope you find the perfect rug!
xo,
s
katalina says
when I saw the rug I thought of your penny tile before I scrolled down and you mentioned it too…and it ties into the scallop shell that use to have bananas in it but maybe it is in the fireplace now?
YoungHouseLove says
We actually have a bigger one in the fireplace and the smaller one is still holding our fruit on the counter. I have a thing for faux clam shells. Haha.
xo,
s
Simply Life says
yay! glad to know you took advantage of the urban outfitters sale! :)
Jenn says
I just bought our first living room rug this weekend online from Home Depot. We got it for $182 after I found a coupon online. Score!
Jenn says
P.S. It was an 8×10 biscuit-colored contemporary style area rug. You can see it at the link below!
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202583590/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=simpatico+biscuit%2Fstartch+8+ft.+x+10+ft.+area+rug&storeId=10051&superSkuId=202581495
YoungHouseLove says
Awesome deal!
xo,
s
Lina Neufeld says
I was thinking the same thing about the tile before I got to that part! Your home is coming together so nicely. Dogs and there pillows!… I have a 60lb poodle who is nearly as tall as me who thinks she is a small dog. She will curl up on a tiny throw pillow.
Naomi says
Best rug choice ever! It goes perfectly in your home :)
-Naomi {Starry Eyes + Coffee Cups}
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Naomi!
xo,
s
Rachel says
I can’t imagine any other rug fitting into the space so well. Bravo, guys!!
Ali says
It’s perfect! Well done. I feel like finding the right rug is really hard! We took forever trying to find one for our living room!
tina says
You definitely nailed the right rug! Super-pulled together, nothing competing. That angle from the dining into the kitchen & hallway is a great one.
Annie Z says
hi guys!
I have been following your blog with a hot cup of tea every morning for almost a year now! My dog Levi (best buddy ever) knows the drill. Any who, I finally feel like i need to post a comment:) I LOVE the scallop rug!! The picture looking from the kitchen into the sitting room, is so well balanced. It makes my eyes say ahhhhhhhh. Amazing job guys, thanks for being so inspiring!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, thanks Annie! Give Levi I pat from me (and a sniff from Burger)!
xo,
s
Nicole A. says
I have been eyeing up that rug for a couple of months now. Thanks to you guys, I know what it looks like in an actual room, so I think I will go for it! Looks amazing (and you can’t beat the price!).
Christie@EOS says
Love it! Scallops make the perfect subtle statement. Great choice!
Steph @ BirdHouse says
The rug looks great! I’ve been doing a lot of online rug shopping lately and I had a feeling you might try one of the Urban Outfitters rugs. Can’t beat the price!
cara says
Love the rug. It looks perfect there. Does it smell? The rug I got from Urban Outfitters smelled like a horse blanket. Stunk up the whole nursery. It was the wrong color through so I returned it. For anyone who orders online but has a store nearby don’t pay with paypal or the store can’t take it back and you have to mail it back.
YoungHouseLove says
So weird! Someone else mentioned a small but ours didn’t have any odor. I wonder if it depends what warehouse it ships from (depending where you live)? Great tip about paypal by the way!
xo
s
Amy says
Oh my gosh I am SO happy to see this post, because I have been debating the very same rug (in blue) for my office! I was too nervous about the quality (worrying it would be all thin and bunchy) to pull the trigger yet, but if it’s working well for you guys with a rug pad, I feel reassured. :)
And yours looks great! Definitely a good choice and a nice subtle echo of the penny tile.
YoungHouseLove says
It’s definitely thin as a flat weave is apt to be, but getting a nice cushy rug pad from Target helped so much! Now it doesn’t feel thin and doesn’t bunch or move at all!
xo
s
lizziebeth says
LOVE the rug. It’s one of my most favorite purchases of yours. I also LOVE the garden stool and pouf. Will you share the source for each? Thanks in advance. Beth
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks! The garden stool is from HomeGoods ($39 a while back!) and the pouf was on clearance from Joss & Main (sometimes it lives in Clara’s room too!).
xo,
s
Kim says
Haha this is the rug I commented about last week! We have it and LOOOOVVVVEEEEEE it! Same things as you mentioned – pretty, soothing, doesn’t compete, but really completes the room.
Did yours smell super musty when you opened the box? What did you do to get rid of the smell? We’ve had ours for a month now and we can still detect the odor when watching tv (our rug is in the living room). I think I need to air it out some more on the porch….if the rain ever stops.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no! Ours wasn’t musty, but that’s so weird! I wonder if they ship from different places depending on where you live? Anything that’s musty we usually put outside on sunny days (or in the sunroom if we’re worried about rain with all the windows open) so it can air out!
xo,
s
Chris says
You are totally slacking! What happened to naming it as you have so many other pieces of furniture/decorations.
“Penny?” (and my first thought was that it would tie into the penny tiles, so well done)
“Betty?” I think it really has to be a feminine name simply b/c of the curves.
Get going and re-introduce us to the rug! (See how boring that is!)
*wink
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I love Penny! Done deal.
xo,
s
Briel K. says
I love that little dresser/nightstand thing. So cute! I also really like the rug you chose. Great price too!
Cheryl says
What’s the rug made out of?
YoungHouseLove says
It’s 100% cotton!
xo,
s
Ally says
Urban Outfitters sells rugs? They are my “go to” store for birthday gag gifts. Bacon Frosting, anyone? :)
http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=24295982
LOVE the new rug, btw! And I’m counting down the minutes to the Stool Reveal (thank goodness this is NOT a proctologists blog *whew* :)
xox
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, now I think a proctologist’s blog would be hilarious to read. Any takers…?
xo,
s
Lindsey @ arkadian belle woods says
I love it! Great choice! UO always has the best rugs! I have two in my house!
Monica says
I’ve really enjoyed watching your decision-making process for the kitchen rug. It’s refreshing to realize these perfect pieces don’t just pop up on in your home on the first try every time. You couldn’t have found a better rug, and at such a great price. LOVE scallops.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much Monica!
xo,
s