Ok, we know we said our sunroom’s mini makeover was next on the agenda but we just had to share this fun rug switcheroo first because we often get reader questions about how we choose room-making things like the right art or the perfect rug. Our reply is always that there’s no such thing as “the right” or “the perfect” formula or item because there are multiple ways to finish off a room that you’re sure to love. Think of it as a buffet with more than one delicious meal to choose from. So the good news is that there’s not just one “solution” when it comes to polishing off a room and calling it done.
Another pretty common misconception is that deals just fall into our laps when we’re usually doing some pretty major legwork to sniff things down that we love. In fact, just to demonstrate that the best deals (and the items that you’ll love for the long haul) usually have to be seriously stalked, we thought we’d share the play by play of our loooong rug pilgrimage.
Why the need for a new rug in there? Well, let’s just say we were living with a dirty little secret:
The $70 Lowe’s rug that we scored four years ago was, well, dirty. The natural jute fibers were somehow breaking down and shaking loose underneath the rug every time we walked on it (which is definitely not par for the jute-rug-course, we have other jute rugs in our kitchen and bedroom which never give us the same problem after years of use). And with a tiny human around, we weren’t willing to stand for those dirty little could-be-inhaled particles anymore. So it was out with the old rug and in with the new.
But which new 5 x 8′ rug would we be taking home? When we began our rug search it was much like the first episode of The Bachelorette. So many options, so little time (not to be confused with the smutty new show Bachelor Pad- there was no skimpily clothed Twister game). But after “courting” over 30 rugs and imagining them in our lives for a few decades, we were left with five finalists so to speak. Let’s meet the contenders.
First we came across this celery and beige beauty at a local lighting and rug outlet (pardon the terrible iPhone pic).
We loved it for the 100% wool construction (we like our rugs to be made from natural materials like cotton, wool, or jute without any rubber backing so we don’t have to worry about synthetics, offgassing, or unnecessary chemicals). We also liked the soft and serene colors. We definitely wanted to replace the shedding jute rug with something cushy and soft (since we know Clara will appreciate that once she’s a bit more mobile) but because our den has two storage ottomans that sit in the center of the rug, we didn’t know if the design, which was raised about a half inch, would make those ottomans sit oddly on the rug. So we asked for their best price ($200 on sale down from over $550!) and snapped this photo before leaving to “think things over.” Ideally our new rug would come in under $150, but we know how hard that is to accomplish when you’re looking for something so big made from a cushy & natural material like wool.
With rug number one still on our minds, we hit up a slew of other stores (including TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, Lowe’s, Target, and Home Depot). No dice. Everything was either too pricey for our taste, made from something synthetic like acrylic, too rough and un-cushy (remember part of the criteria was that we wanted something softer underfoot for the beanette), or just not our style. So then it was time to let our fingers do the walking. We checked out overstock.com to no avail and also took a look around CB2.com and crateandbarrel.com – just in case they had something we hadn’t seen in the C&B store. Nada. Insert sad emoticon here.
Then we remembered that we had a $100 gift card to West Elm burning a hole in our pocket, so we reasoned that if we saw a 5 x 8 rug on their site that we loved, it probably wouldn’t be as cost prohibitive after we applied our gift card towards the purchase price. And it was there that we found our next three contenders. First there was this guy, who was full of interest and just enough color to be on the fun side (much like our yellow living room rug). But unlike the plush wool rug in our living room, this guy was a bit thinner and not nearly as soft. Happily though, it would only be $129 with our $100 gift card, which really wasn’t bad for such a large area rug. It was definitely something to think about.
Next we flirted with this guy, who also scored major points in the pattern & interest category. Our only fear was that since our house has dark mocha hardwood flooring throughout, it might blend in a bit too much with the brown wood floors instead of anchoring and defining the sitting area in the den as we hoped. And this option was also not as plush and cushy as we would have liked. Although the price wouldn’t have stung too much since it would have been just $129 after our $100 credit.
Then we considered giving the rose to this plush and lovely alternative. We really liked how soft and squishy it looked, and the fact that it was made from natural and undyed wool had us at hello (doesn’t get much more pure than that). But this one was a bit more costly ($179 after our $100 gift card) and although the subtle ribs were gorgeous, it didn’t really offer as much in the personality department as the other rugs with more hue and pattern. And the last thing we wanted was to replace our texture-rich woven jute rug for something that just looked like a blah brown rectangle on the floor- no matter how soft it would be on the ol’ feet.
At this point we were feeling a bit woe-is-me about the whole rug hunt. We had visited a ton of stores (both virtually and in person) and each “finalist” that we had hand-picked still felt like it was missing one crucial personality trait (either some cush-factor or some pattern & interest to keep our neutral toned den from feeling to yawn-inducing). Then inspiration struck. I had heard that it was possible to redeem West Elm gift cards at some of their sister stores, and after some quick google research I learned that they could be redeemed at Pottery Barn and even PB Kids and PB Teen. First we flipped through the options on PB Kids and PB Teen without seeing anything that fit the bill, and then hit up big poppa: Pottery Barn.
We had already visited our local Pottery Barn in person a few days back, but we reasoned that the online store probably had a lot more than the actual brick & mortar store had on hand. And we were right. In fact, we stumbled upon an 100% wool 5 x 8 rug that was both cushy & soft underfoot and full of pattern & interest. The big floral pattern was definitely modern and fun enough for our tastes, and the colors would really work perfectly in our cream, tan and chocolate toned den scheme.
We braced ourselves for the dealbreaker as we scrolled down to look at the price. Happily, it was on clearance (yessssssss) and would only set us back 130 beans after we applied our $100 gift card. Things were looking up. And speaking of looking up, when we scrolled back up to have another peek at the might-be-it rug, we noticed the name. Are you ready for this? It was called the Clara Rug. Not kidding. So of course that pushed us over the edge. Within ten minutes we had redeemed our West Elm gift card online and paid the remaining $130 while victoriously high-fiving and gleefully explaining to Clara that we just added a rug named after her to the family.
So here’s our new favorite rug living it up by the fireplace. Oh and we sprinkled in some already-owned accessories in a soft lime hue to tie things together and add a hint of freshness without spending another dime:
We definitely wouldn’t describe our hunt as easy (things that are worthwhile rarely are!) but we’re so glad that we searched our brains out both in person and online to find the best rug for our family- one that that scored high marks for price, material, softness, color, and pattern (thanks to our insane must-have list). Are there other rugs out there that would look great in our den? Definitely. But we love that we found our sweet new Clara Rug and we couldn’t wait to share the not-always-easy process with anyone else out there who’s still waiting for the table/lamp/print/mirror/chair/bed/sofa of their dreams. Don’t despair! Just keep your chin up and look like crazy and the right thing just might find you. And since there’s more than one right thing, the odds really are with you as long as you don’t give up or settle for something that’s not exactly what you want. No matter how crazy your criteria may seem…
Psst- Wanna know more about our (admittedly very subjective) rug rules? Check out this post and this post.
Teresa says
Looks great…like it was always there.
Laura Potchen says
Love the story and the rug..the Clara rug adds a punch of fun to the room…rock it!
Erin says
I love the new rug! It makes the room seem so much brighter! Is that white table the one from your sunroom?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Erin,
That’s actually another pedestal table we made (originally for our bedroom until we upgraded to an ottoman in there and brought it into our den). Here’s one post and another post all about it. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Mandy says
That is so ridiculously awesome! Incredible that you found the perfect rug, and love how you let us in on the search. I do my searches the same way, so glad you found what you were looking for (and I’m sure Clara will love it as much as you do!)
Julie says
I actually like the new rug a lot better than the old rug. Definitely adds so “pop” to the room. Well worth the search, I’d say. :)
christine says
I absolutely LOVE IT!!! The pop of color is perfect in there! Great choice
Kristen says
That’s so funny! We just ordered a rug from Lowes but definitely looked at that rug from Pottery Barn.
Also, did you know that Crate&Barrel has a Clara chair? It’s true, and it sort of matches the color scheme you created in her bedroom!
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/furniture/chairs/clara-chair/f33621
Blake says
The Clara Rug.. tooooo cute!
Amanda @ Our Humble A{bowe}d says
I love your new area rug! I HATE searching for rugs. We don’t have many home good stores, and definitely don’t have any outlets for such. So, I made my own, inspired by the West Elm Zigzag rug! http://ourhumbleabowed.wordpress.com/2010/08/16/weekend-painting-chevron-rug/
monique says
Clara Rug! Adorable! Looks great :)
Allison says
The new rug makes the room so cheery and fun. I love it!
This is a good post for me. I’ve been searching for new bedding and have even purchased a few options not because they were exactly what I wanted, but rather they were “pretty good” and I was feeling impatient. However, I’d always return them and remind myself to wait it out. Thanks for the encouragement to keep searching!
Angela says
Wow! When I saw the picture of the rug you chose from the Pottery Barn site I was like “What were you thinking!?” but it really looks great. I especially like the pops of yellow and green you added to the decor.
P.S. In the second paragraph under the celery rug you spelt crateandbarrel.com as CREATEandbarrel.com
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the heads up Angela- all fixed!
xo,
s
liz @ btb says
Love the colors in the new rug!
Just yesterday, Katie B posted about Ikea’s new jute rug (5’7″ x 7’10”) for only $89.
ESBlondie says
Love the new rug!
Sugar Cookie says
Beautiful! I love the new rug. So posh :)
Marilyn says
Your rug looks great; also liked the celery colored rug. I just ordered a rug yesterday from Company C – can’t wait to get it. I have a chenille and jute rug from Pier 1 that I recently purchased, hope it doesn’t do something funky like yours.
jenn says
I was just talking about stalking some hardwood floors this week. I do the EXACT same thing, partly because I get a lil indecisive when it comes to high ticket purchases, but also because I want to make sure I buy just the right item, and I want it to be on sale, of course! thanks for sharing… it usually takes work to find deals.
Danielle says
Love the new rug! I thought the room looked great before, but the pops of color and pattern really pull the room together and make it look even more polished. kudos!
Kate says
Glad you found the perfect rug! We’re starting the search for a new mattress. I’ve been wanting a latex one, and am curious to see if you’re still loving yours. Any complaints?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kate,
Not one. We love it!
xo,
s
Cheryl says
Love the bold, large pattern — anchors the room, adds interest and vitality. With neutral furnishings, the options for decor pieces (like rugs, etc) open up. I’d rather have a rug like this in my living room than, say, a yellow sofa, and always have to work around that color. You can change out the rug and not break the bank!
Sue says
Oh man, I LOVE that rug! It looks completely fabulous in your den…adds a ton of character (although your whole house already has character in spades!).
Jessica @ How Sweet says
I really love that green one. In fact, I want it!
Erika says
Looks great! I much prefer it over the old one :)
Mary says
Incredible! Your den, already lovely, bumped up many notches with the addition of your Clara rug! Did you already have the yellow pillows, etc? Knowing you youngsters, there’s gotta be a story with the pillows too, right?!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Mary,
They were just brought in from other rooms. We have a bunch of pillows that we rotate around, so we didn’t buy anything else that you see accessorizing the space, it’s all just repurposed and moved in from other places in our house (the pillows are all from Marshall’s about a year or two ago if that helps though).
xo,
s
Emily says
I absolutely love this mini make over!!
Erin says
Love it! It’s nice to know that it takes everyone else a lot of work to find what they love, too. We are considering buying a new rug, but the proportions of our room are a bit odd. Do you think that one of the “rules of rugs” is to have each piece of furniture touching the rug? I know that rug rules are subjective, but I’m just wondering in general.
Our space is actually a bit square, so the normal sizes don’t allow for each furniture piece to touch the edge of the rug when the rug is turned lengthwise, parallel to the couch (in order to allow the rug to extend past either side of the couch). And of course we’re looking for a bargain and square rugs aren’t typically bargains :)
Just wondering your thoughts on this as we’re rug-hunting ourselves! Thanks so much, and your blog is such an inspiration!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Erin,
Check out this two links at the bottom of this post for more rug rules and info. It’s definitely a subjective thing, but we like for the rug to always be longer than the sofa (so it extends on either side to ground the seating area) and it’s always nice if it touches each item of furniture in the space but we know that’s not always possible on a budget. Our general rule is that spaces with a sofa and a few chairs or just one chair usually call for a 5 x 8 rug but anything with a sofa and a loveseat or a sectional automatically need an 8 x 10 rug to ground those larger pieces. Good luck!
xo,
s
maggie E says
Wow! The new rug looks amazing! The room is even more light and airy. With the old rug, I hardly noticed any other color but white and yellow in the room. But with the new rug the greenery just jumps out of the picture! Good job!
Bethany says
Definitely a bold choice! How do you guys always pull these things off? It looks amazing! I (unfortunately) live in house full of carpet….I know this was recently a poll…but do you think I could put a rug over the carpet? Do you think it has to be a certain style to work?
YoungHouseLove says
We love rug over carpet! Check out the second link at the very bottom of this post for more info!
xo,
s
Kristi W. says
It’s so bright and summery! I can’t believe the rug was named Clara. What a funny coincidence. Looks like you have a few new accessories too. Very nice. Those few little changes almost make it look like an entirely new room!
Katy Stuhr says
Love the new rug!
I am actually wondering if you know what the pattern on your other rug in the living room is called (your yellow rug with the diamond like pattern). I have fallen in love with that pattern and want to get some curtains made in that pattern, but don’t know the name. Actually it’s funny you bring up Bachelor Pad in this post, because on that show all of their pillows and curtains are also made of this pattern of fabric. Would be awesome if you know the answer!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Katy,
That rug is called the Moorish Tile rug (since the pattern is definitely inspired by moorish tile which usually bears a similar shape). Oh and those pillows on Bachelor Pad are sold at Target (just saw them about a week ago so I hope they’re still there). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Letty says
Very pretty! Thanks for sharing the hunt! I’ve gotten so good at that now, thanks to you guys :)
ampersand-design.blogspot.com says
What a great story. It’s kismet!
You definitely picked the right rug and it looks amazing in your space.
Sandy K
emily says
My husband and I got married in December, and we’re in the process of figuring out decoration and design for our first (together) apartment, specifically our living room/kitchen area. Last night I went through the design advice archives to Blaine’s living room, looking for that fabulous Bridget rug, and came across the Clara rug and put it on our list of possiblities. I thought, how perfect would that be for YHL?! And then I open this today :) I LOVE how it looks!
Carole says
it’s amazing how much changing a rug can make a difference in the feel of a room! The light streaming into the room is gorgeous in the after pictures, too, nice pics!
we just bought the (wool) Sakura rug from West Elm (during their 20% off sale), but it’s still shedding like the dickens… (the puppy is all about fluff, so it’s a daily chore to vacuum and sweep around it) any shedding problems with your rug?
here’s a snap of our new rug:
http://buckcanuck.blogspot.com/2010/07/our-new-rug-from-west-elm-is-mostly.html
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Carole,
We have learned that PB rugs (and many other natural rugs made from cotton and wool) definitely shed a ton in the beginning. Vacuuming them often, especially in the beginning until the shedding slows down, can really help. We promise it does slow down after a while, and the more you vacuum them the sooner it does!
xo,
s
Ashley says
Love the rug! It brightens up the room so much!
Mallory @ R. Simple Life says
That is an awesome rug! It totally changes the whole look of the room. I actually thought you painted the walls a warmer yellow color. Looks amazing!
Perfect post for me, I’m looking for a rug for our dining room. And starting to get impatient. But After seeing how well your Clara rug turned out, I’ve got a new sense of patience!
Alicia says
FYI, if that rug is wool from pottery barn vacc=uum it EVERY DAY. It will really help. We scored one from PBK for our daughter’s room a while back on super clearance (I think it was $75) for a 5×8!!! It shed a lot and the girl at the store told us to try and go to town on it once a day for the first week or two. If you have vacuumed it you know what I mean. I am almost certain it killed our first vacuum which was on the way out anyway… Luckily we found a Dyson on clearance at Target for under $200 and still got the promotional $50 gift card.
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/how-to/how-to-care-for-wool-rugs-078237
OHHH and last but not least save the bag it came it. Should you want to store and not use it somewhere else it will not roll up and store properly.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Alicia! We have another PB rug (the yellow one in the living room) so we know what you mean about the initial shedding. We have nothing but good things to say about our new one though (and the one in the living room too). I guess a little vacuuming isn’t a big deal to us for a good quality natural fiber rug!
xo,
s
Rachel says
Love the rug and how you shared the process of finding it!
Abbey says
Didn’t think your den could get any better looking, but the after shot with the rug is gorgeous! Funny how one piece and a couple accessories can really shake things up!
p.s- I figured since I’d been blog stalking you guys for a while now, it was finally time to comment. ;-) Thanks for the inspiration!
Ella @ The Princess and the P says
Haha! This post is totally the reason I read YHL – you guys have a way of writing that’s completely unique and engaging. I wouldn’t normally read a post this long on other blogs but somehow y’all make rugs INTERESTING!! Love it!
erin says
I’m glad you all opted for the PB rug over the West Elm. I have 2 West Elm rugs that shed like crazy, pull like mad, and are generally poor quality. My rugs are less than 6 months old and look worse and worse each time I vacuum. These rugs retail for over $700, too! Have you heard other complaints about WE rugs?
Any area rug care tips you’d like to share?
thanks.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Erin,
Wow, that’s the first we’ve heard that! Anyone else have an issue with West Elm rugs? This is our second Pottery Barn rug and we really like the quality (they too shed a lot at first but after a few weeks of vacuuming they’re great). Do others have rug care tips for Erin? We just vacuum ours regularly and spot clean them if there’s a muddy paw incident thanks to Burger. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Amanda says
I actually love all of your choices, but the one you picked looks so fresh and lovely. I really like all the other things you added in the room to tie it in, too. The room has a whole new look!
Kate at Dream To Life says
“If fate means you to lose, give him a good fight anyhow.” ~William McFee
Not that you were ever going to lose the rug fight, but fate clearly wanted you to win with the “Clara” rug! I love when things work out like this!
I’m on the rug hunt too…thanks for posting a whole lotta great ideas!
you guys rock :>)
k
Sadie says
We have that same jute rug from Lowe’s! Too funny! We got it 3 years ago. I’ve noticed the shedding too, but it’s not as big of an issue since it’s on our screened in porch. Love the new rug! It’s amazing how it really changed the look of the room. It’s so much brighter and sunny now. PB has the best rugs; I have 2 of their sisals in my house and absolutely love them. The den is now officially Clara’s room :)
Sayuri says
Congrats on finding a rug! I’ve spent a year browsing for a perfect 9X12 rug. I may just do without it…it is rainy and humid where I live, plus we have a medium size dog and I’m afraid that the rug will smell over time. We replaced our carpets with hardwoods but my kids love to roll around on rugs when we visit other people with lush flooring. Poor kids. :)
Laura@JourneyChic says
Love that big, bold print! It adds so much interest to your already cool and comfy den.
kelly says
Looks great! Adds so much warmth to the room!! :)
Amanda@Longroadset says
Your den looks completely different now with that rug! Amazing what one thing can change. It brightens it up and adds some color. Thanks for sharing.
Emily says
Hi Young House lovers,
I really don’t want to be the one to rain on your lovely rug post, but I wanted to share my disappointment with Pottery Barn all-wood rugs. We have a gorgeous, fluffy all wool rug from PB, purchased in part because it was a soft surface for our baby girl’s tender knees. I have been so disappointed in the wear of the rug. It sheds wool fibers constantly, and they gather into dust balls on our wood floor. I have to vacuum on an almost daily basis and I still find the fibers in my baby’s mouth. We’ve had this rug for 2+ years now, and the shedding rate has not slowed at all. I wanted to warn you in case you see the same problem and it concerns you as much as me. OR, if you have a solution – please let me know! Of course, visually, your new rug looks beautiful in the den!
Sara says
Love it.
One question – how do you know how plush and cushy the rug is when shopping online?
Thanks,
Sara
YoungHouseLove says
Sara- We just read the descriptions and look at the pic. When it says 100% wool it’s usually much thicker than something described as “braided cotton” or anything that looks more like a mat from the side than a rug (which has more obvious heft in the pics). We’ve also seen a variety of rugs in person (either in the store or in other people’s homes) so that helps too!
Emily- We’re so sorry to hear that! We actually have had a Pottery Barn rug in our living room (also 100% wool) for over a year and a half and it hardly sheds. In fact it only really shed very heavily in the first month or so but there was a paper that came with the rug that warned us of that (apparently high quality wool rugs have a tendency to shed for a bit, but ours slowed down after some very frequent vacuuming in the first month or so). As for the Clara Rug, it’s made from looped wool (if you click over and look at the detail pics you’ll see what we mean) so we have found that it sheds a lot less than our other PB rug (although we have vacuumed it a few times to get rid of any extra fluff). Maybe you can call PB and see if there’s anything they recommend for your dilemma? Hope it helps!
xo,
s