Rugs Made For Walking

Our homes are where we come to relax, feel comforted, and just be! With the floors being one of the main decor pieces it is immediate in a positive or negative feeling.

Years and changes have brought floors from carpeted areas to cold and hard surfaces--hardwood, laminate, tile. For all those hard surfaces area rugs are the happy medium to offer that cozy feeling. 

Area rugs can be pricey or affordable. They can change the look of a room with their neutral, color, pattern, texture. 

Removing shoes at the door is a way to keep the outside germs and dirt away from all types of flooring. But with that removal the texture becomes more important.

I used Pinterest, blog reading, Instagram as an input to the look I desired for rooms in the house. With a wrong purchase it became a waste of money. 

The latest area rug was purchased from Overstock. It supplied a gray and white neutral. I was striving for more of a beige neutral but from the reality that the last area rug we had showed stains.

That rug came from RugsUSA. It was a rug I absolutely loved. But, it had to be removed because the stains were horrible. To be honest, most of the stains were from the dog eating morning snacks on it. Picture a few bites of a shared pop tart from one's husband.

After reading about how seagrass rugs were very durable, easy to clean stains, and a neutral color I ordered two of these--one for the living room and one for the dining room. The color was fine--definitely the beige neutral I was seeking.
I purchased these from Decorators Collections which is a Home Depot site.

However, the texture was rough. Very unpleasing. Rough to the feet. 

As you can tell the weaving is large. For me, it was anything but cozy. I disliked the feeling immediately. The rug was moved from the dining room to our home office. It is usable there. 

The next purchase for the living room became headache #2. Searching for the neutral color seemed almost impossible. Anything that was light was going to transcend to a stained area rug quickly. I happened to find this shag rug in gray with white accents.

The pile is deep and lush. The shades of fiber will tend to hide stains. And, it is cozy to walk on. My dog absolutely loves it! He gave his approval!

Problem #3 was the dining room. I decided to give seagrass another try. This one was from Pottery Barn. The texture is a big smaller so it isn't as rough. I hope that it is just as durable. The price was reasonable since I used a sale with a coupon.

I like the neutral that allows the decor to come from drapes, place settings, and holiday decorations.

Isn't that the way decorating is--sometimes it works perfectly and sometimes it doesn't. If I would just do a little more reading and googling next time, maybe it will be easier on my pocket book!

The rugs made for walking--and enjoying my home.

Best Farmhouse Decor Purchases---EVER

I have to admit that I have joined the farmhouse decor group (if there is such a group). I took a look around the house and saw that there are a few purchases that meet that style for me.

White slipcovers: These are easily found in many homes today. Ikea Ektorp sofa and loveseat met the need at a very affordable price. They are a part of an active family or a family with pets because of their ability to be laundered.

Mirrors with a look of old and antiqued look was possibly the first addition to my living room. Hobby Lobby had these on clearance a couple of years ago for about $40. The mirror isn't the best and can add pounds with a glance. But the over-all look is right on target.

My favorite two tier stand is from World Market. The round plate stand has the touch of metal and wood. It is easy to change the look of the kitchen by adding holiday decor.

Our family get-together meals are usually buffet style. The wood and metal stand is perfect for those. It is beautiful when displaying a cake or salad. I hope to find a glass cover to fit it.

The two shelf piece was another Hobby Lobby find. By purchasing on the 50% off week it was easily under $20. I have this in the guest bath. The best part was how easy it was to adhere to the wall since the screws went through the round ends.

Any old piece of furniture can be updated with a coat of paint. I added a backing to the open shelves with luanne. By using chalk paint I mixed with the color of the kitchen cabinets (SW Westhighland White) so the entire kitchen would blend. I may add beadboard wallpaper to the back since I've had a roll in the garage for several years.

Countertop spaces are always at a premium. I like using this shelf so I can double the useable area. I know...it is wood and metal. There isn't a difficulty in finding those. Hobby Lobby was another 50% off visit.

Craigslist is always a good place to find used furniture. A few years ago I was always searching for Broyhill Fontana pieces. Since the popularity grew after viewers saw it on Everybody Loves Raymond, the furniture was available. But, it involved several trips to various cities and states. My husband was a dear to take me wherever! I transformed the pine to a two tone farmhouse look for pennies since I mixed my own chalk paint.

After taking a walk through my house, I see I have a problem. Maybe too much wood and metal leveled pieces. This too, shall pass. But for now, it means home to me. HomeFrontThoughts for sure.