Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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A Rug For The Kitchen

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…

UrbanRug Gray Plus Pattern

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+.

UrbanRug Screenshot

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!

UrbanRug 1 From Hallway11

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.

UrbanRug 3 From Dining11

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…).

UrbanRug 2 From Living11

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?

UrbanRug 4 From Stove11

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:

Grout After Stove Close

Kinda penny tile-ish, right?

UrbanRug Top Detail

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.

UrbanRug Toy Detail

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.

UrbanRug Burger Pillow

So, long rug story short – I think we’re sold. We’ve found our kitchen rug!

UrbanRug Flower Detail11

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:

UrbanRug Dining From Door11

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:

UrbanRug Dining Straight On11

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.

UrbanRug Dining Detail

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.

Comments

  2. Laura C says

    I love the graphic patterns you have added to your house! Where did you get the cute teal/white pillow? I love the color and would love to find some new graphic pillows for my house but don’t want to spend a fortune.

    Love reading your blog each day!

    Reply

  3. Qaseh Gifts says

    I absolutely love the new rug. It’s a really good addition to the kitchen. If only we have nice rugs at our local stores. I get so inspired by your ideas!

    Reply

  4. vermontmommy says

    My sister has this in grey. I am thinking I might get it in green. :)

    What was the discount code? Thank you. :)

    Reply

  5. Missy G. says

    Apparently, my Wednesday night fun is perusing your site. :) Looking through house tour pics, did y’all ever get a new rug for the office?

    Also, in the third-to-last pic (taken from the front door), my eyes went straight to the bedroom hoping to see the secret book project, haha! Still thwarted, dang!

    Reply

  7. Melissa says

    I love it! I was honestly a fan of the grey stripes (though I understand it might have looked less fitting in person), but this won me over! I wish I could have rugs. My silly cats, despite having scratchers all over, decided to destroy any I had. As well as destroying two couches and scratching it up so badly that there is a giant 16″ long gaping hole in one of them that they go INTO! Would you perhaps like to trade them for Burger? ;)

    This is a very off-topic question, but I know you have Olympic color match paints often. I was wondering if you find them to be accurate? There are two Behr and Benjamin Moore paints I want to have matched (light grey and white), and I am a bit worried on how accurate they are, especially on such light shades.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      They usually are very close since the computer allows them to see how accurate they are (ex: 99% match). So we always ask about how close of a match is before giving them the thumbs up to make the paint!

      xo,
      s

  8. Danielle says

    Love the new rug! We just ordered from FLOR for our home studio and it’s suppose to arrive any day. Your post made me even more excited for our order. Hope it works out as beautifully as yours did. (Fingers and toes crossed!)

    ~Danielle

    Reply

  12. Kiki says

    I love love love the rug! It’s perfect! I pretty much agreed with your thoughts on all the other rugs in last week’s(?) fashion show and when I saw the title of this post, I knew scallops would look perfect in your kitchen. Okay, maybe that sounded a bit too much like a house-stalker. Anyway, just wanted to saw it looks great!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Not sure what you mean? The legs are darker than the slipcovers, which we died a mocha color. And underneath them we darkened the chair fabric to ORB. These chairs have definitely been something I keep tweaking! Haha. Someday I’ll get it right!

      xo,
      s

    • Alan says

      In the picture of your dining room where you address your baggy slip covers, it looks like one of the chairs has a different colored wood stain on them, but it’s probably just the light from the window. Hahaha.Your house is really coming together!

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes, I think it might be the light from the window! All the wood legs are sprayed oil-rubbed bronze, so they’re a dark chocolate color in person.

      xo,
      s

  14. Lily says

    I hate to be a Debbie Downer because while your new rug looks fantastic in that space, I have had such bad luck with Urban Outfitters rugs. They are very difficult to spot clean and the lovely patterns have all faded and gone splotchy on me. I ended up throwing out three rugs because they held up so poorly over the course of three years. I hope you have much better luck with yours!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks Lily! We hope so too! We hear that some of the painted ones seem to have issues and some of the more colorful ones can bleed- we’re hoping since ours doesn’t seem to be painted or too colorful (just tan and white thread) hopefully it’ll do ok, but we’ll definitely keep you guys posted either way!

      xo,
      s

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That was on clearance through jossandmain.com a little while ago. It was the cheapest I’ve seen (I have been pouf searching for years, haha). Sometimes it lives in Clara’s room too, so that might be why you haven’t seen it!

      xo,
      s

  17. Lea says

    Great rug find! I’ve been looking for a bedroom rug and this one could be great, but I’m worried it might be too thin—how does it feel with a pad underneath it? Also, does the pad prevent it from slipping around when you walk on it? Thanks so much, I love your site :)

    Reply

  18. Emma's Wickless says

    This rug is great!! I’m jealous of your eye for putting a room together!!! I can only dream of having a home that looks like this!!! Love the wall color with the pop of color in the blue pillow!!

    Reply

  20. Heidi says

    So loving the new rug!! I’m super jealous of your design savvy! (In a good way of course!) I love that feeling of making a house a cozy home, and I looove the blog. My #1 out of all the blogs I follow. i love the mix of super interesting design tips and projects with your super cute family meanderings. Keep it up guys!

    Reply

  22. Jessica says

    I love the rug and am seriously considering it for my dining room. Funny it’s $89 with ‘free’ shipping now! Other people’s reviews of it state that it will lift and move in high traffic areas — do you feel that way? Or does the rug mat help?

    Reply

  24. Kim says

    Hey Guys! Love the blog!

    I’m interested in getting the exact same rug, but in the green for our nursery. Is the rug comfortable for Clara to sit and play on, or is it too thin? It looks thicker in your pics than on the Urban Outfitters website. Also, does it fuzz at all (like you find fuzzies all the time after sitting on it)? Just wondering – thanks!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes, it’s nice! It’s 100 cotton so it’s not plush like a wool rug (it’s a flat weave) but it’s sort of like a dish towel. Not a microfiber one, just a cotton one. No fuzz problems at all. Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  26. Annemarie says

    I recognize that alligator! Is that from plantoys.com?? Would you recommend it as a toy for a one year old? I’d love to hear what you think if possible :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yes! Clara loves it! Has been playing with it since around 12 months and still plays with it now. He got some action today actually! Dragged all over the house, haha.

      xo,
      s

  27. Katie says

    Love your rug — thanks for sharing! Have you found that the edges and corners stay down? I’m considering a flatweave rug for my daughter’s room, but am concerned that the edges won’t be completely flat and might trip her when she learns to walk. Would love your input!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We put a nice thick rug pad under it and it has been great! Especially with a chair and ottoman on it to hold it down. There’s no slipping or corner flipping. Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  28. Katie says

    Loved this rug and ordered the chevron version after I read your post. I have to say, the rug is super light and moves a TON when we walk on it. If my cat rugs across it then it looks all rumpled (word?) and messy. I already have a mat under it, but what do you guys do??? This is such a high traffic area that it must happen to you too right?!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We use super thick rug pads from Target! We swear by them! We got one for around $30 under our rug and put the chair and ottoman on top and it doesn’t move an inch. Not even a little! Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  29. Reena says

    So glad someone had online rug-buying luck (wouldn’t expect otherwise). Was totally disappointed when this apparently pretty rug:
    http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Jill-Rosenwald-Hand-woven-Bewdley-Wool-Rug-5-x-8/6369901/product.html
    turned out to be horribly abrasive and coarse. Like unpleasant to walk on. Any tip offs that I should’ve seen to anticipate that. So bummed about having to pay return shipping. Makes me all the more nervous about online buying but online decorating is all I have time for :(

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I would try to read the reviews if there are any out there. Hmm, what else? Maybe call if you have a question about color (you never could have known it would be course to call and ask that though). If you can search the name of the item you can see if a store carries it so you can see it in person (even if you want to buy it online for a better price, seeing it in person might set your mind at ease). We also always look for free return shipping or some sort of shipping deal when we can since that makes us feel more confident that if we don’t love it we won’t lose much. Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  30. Yamaris says

    I love this rug! Great job hunting this one down! Come to think of it, I love all of the rugs in your house. I have been searching for a rug for a long time now and have had no luck. Your living room is my inspiration so I am looking for a bright/light colored rug (yellow/chartreuse-y/blue) that complements my medium grey sectional and ottoman and dark brown wall unit. My living room is so boring right now. I have no color and I have waited too long…I figured starting with the rug is probably my best bet. Does anyone have any suggestions for a rug with this description that is not too pricey? I have looked in overstock and urban outfitters and have had no luck! I would love a shaggy rug but I will settle for any other one that looks good and feels good under your feet! :)

    Reply

  31. Kirsty says

    Love, love, love your home. You have an incredible talent for design, but above all writing. I look forward to when your book comes out!

    Question about the rug and whether it really smelled when you first got it? I was reading reviews on it as I was thinking of purchasing and one of the reviews said it smelled really chemically. Being eco-conscious, I thought I’d ask you two.

    Thanks!
    Kirsty

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Weirdly enough it didn’t smell at all, and I’m really sensitive to that sort of thing. I wonder if it depends which shipping facility it comes out of or something, since maybe there are a few different “hubs” where it could be packaged? Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  32. Brittany says

    Hey! I hope someone else hasn’t already asked this, but I was wondering if you guys had any problems keeping a kitchen rug clean. I have been thinking about getting a rug for our kitchen but I’m worried about it getting dirty and/or gross. : )

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      So far it hasn’t been too bad. We just vacuum once a week and since it’s about a foot away from the counter and all the appliances, when we drop things they typically hit the cork floor and not the rug since that’s more towards the center of the room.

      xo
      s

  33. Logan says

    After living with the rug for a bit, I was wondering if you’re still happy with it? I love the look and am thinking about buying the green version for my living room.

    Reply

  34. Cara says

    How is your rug holding up? I finally talked my hubby into a rug in the kitchen. He thought that was weird. I am looking at the blue version of the one you have or some rag rugs from urban outfitters. Is it easy to clean if you drop something or get dirt on it?

    Reply

  36. Shannon says

    Love the scalloped rug! Urban has some great designs. Just wondering if the rug had an off-gassing smell after you purchased it? We got one over a year ago and it still smells… not sure how to get that chemical/manufacturing smell out. Thought I’d see if you had the same problem. Thx!

    Reply

  37. Amy says

    Hi, love your blog. Wondering if you still love the rug. Saw some reviews that it can’t be vacuumed or cleaned. Three boys and a dog wouldn’t go for that.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We still like it! And we vacuum it all the time. We have a thick rug pad under it which helps, and we stand on the corners while the other person vacuums to hold it down. Haha!

      xo,
      s

  38. Jessica Adkins says

    How is your scallop rug holding up? I’m about to pull the trigger on the 8×10 in green for my living room. It’s pretty heavily trafficked (word?) and the reviews are not the greatest.

    Should I do it or no?

    Reply

  40. jessica says

    Can we get an update on how your rug is holding up?? I went to order this rug last night, but the reviews have been less than desirable. What would you rate the rug? We are trying to put it under our kitchen table, so it will need to be easy to clean/easy to vacuum.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Still holding up well! We put a thick rug pad under it to keep it in place, and in order to vacuum it more easily I stand on the corners while John vacuums it (otherwise it gets pulled with the force of the vacuum). If that’s too annoying I’d pass, but we don’t mind so the price and the design had us at hello!

      xo
      s

  41. Melody says

    I LOVE the yellow rug. I saw it on Urban Outfitters not too long ago but its since been out of stock. Does anyone know where to find it or a similar one?

    Reply

  42. Molly says

    How does this rug clean? We have to replace a seagrass rug in our dining room and was thinking this could be a good option.

    Reply

  43. Maggie says

    Hey John and Sherry! I’m in the midst of a living room makeover and have been eye-ing that rug from Urban Outfitters. I tried a jute rug but the fibers keep shedding, and one even poked my baby girl in the cheek drawing a teeny bit of blood :/ I’m paranoid about a flat weave being too rough too. Thoughts?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hmm, it’s definitely softer than jute. I bet it would work for you, but you’ll need a thick rug pad under it (we added one) since it’s so floppy (it’s about as thin as a dishcloth). Hope it helps!

      xo
      s

  44. jen says

    sorry to ask a question on such an old post, but i was looking at this rug on the urban outfitters website today, and when i googled for reviews, this post came up.

    A lot of people say this rug doesnt hold up well, and its really really thin. I was looking to layer it over carpet. What do you think of that? how has your rug held out, and how happy are you honestly after this amount of time. Thanks for your opinion!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We put a great rug pad under it and it’s doing great! It’s kind of hard to vacuum so I stand on two corners while John vacuums that side and then we switch. Hope it helps!

      xo
      s

  45. Jacey says

    i love you for pointing out urbanoutfitters! just went to the website and found rugs/duvet covers. fell in love — your house and projects are so fantastic! ugh love it!!

    Reply

  46. Crystal says

    Hi. I’m curious now that you’ve had the rugs for awhile if you would recommend them? They are on sale at Urban Outfitters right now for $69 and free shipping, I love the look of the rug and really love the price but it gets me wondering if it’s too good to be true. How are your rugs holding up? Anything you dislike about them? Would you purchase them again? Thanks sooo much in advance.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      They have held up well for us. They’re definitely thin (as thin as a dishtowel) so we put a thick grippy rug pad under them and it’s somewhat hard to vacuum them (someone has to stand on two of the edges so it doesn’t just get pulled up like if you vacuumed a towel) but they’re great for the price I think!

      xo
      s

  47. thury says

    Your home is beautiful and reflects an artistic mind. Where did you get your white pouffe? Did you stuff/fill it yourself? Is it very kid friendly? Got 3 kids and most things they manage to wreck quite instantly :-)

    Reply

  48. kaya says

    did the rug smell when you got it at first? i read quite a few reviews on UO website saying that the smell was bad. I was going to buy one for my 2 yr old playroom but I am worried about the toxins in it. Thanks!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Someone else asked me that and I’m really sensitive but ours didn’t smell! I wonder if they come from different facilities and it depends or something?

      xo
      s

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