Last year, we bought a 1960's ranch trapped in a 1970's remodel. Nearly every wall was tightly sealed in paper or paneling. From the entryway looking into the kitchen, you could see four, yes four, wallpaper patterns in a single line of sight.
Next to that disco, our wall-to-wall carpet seemed like a tranquil sea of beige. But once we scraped the layers of grooviness away and repainted the walls a fierce shade of “Polar Bear” white, that tranquil sea looked more like a muddy delta. Then, as my preschooler, toddler and cat made their own contributions to the situation (rogue art experiments, potty-training mishaps, aging feline fiascos…) I began to wonder how many of these incidents also occurred when the previous family lived here. What was lurking beneath that acrylic fur stuck to my floor?
So I booked a professional cleaner to sanitize and refresh. The results were amazing – at first. Within a couple of weeks, all of those murky mud bars resurfaced. Could they be old stains seeping up from the rug pad below? All I knew was that I wanted wood floors immediately. Except… replacing our floors was a bigger expense and undertaking than I was willing to endeavor with two kids under five.
My solution? Area rugs, of course!
I can hear what you’re thinking…It’s not just because I get an employee discount at Floorplan! (by the way, YOU can get a 30% discount for our first 30 Days, just sign up for our newsletter). That helps, but if I’m going to throw any money at this problem now, I better be able to use it once the wood floors are installed. Area rugs will help protect the wood finish, add warmth and bring some personal style into the now-vanilla space.
Why solve one carpet problem with more carpet?! Hand-knotted and hand-woven rugs can be vacuumed from both sides, allowing for more thorough cleaning when needed. These rugs can also be washed – so the dirt and grime released by steam or water just passes through rug foundation, rather than having to suck it back up with a high powered vacuum. A damaged rug pad can be replaced long before a well-made rug will wear out.
Why use a rug pad if it’s going on top of cushy carpet? It helps to prevent bunching and slips. The added thickness will also improve comfort, particularly with flatweaves. The right kind of rug pad for a carpet cover-up should be two-sided: a felted side to grip the carpet below and a natural rubber side to grip the rug above. If you switch to wood floors down the line, this type of pad can be flipped over, with rubber side down. Natural rubber won’t leave a sticky residue or have a negative chemical reaction with a polished floor finish, as can happen with synthetic rug pads.
If like me, you wish your wall-to-wall carpet would magically replace itself with hardwood but hasn’t, consider area rugs. With the right rug pad, they could be a good short- and long-term solution. Who knows, your carpet cover-up may even make you forget that you needed those wood floors in the first place.
$349 $439 Why this price?
Hand woven in India, the Akina Collection sets a rugged and worldly foundation. Each piece is deliberately crafted with textural highs and lows, accentuating the all-over geometric pattern. And because...
$429 $539 Why this price?
Breathe order, balance and calm into any setting with the new, hand-loomed Barkley Collection. These linear, tonal designs in wool and shimmery viscose are at once casual, chic and ultra...
$99 $129 Why this price?
Give your room an all-natural feel with the Edge Collection. These earthy rugs are hand woven in India of alternating strips of leather and jute for a unique tactile feel...
$179 $229 Why this price?
The flatwoven Oakwood Collection is an earthy neutral that benefits from natural, dye-free wool. The handwoven rugs have an intricate speckled look, thanks to the nature of pure, fine wool....
$349 $439 Why this price?
Hand-woven of jute, wool and cotton in India, the Omen Collection is a timeless series. The subtle chevron waves add beautiful dimension and create a truly unique look that is...
$431.20
$539
Why this price?
Sold Out
Hand stitched in India of 100% authentic cowhide, Promenade is a contemporary version of the timeless cowhide rug. The modern collection offers patterns that range in graphic designs with a...
$679
$959
Why this price?
Sold Out
Hand stitched in India of 100% authentic cowhide, Promenade is a contemporary version of the timeless cowhide rug. The modern collection offers patterns that range in graphic designs with a...
$434.40
$543
Why this price?
Sold Out
Hand stitched in India of 100% authentic cowhide, Promenade is a contemporary version of the timeless cowhide rug. The modern collection offers patterns that range in graphic designs with a...
$229
$289
Why this price?
Sold Out
A luxe, head-turning series of shag rugs, Orian is machine made in China of 100% polyester for great durability and exceptional softness. The densely packed yarns also make Orian a...
$207.20
$259
Why this price?
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Inspired by old Ben Ourian rugs, we've collaborated with Designer Justina Blakeney to transform the look with her signature 'Jungalow' style. The result is a series of wild patterns and...
$207.20
$259
Why this price?
Sold Out
Inspired by old Ben Ourian rugs, we've collaborated with Designer Justina Blakeney to transform the look with her signature 'Jungalow' style. The result is a series of wild patterns and...
$434.40
$543
Why this price?
Sold Out
Hand stitched in India of 100% authentic cowhide, Promenade is a contemporary version of the timeless cowhide rug. The modern collection offers patterns that range in graphic designs with a...
$419
$529
Why this price?
Sold Out
Hand woven in India, the Akina Collection sets a rugged and worldly foundation. Each piece is deliberately crafted with textural highs and lows, accentuating the all-over geometric pattern. And because...
$659 $829 Why this price?
A perfect blend of refined and relaxed, the Sloane Collection is hand-woven of wool, cotton and polyester by artisans in India. Sloane offers a sophisticated foundation for a contemporarily bohemian...
$659 $829 Why this price?
A perfect blend of refined and relaxed, the Sloane Collection is hand-woven of wool, cotton and polyester by artisans in India. Sloane offers a sophisticated foundation for a contemporarily bohemian...
$659 $829 Why this price?
A perfect blend of refined and relaxed, the Sloane Collection is hand-woven of wool, cotton and polyester by artisans in India. Sloane offers a sophisticated foundation for a contemporarily bohemian...
$659 $829 Why this price?
A perfect blend of refined and relaxed, the Sloane Collection is hand-woven of wool, cotton and polyester by artisans in India. Sloane offers a sophisticated foundation for a contemporarily bohemian...
$659 $829 Why this price?
A perfect blend of refined and relaxed, the Sloane Collection is hand-woven of wool, cotton and polyester by artisans in India. Sloane offers a sophisticated foundation for a contemporarily bohemian...
$239 $299 Why this price?
A perfect blend of refined and relaxed, the Roman Collection is hand woven of wool, cotton and viscose by skilled artisans in India. Designs with meticulously placed strokes offer a...
$239 $299 Why this price?
A perfect blend of refined and relaxed, the Roman Collection is hand woven of wool, cotton and viscose by skilled artisans in India. Designs with meticulously placed strokes offer a...
$239 $299 Why this price?
A perfect blend of refined and relaxed, the Roman Collection is hand woven of wool, cotton and viscose by skilled artisans in India. Designs with meticulously placed strokes offer a...
$239 $299 Why this price?
A perfect blend of refined and relaxed, the Roman Collection is hand woven of wool, cotton and viscose by skilled artisans in India. Designs with meticulously placed strokes offer a...
$239 $299 Why this price?
A perfect blend of refined and relaxed, the Roman Collection is hand woven of wool, cotton and viscose by skilled artisans in India. Designs with meticulously placed strokes offer a...
$139
$169
Why this price?
Sold Out
Hand-woven of 100% polyester by artisans in India, the Rey Collection features new solids elevated by tonal texture. Created in collabration with Justina Blakeney, the multi-colored yarn and stitching creates...
$139 $169 Why this price?
Hand-woven of 100% polyester by artisans in India, the Rey Collection features new solids elevated by tonal texture. Created in collabration with Justina Blakeney, the multi-colored yarn and stitching creates...
$139 $169 Why this price?
Hand-woven of 100% polyester by artisans in India, the Rey Collection features new solids elevated by tonal texture. Created in collabration with Justina Blakeney, the multi-colored yarn and stitching creates...
$139 $169 Why this price?
Hand-woven of 100% polyester by artisans in India, the Rey Collection features new solids elevated by tonal texture. Created in collabration with Justina Blakeney, the multi-colored yarn and stitching creates...
$139
$169
Why this price?
Sold Out
Hand-woven of 100% polyester by artisans in India, the Rey Collection features new solids elevated by tonal texture. Created in collabration with Justina Blakeney, the multi-colored yarn and stitching creates...
$159 $199 Why this price?
Hand-woven in India of 100% wool, the Quarry Collection sets a refined, heavily textured tone that can work in any space. Available in three timeless neutrals.
$159 $199 Why this price?
Hand-woven in India of 100% wool, the Quarry Collection sets a refined, heavily textured tone that can work in any space. Available in three timeless neutrals.
$159 $199 Why this price?
Hand-woven in India of 100% wool, the Quarry Collection sets a refined, heavily textured tone that can work in any space. Available in three timeless neutrals.
$619 $779 Why this price?
Hand stitched in India of 100% authentic cowhide, Promenade is a contemporary version of the timeless cowhide rug. The modern collection offers patterns that range in graphic designs with a...
$619 $779 Why this price?
Hand stitched in India of 100% authentic cowhide, Promenade is a contemporary version of the timeless cowhide rug. The modern collection offers patterns that range in graphic designs with a...
$619 $779 Why this price?
Hand stitched in India of 100% authentic cowhide, Promenade is a contemporary version of the timeless cowhide rug. The modern collection offers patterns that range in graphic designs with a...
$619 $779 Why this price?
Hand stitched in India of 100% authentic cowhide, Promenade is a contemporary version of the timeless cowhide rug. The modern collection offers patterns that range in graphic designs with a...
$619 $779 Why this price?
Hand stitched in India of 100% authentic cowhide, Promenade is a contemporary version of the timeless cowhide rug. The modern collection offers patterns that range in graphic designs with a...
$119 $149 Why this price?
Hand-woven by skilled artisans in India, the Priya Collection offers beautiful tonal designs accentuated by a carefully curated color palette. Delicate yet strong, Priya is an instant classic made for...
$119 $149 Why this price?
Hand-woven by skilled artisans in India, the Priya Collection offers beautiful tonal designs accentuated by a carefully curated color palette. Delicate yet strong, Priya is an instant classic made for...
$119 $149 Why this price?
Hand-woven by skilled artisans in India, the Priya Collection offers beautiful tonal designs accentuated by a carefully curated color palette. Delicate yet strong, Priya is an instant classic made for...
$119 $149 Why this price?
Hand-woven by skilled artisans in India, the Priya Collection offers beautiful tonal designs accentuated by a carefully curated color palette. Delicate yet strong, Priya is an instant classic made for...
$119 $149 Why this price?
Hand-woven by skilled artisans in India, the Priya Collection offers beautiful tonal designs accentuated by a carefully curated color palette. Delicate yet strong, Priya is an instant classic made for...
$119 $149 Why this price?
Hand-woven by skilled artisans in India, the Priya Collection offers beautiful tonal designs accentuated by a carefully curated color palette. Delicate yet strong, Priya is an instant classic made for...
$119 $149 Why this price?
Hand-woven by skilled artisans in India, the Priya Collection offers beautiful tonal designs accentuated by a carefully curated color palette. Delicate yet strong, Priya is an instant classic made for...
$119 $149 Why this price?
Hand-woven by skilled artisans in India, the Priya Collection offers beautiful tonal designs accentuated by a carefully curated color palette. Delicate yet strong, Priya is an instant classic made for...
$139 $179 Why this price?
Durable and distinct in textural variation, the hand-woven Playa Collection offers a bohemian take on the classic natural fiber rug. The carefully crafted patterns are elevated with deep hues to...
$139 $179 Why this price?
Durable and distinct in textural variation, the hand-woven Playa Collection offers a bohemian take on the classic natural fiber rug. The carefully crafted patterns are elevated with deep hues to...
$139 $179 Why this price?
Durable and distinct in textural variation, the hand-woven Playa Collection offers a bohemian take on the classic natural fiber rug. The carefully crafted patterns are elevated with deep hues to...
$139 $179 Why this price?
Durable and distinct in textural variation, the hand-woven Playa Collection offers a bohemian take on the classic natural fiber rug. The carefully crafted patterns are elevated with deep hues to...
$479 $599 Why this price?
With its meticulously hand-knotted texture applied to a hand-woven base, the Owen Collection offers an innovative look that feels relaxed, yet refined. Crafted by master artisans of wool and jute,...
$479 $599 Why this price?
With its meticulously hand-knotted texture applied to a hand-woven base, the Owen Collection offers an innovative look that feels relaxed, yet refined. Crafted by master artisans of wool and jute,...
Marissa Peterson
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