Rug Switch Up

A couple weeks ago, I posted a picture of our front room on Instagram. I’m happy with everything going on in there, but I was starting to want more color or at least more contrast. The brown rug and brown furniture were making me want a change.

I recovered that chair with the help of a sweet friend about 7 years ago and I’d love to change it but upholstery is no small job. The table was my Great Grandmothers so I don’t want to paint it. The bentwood stool was a thrift find but I love it in stained wood too. The huge armoire was on Craigslist for $40. It’s amazing and great and I’m glad I was browsing Dallas Craigslist while living Hawaii and that my sweet brother was willing to go buy and tackle this beast into his truck for me while we were away. In short, I’m not willing to break up any of the brown-ness with paint. I am, though, a professional rug connoisseur.

Right after moving into our house, we trashed the carpet and scraped up the linoleum and eventually stained all the concrete floors. Our plan has always been to use only rugs in our house because they are much less of a commitment. I can get sick of and replace a rug way easier and cheaper than I can carpet. The rugs in our house are mostly from RugsUSA. The one above was clearance at Pottery Barn, many years ago.

When I started looking for rugs for this room, I looked for 8×10’s and my own personal criteria was to try and get something for under $150.  The other thing though, because our house is an open floor plan, I have to make the new rug work with these.

entry way / dining room via Rugs USA/ living room via HomeGoods

After lots of browsing and one failed attempt, we have a new rug from Overstock, that I love. They have a huge selection, great prices and free shipping. I always read customer reviews too when buying rugs online. That way you don’t have to wonder too much about what you’re getting. And as I tell the hubs who thinks it’s too light, it was $130, if we don’t like it after a while, I’ll replace it.**the 8×10 must be sold out, but they have it in smaller rugs and runners.

(via)

I unrolled it into the front room! It’s pretty and soft and bright:

I loved it in there but it was weird, it immediately washed out the sofa and the table and seemed kind of blinding in the bright light coming in from the bay window. Not from this angle but for real, it did.  I was going to wait for the hubs to help me switch it to the tv part of the room but ended up being way too impatient. Hello cardio!

It works so well in this space. It’s surrounded by darker pieces so brightens it up and is a perfect neutral in the room.


*y’all, there probably won’t ever be a styled coffee table in my house. Coffee tables are for coffee and feet propping. It looks really pretty but no thanks.

I was initially going to sell the pottery barn rug but because hubby wasn’t sure about this one and because it’s a woven rug as opposed to one that’s like carpet, I decided to use the PB one as the rug pad. It’s under there serving its new purpose and when this rug looks bad or if we want a change, we can bring it back out.

I love the fringe at the end and the subtle pattern.

How did I manage to include a single leftover fake Christmas tree needle? Must have been under the old rug. Sorry…


The floral rug got moved into the front room. I’m working on a few changes in there so I’ll show you more later.

Here’s a quick shot from the front door and proof that you see all the rugs at once. The new one works well with the others. Welcome to the family, rug. Stay clean please.


Thanks for reading, friends.

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