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.
Lisa @ lists in my pocket says
How much do you love Bachelor Pad?? It may be smutty but it is such a good guilty pleasure. :)
YoungHouseLove says
True dat. Although I wish it wasn’t 2 whole hours long. One hour of just the good stuff would suffice!
xo,
s
Erica says
Great choice! The new rug is beautiful!
Sara T. says
What a sweet victory! I had the same kind of search for a new end table for our living room. I searched every site imaginable and all the brick and motor stores I could think of with no luck. Then, two weeks ago I stumbled into HomeGoods to see what new things they had and I scored a off white, distressed pedestal table for only $80! I had seen one similar on Ballard Designs website for $189 and knew I would never pay that much. Good things come to those who wait and search really hard!!
Jen @ The Decor Scene says
Love it! What a difference it makes. I actually like the room with both rugs. But this really made the room look and feel different. The room seems warmer looking now. Love the new look. Great choice and I love the name.
Julia says
Oh, the den looks so gorgeous… LOVE the new and vibrant look. You guys did great! All that rug shopping was so worth it :)
Teresa T. says
Love what you picked out for the floor in the den. The rug just seems to “speak” you’all. If I remeber right you have a wreath that was a gift that will work for your seasonal changes. You had a lemon and lime christmas tree too.
We change the PB basic couch slip covers out each season and we have fun in our house with color. When people drop by they think I have painted the room again! It’s like when you get a new hair cut or get glasses, but people can’t figure out what is “different”. Keep them all on their toes :).
Always, Teresa
Jamie says
Wow, it’s amazing how much those small changes can affect the look of the room.
Just curious, is your fireplace gas or do you just light a fire whenever you want to take a nice picture?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jamie,
It’s gas. Easy, peasy.
xo,
s
KARA @ KARA PASLAY DESIGNS says
Wow, love the rug! It makes the whole room feel so warm and inviting!
Alissa says
I feel so much better now knowing I’m not the only one who a) put up with rug break-down particles for a bit too long! and who b) looked and looked and looked and looked and looked and looked for the perfect rug for my budget, room, and tastes.
I ended up getting a 35% discount at rugsusa.com after more hours of researching I’m ready to admit!
lana @ make a house a home says
we have been on a mission as well, and the west elm rug is one we are stalking! love the one you did pick – it works so well with the room.
Ashli M says
Love it! I saw the picture of the rug and thought How on earth would that work in their den, but it works beautifully, With a little help from the two of you, great job on the pillows and accessories.
Now you have two beautiful Clara’s.
~Ashli
http://www.maillardvillemanor.com
Redlilocks {Swoon Worthy} says
Looks fantastic – an already fabulous room improved. That’s one thing I love about decorating… it’s never really DONE is it? A home constantly needs to change and evolve to fit our lives – and you do it so beautifully! (And the new camera is just amazing – I so need to get me a new camera…)
MaryMoo says
Too funny – I just completed this herculean event as well. And what do you know? PB came to the rescue. Trying to match up colors was difficult. I was extremely pleased to find my 100% wool rug half price @ PB. What luck! I got the coco floral and couldn’t be happier :)
dana says
LOVE that rug in the rooom! It looks so fresh and really livens up the space.
kyla says
The rug and the den will be in the hot tub soon! Watch out!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, that show is craziness.
xo,
s
Devin says
Sheesh, your post couldn’t have come at a more perfect time for me. I, too, am going through an insane hunt to find the perfect 5×8 wool rug around $150…actually was planning on heading to Macy’s tonight to see if there are any rugs there that I can find cheaper online. And I already considered the rug you bought!
How do you guys feel about sites like rugsusa.com? They have great deals, but I’m so worried about buying something I can’t see with my own eyes first. And returning a rug would be expensive!
My place is pretty neutral like your room, I have gorgeous dark wood floors that I don’t want to take away from, and I’m using this fabric (http://bit.ly/9KaBPB) to sew new chair cushions, so I was thinking a dark chocolate rug with a little bit of pattern would balance things out. I really don’t want a busy rug pattern taking away from the chairs.
I saw this rug (http://bit.ly/bjZnWD) online and went gaga for it, then excitedly went to World Market hoping that they’d have it in 5×8. But they don’t, and regardless, the pattern looks AWFUL and runny on the jute. Nothing like the pic. Did you come across a rug like this in your search? I’ve searched high and low and I’m just not finding the one yet…
Ok, I’ve said too much…didn’t mean to make this into a rant :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Devin,
We haven’t personally shopped at rugsusa.com but we’ve heard good things about them from others! As for finding a rug like the one you’re seeking, we can’t think of any off the top of our heads but we encourage you to keep hunting! It’s all worth it in the end!
xo,
s
Nicole says
Your new rug adds a fun zip to the room!
Leigh-Ann L. says
LOVING the red & beige zig-zaggy rug! It would go great in our living room!
anna see says
LOVE THE RUG! I know how exhausting rug hunting can be! Right now I have very few rugs b/c I have a naughty dog.
Jessica says
I thought I loved this room before, but I think your new rug with a bit of color is amazing and really makes the room!
Tori says
Love how you took us through the process here of your rug-hunting decisions. Glad you found one that ultimately spoke to you. Enjoy, it looks lovely in your home.
bethany says
Don’t get me wrong, I liked the you all’s den before, but I love it now. It’s still calm and inviting, but it’s a lot more interesting to look at now! The additionally color was just right. <3 :)
melon patch designs says
Where did you find the slip cover barrel chair. I love it!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
It’s from Ikea! We actually got it from a thrift store for $20 and got the slipcover from Ikea to freshen it up!
xo,
s
Anticookiecutter says
I read the rug hunt and couldn’t believe of all the rugs in the world you finally chose the rug I have in my planning notebook. I’ve had my eye on this rug for a bit and it is so nice to see it in a beautiful room such as yours. I’m still deciding if the price is worth it since I don’t have any gift cards!
Susan says
I love how much the room was transformed, even though you guys only bought the new rug! I love moving things from room to room until they find their perfect fit…I love the new white curtains, were those from a dif room too?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Susan,
We actually added those curtains a while back (see this post) but never snapped an updated after photo so we just have the one without them to compare the full room after photo to!
xo,
s
Victoria says
The new rug looks gorgeous in your room. I love pottery barn rugs, but hesitate to purchased one ever since reading about the smell they produce, which has been described as toxic or as smelling of car tires. It seems like it is due to the latex breaking down. See http://madtownmacs.blogspot.com/2008/01/pottery-barn-rug-smell.html for comments people have mentioned about this issue. I was wondering if you had heard about this, or are concerned about it. Or, do your pottery barn rugs not have latex backing? I would love to hear your thoughts! I’d really like to purchase a pottery barn rug myself.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Victoria,
We’re always sure to purchase their 100% wool rugs which don’t have any latex backing (we hate that stuff). They never smell and we love them! Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Alex says
Love the rug and accessories. Your room is so much brighter now!
Here’s some unsolicited advice for when the little one is mobile: use those hideously bright foam puzzle mats under the rug. We have hardwood floors too and splurged (close to $50) on the mats that look like hardwood (at least they did in the picture). When we put it together, it looked really cheesy, didnt cover much ground and was way too slippery for our then 6 month old to practice crawling on. I was at Ross looking for cheap baby stuff and saw a bunch of bright puzzle mats for $9.99. I bought two more and put them under our big living room rug. Now our crawling/cruising 8 month old has a safe place to crawl and we have a living room that doesn’t look like a daycare center.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Alex,
That’s such a great tip for families out there with slippery rugs! We actually don’t need a rug pad at all since our den rug is held in place by a ton of heavy objects (the sofa pins it down on one side while two chairs hold it down on two other corners and the ottomans apply some great weight in the middle). We also find that the 100% natural wool rugs from PB have very “grippy” backs, not because they have rubber backing (they don’t) but because somehow the dense/tight backweave seems to really grip the floor well (our other wool PB rug in the living room is the same way). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Susie says
we have the same problem with our jute rug! I guess from your post that this is not a normal problem? I love the look of jute/sisal but am not a fan of the “dust” it sheds underneath. But your solution is gorgeous :)
bfish says
If you guys are up for a marathon shopping event, try Greenfront in Farmville. It is the true mecca for rug shopping — best variety and prices to be found. You have to go through every building though, not just the main (huge) rug building — some of the most beautiful ones are displayed amongst furniture throughout the complex. Many items there are more traditional than your taste, but any and all styles of furniture, rugs, and accessories are to be found. We comparison shop a lot and have saved $100s on rugs of all sizes; have a handmade 8 x 10′ wool hooked rug (similar to rug in this post) in the LR that we scored for $139 for example.
Oh, and I think your new rug adds a whole lot to your den (am a big fan of painted brick and paneling so love what you’ve done.)
YoungHouseLove says
We love Greenfront bfish! We haven’t been back there in a little while, but here’s a post we did about our last (and actually first) visit: https://www.younghouselove.com/2008/10/eighteen-football-fields/
– John
diane says
Great story. I purchased a lamp once because it was named “jenna” my daughter’s name. Cant think of a better reason to buy something. I love the transformation in the room. check out our site for affordable designer fabrics to coordinate with that new rug.
Beth says
I love that you took us through this hunting process! One question though — how do you keep track of all your options as you’re shopping? Sometimes my hunts last so long I can’t remember what I liked, where I saw it and how much it was!! Do you keep a journal? Word document or spreadsheet? Do tell!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Beth,
Believe it or not I actually keep windows open or email links to myself just to keep track of things. We also rarely make a quick decision so these practices help us “sleep on” our decisions for a while just to be sure we’re 100% confident and excited about the item we found (sometimes it’s hard to tell if you’re folding from exhaustion and settling on something you don’t love). For things that aren’t online (like the rug from a local boutique) I take a photo with my iPhone and email that to myself so it’s in my inbox (along with the links to our online favorites). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Becca says
Hey guys… where are the little white ceramic birds on your tv stand from? I love them!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Becca,
They’re actually yard sale scores (for just a few bucks). Love them! Maybe you can find something similar at a place like Goodwill?
xo,
s
Beth says
Just wanted to tell you I think that rug adds SO much to that room! Dimension, color, depth…what an awesome choice! Nice job!
lana says
Hi, just wondered if you’re worried about keeping your home clean with a little one. You guys have nice stuff, a lot of which looks light-colored or easily dirtied by tiny hands. Thoughts on how you will balance a beautiful home and a toddler with access to markers and crayons and dirt?
YoungHouseLove says
We plan to learn as we go! After having a puppy who loves to play in the dirt for the last almost-four years we’ve learned a few tricks (like placing a door mat in the sunroom and in the laundry room so he runs over them before hitting “the good rugs”) and we hope to learn more as Clara grows. We also have slipcovered sofas (and even a slipcovered armchair in the den). It always helps when you can toss those things in the wash! Of course we’ll share any and all keep-it-clean discoveries that we learn along the way!
xo,
s
bfish says
Thanks for the reply John — I began reading your blog several years ago (before you had to rename it I think) and then “lost” it so am now catching up on lots of posts old and new!
Back to Green Front — I’ve always found there to be better deals on the rugs than on the furniture, plus much of the furniture is too “fancy” for our style.
Julie says
I really enjoy reading your posts! Just wanted to ask a question–which you may have answered somewhere else but I couldn’t find it (: What are the pictures above the sofa? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Julie,
They’re just black and white photos that we hung in a grid above the sofa. Here’s that post for ya: https://www.younghouselove.com/2007/12/we-were-framed/
xo,
s
Michiganhome says
Hi there… I’ve been reading your blog for a while; can’t remember if I’ve ever commented. But I just had to tell you that I so appreciate your account of the rug-hunting saga, and the understanding encouragement at the end of your post about the quest for the perfect home accessory. Thanks for what you do, and btw, the rug is absolutely beautiful in the room. One question after reading about all the stinky PB rugs on the site mentioned by Victoria…Does your rug have ANY backing? Or is it the same material all the way through? Thank you!
-Michiganhome
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Michiganhome,
Thanks for the kind words! Glad you enjoyed our rug hunting saga. As for the backing question, the rug doesn’t have any added material for grip or backing. The back can best be described as a series of tightly knotted rows which produce the loop effect on the other side of the rug. It’s not slick and actually very rough and dense feeling, so along with the fact that two ottomans, a sofa, and two chairs hold it down, it has 0% chance of slipping around. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Samantha says
We spent a year looking for our rug when I finally found one at World Market. I had seen it in there for a month or two before when I had been in, but still wanted to look around. I went home to make sure it would fit, and came back not ever 15 minutes later and it was gone! We had to settle for a smaller, striped version but it looks great in our living room! Rug shopping is tedious!
joyce says
I’m going to have to look and see if they have one I can get…it would be perfect in my redone guest room…which is here if you’d like a peek: http://gardenjunk.blogspot.com/2010/06/guest-room-is-done.html.
Your living room looks amazing and the rug is perfect!!!!
jja says
I love the before version more. Room in not big enough and has lot of objects to handle with floral rug. Before version was somehow calm and relaxing…
Jen says
WOW! it looks great and your subtle touches really help make it pop. seriously look at your before/after side by side. it’s amazing!
I’m also glad i’m not the only one that tirelessly searches online and B&M for the exact right thing, unfort. i’m still searching for some of them! LOL
Alicia (Atypical Type A) says
I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who will jump through hoops to find the perfect item. That rug is seriously stunning – if only we had half of those stores here in Australia.
Carshena says
I also purchased that same rug from Lowes four years ago, and I had the same problem. I threw it out last year. I love your new rug!
Claire says
Thanks for sharing this. My living room is still rug-less because I just can’t find the perfect fit…..almost 2 years after moving in. Maybe I’m too picky but you’ve inspired me to just keep looking even when I was about to just settle.
Jeanette Blonski says
Hi from Canada. I found your web site last fall by accident when I had to paint stripes in a child’s room for a client and was needing info how to do it. I love your decorating style and have been meaning to get in touch to ask for your decorating services. So tonight I needed to find you site again, I’m not that computer savy, and didn’t bookmark it before. Are you still offering your design services and what e-mail address would I send my pictures to for you to help me out? We’ve lived in our house for 19 years….and I’ve barely sat in our family room because the decor and placement of furniture has never felt right. The fireplace needs a face lift also so I really need some help. I’m really design challenged when it comes to decorating a room. Since I may not be able to figure out how to get back to this blog…can you reply to me at [email protected]. Thanks so much!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jeanette,
We actually offer that service through the tab up by the header called Design Advice, but we’re not currently taking on clients (we’re calling it a maternity leave of sorts). We hope to be back to mood board making soon though, and we’ll definitely make a big announcement when we do!
xo,
s
Tina says
Hi,
I love your blog!! Everything you have done is so inspiring. : ) I am really glad to see this post about rugs. I’ve been looking for quite awhile for a couple of new rugs for our home and fell in love with a couple of PB’s. I too (as some mentioned before) read about the smells or off gassing from them. I really wanted something cushy (3 very young kids including a crawler) to offset the tile we have, and was looking at wool. My question is I looked up the Clara (gorgeous!!) and on the PB website it says “Cotton canvas/synthetic latex backed.” I’m confused on what that is, as you said yours doesn’t have a backing. The others I like say the same thing, but I’m nervous about possible smells. So is this a backing, and should it be something to be worried about? I don’t want to invest the money into these, as I need very large sizes, unless I know it will be an investment that will last. Help!! What do you think?
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so odd! You’re looking at the 5 x 8 Clara rug and it says it has a latex backing? Perhaps it’s coming from a different manufacturer or something because we’re 100% positive ours has no latex backing (and ours sold out, so maybe they restocked them with the latex backing or something?). Ours is 100% wool and the back is just the hard knotted wool from the back- nothing rubbery or smelly about it. In fact from the moment we rolled it out we marveled at how scent-free it was. We don’t really know what to tell you other than maybe you can call them and ask? Maybe they can explain what has changed. Good luck!
xo,
s
Tina says
Ok, thanks!! I’ll probably call them and see what’s going on with that.
harmony says
Lovely rug! I would love to see what you would have added/changed in your living room for each of the other rug options you considered. I always get paralyzed trying to think of which one will be the “right” one for my room–it would be so helpful to see how to make multiple options work!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Harmony,
We would have just played around with the things we already own no matter which rug we purchased! We definitely didn’t know what pillows or trays or other accessories would work beforehand, but once we got the rug home and rolled out it was easy to bring things in and out of the room until we landed on the perfect combo. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
Maybe I missed something, but how do you evaluate your “soft and cushy” criterion when you are shopping online? I rarely purchase anything online for which texture is important (clothes, fabric) unless there is a great return policy and I’m willing to put up with the hassle of possibly having to use it.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Elizabeth,
We read descriptions and look at detail photos, which really help to indicate how thick or cushy a rug may be, but we had actually seen many of these rugs in person at other people’s homes (or in the store) so that helped a lot!
xo,
s
Melissa says
That rug is PERFECT! It brings new life into the room. I love the added touch with the accessories. Beautifully done!