Thats the kind of rug youll keep for decades, shelling out even more money in between for people like Wagner to work their magic and make it look like new again. That means flatweave or low-pile, and made out of materials that you can wipe down (nylon or polypropylene) or even throw in the wash (cotton). We tried it out at a party, where it got an unsalvageable level of dirty (the competitors we brought along survived with more minimal wear and tear). These tightly woven cotton rugs feel smoother and softer than a rag rug. Gregory is a writer at Design Milk and the former managing home technology editor for Apartment Therapy. Synthetic fibers can be fairly stain resistant but will become more easily physically damaged by wear and tear than their natural counterparts. We focused primarily on rugs available in an 8-by-10-foot size for around $500 or less (most of the rugs we tested come in many smaller sizes, too), but some of the wool options hover around the $800 range. They can look pretty when brand-new, but Wagner suggested that we stay away from them: They are likely to shed, wear, yellow, and permanently stain with very light use. Wagner told us that a customer of hers ordered a few swatches of viscose rugs to see how they would hold up around her pets. Wagner compared them to plastic Tupperware: Though they can be discolored, in general you can pour in strong-staining items and it does not discolor the plastic permanently, she said. Many sites sell rug swatches for $1 to $25. While we each had particular style preferences, we agreed that some rugs had patterns and designs that were well-executedand that others looked like bad print jobs. Flaws but not dealbreakers: Even though this rug is all-cotton, we sucked up a significant amount of fiber the first several times we vacuumed it. However, a rug shouldnt be too big: Jessica Romm Perez and Shani Silver write in Domino: Your Guide to a Stylish Home that a large rug should still be at least a foot away from the wallideally 2 feet. The small geometric patterns found in these rugs do a good job of masking marks and stains, as Jessica Probus, author of Home Decor Cheat Sheets: Need-to-Know Stuff for Stylish Living, told us. According to rug cleaner Lisa Wagner, this tends to be a problem with low-pile polypropylene rugs. Sizes: 2.5 by 7, 2.5 by 10, 3 by 5, 5 by 7, 6 by 9, 8 by 10, 9 by 12, 6 round, 8 round, Materials: polyester with a polyurethane water-resistant barrier, thermoplastic rubber pad, Colors: wide variety of colors and patterns, Shipping: free (excluding Hawaii, Alaska, and the US territories). In the bedroom, having a rug wherever your feet are going to go is ideal, Probus said. We spent more than 60 hours researching hundreds of area rugs, interviewing experts, and testing rugs with panelists, then put our feet on our favorites at home (and let a cat do his best to destroy them) for many more hours. On bare floor or over a thin antislip lining, your feet will feel every bump in the rugs construction. Sizes: 2 by 3, 26 by 4, 23 by 5, 3 by 5, 4 by 4, 4 by 6, 6 by 6, 5 by 8, 6 by 9, 8 by 10, 9 by 12, Colors: blue, ivory, purple, ink, yellow, multi, gray, turquoise. Since its made of cotton, it can go in the wash. The white pattern on the Hovslund adds a bit of dimension, as well, without commanding too much attention. But you dont have to stick to tan, said Atwood, who favors soft versions of colors like blush, mint, gray-lilac, taupe. Jessica Probus suggested gray, navy, or a darker beige. Daniela Gorny is a supervising editor covering home goods, linens, and furniture at Wirecutter.
We didnt notice any unpleasant off-gassing, and it was fairly easy to spot-clean with some water and wool-friendly detergent.
Only get something that you cant stop thinking about! A bedroom rug should make the space feel comfortable and feel great underfoot. If you like the look of the striped Stockholm but want a softer rug or more color choices, this all-cotton rug is a good option. Our testers noted that this rug had a slight texture underfoot that felt pleasant, though not as soft as some of our other favorite flatweaves. Weve removed the HAY Raw Rug pick because its been discontinued. They add plush cushioning but are harder to clean.
The loose weave may not work well in a house with cats, nor hold up as well over time. It is reasonably durable and great for kitchen use because it can be washed, and it comes in a wide range of colors and sizes. Still, for high-traffic spaces where the everyday thrills of spills are a reality of life, Ruggables design makes a strong argument for compromising a little comfort for hard wearing convenience.
But even the best rugs in this class wont last a decade-plus in a high-traffic area in your home. Why its great: If you need to cover ugly flooringsay, linoleum in your living roomon a bare-bones budget, these Lowes indoor/outdoor rug tiles are a great option. But if you cant afford to cover that much space, Probuss general advice is to buy a rug thats big enough to fit partially under every piece of furniture. We made a mixture of dry quinoa, cinnamon, and crumbled toast that mimic common messes and are easily stuck in fibers, and then sprinkled it over a selection of the rugs of different pile heights. Flaws but not dealbreakers: Although the white lines will show a stain more easily than the gray, they are thin, so a stain or a small color change from dirt wont stand out as easily as it would on a rug with more white area.
We sifted through editorial reviews and the websites of big-box stores and discount rug sellers, comparing the finer details of nearly a hundred rugs. Testers liked the soft feelits softer than the Stockholmand its available in more sizes. Why its great: Revivals flatwoven machine-washable cotton rugs feel soft and substantial underfoot, unlike thinner synthetic rugs advertised as machine-washable (like our Ruggable pick). His work can be found at Design Milk, Dwell, Domino, Apartment Therapy, and Airbnb. A former staff writer owned one of these rugs and reported that it pilled at first. Plus, stripes help draw you into a space, she added. Our recommended rugs were the ones our testers thought felt nicest underfoot. It also feels rougher than our other favorite flatweaves. It should pull at your heart. Rebecca Atwood, author and designer, Use your rug search as an opportunity to probe your personal style. This shag rug is great for the price, but if you think you want something extra soft and plush, consider the Hay Raw rug, a more luxurious (but expensive) shag option. Her solution is to put smaller rugs on either side of the bed (if the space is tight, a runner works well). But just as Tupperware can be scratched and look cloudy, synthetic rugs can get smushed and trap dirt. Pick something with a small pattern to help mask little stains. Sizes: 2 by 3, 2.5 by 8, 2.5 by 12, 4 by 6, 6 by 9, 8 by 10, 9 by 12 (swatches also available), Colors: Swedish blue, indigo, ocean, citrus, dove grey, stone, coral, sky, Shipping: free for orders over $100; $10 flat rate for everything under $100. Living room rugs can be a little rougher than rugs for the bedroom, as youre not likely to spend as much time here with bare feet. If you are considering a natural-fiber rug for one of those rooms, try to feel it in person before you buy, if at all possible.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: While soft, this rug is a little thinner and bumpier underfoot than many flatweavesget a thick rug pad to go with it. Besides the corners curling, we found most of these folds faded after a couple of weeks. We also stained swatches of several rugs with wine and chocolate ice cream to see how easy they were to clean off. *At the time of publishing, the price was $130. Medium- to high-pile rugs have a more cushioned feel, with fibers between a inch to a inch (medium pile) and over a inch (high pile). Wed think twice before putting the black-and-white version in a home with lots of foot traffic from kids (or even a home where you dont have a no-shoes-inside policy). Materials: 100% polypropylene, synthetic rubber backing, Colors: dark gray with cream lattice pattern. Best for: kitchen, dining room, kids room. If you have small kids (or are just spill-prone), invest in a dining-area rug thats easy to clean. In 2020, our rugs were stress-tested by Gregorys two senior cats in his home that provided plenty of messes to clean up. Though weve seen rugs made of other plant-based fibers in offices and living rooms in photos and showrooms, weve found that such rugs generally dont work as well in those rooms because they arent as soft underfoot. Dining room: A rug will make the dining space feel grounded and keep chairs from scraping the floor. Cotton: Typically used for flatweaves, cotton is a nice material for rugs because it is soft underfoot and can go in the wash. (Beware of shrinkage, though, when you are choosing a size.). Think about the pieces youve owned that have stuck with you the most and create a mood board based on colors, textures, patterns, interiors and photographs that speak to you, Atwood said. Our smaller 3-by-5-foot sample also proved to be a pretty good workout mat, sufficiently cushioned and nonslip for cardio, and never exhibiting any pilling. But she is discovering that NONE are holding up. We decided to skip testing these materials ourselves. If you really do think that magazines pink and orange striped rug would look great in your living room, Frankel suggests using construction paper to mock up how the rug will actually look on the floor. The adhesive should be easy to wipe off the floor with a cleaning solution (your mileage may vary depending on the surface youre adhering to). These square-foot-size tiles inexpensively hide ugly flooring. They can look greatsometimes really greatfor a few years. Why its great: If youre looking for an area rug with a contemporary, yet neutral design that whispers hyggecozy, comfortable, warm and welcomingthe Burrow Cape House rug is a solid pick on looks alone. We have picks for flatwoven, low-pile, and high-pile rugs that will suit a range of functional purposes and decorating styles. However, the rug we ordered felt more like a dish towel than a rugso much so that we didnt even include it in our testing. Jute: This material is made from the jute plant, primarily grown in Asia. Flaws but not dealbreakers: This rug comes in relatively light colors and has a significant amount of white. These rugs will also benefit from a thick rug pad.
We found that it can sometimes lend rugs a slick or silky feel.
Indoor/outdoor rugs are generally a good choice, since they can take some abuse. The majority of these rugs that we put our hands and feet on had dry, scratchy polypropylene fibers, a design that spaced the fibers too thinly and made the rug feel flat rather than plush, or both. Using a thick rug pad can make a big difference with these rugs, transforming them from something that feels most appropriate in a kitchen to a rug that is cushioned enough to put in a bedroom. Sizes: 2 by 3, 3 by 5, 4 by 6, 5 by 8, 6 by 9, 7 by 7, 8 by 10, 9 by 12, 10 by 14, 12 by 16, 2.5 by 9, 2.5 by 12, and round and custom sizes, Colors: black, terracotta, olive, teal, sienna, navy, gray, natural (tan), light (white). You can also spot clean with some water, but jute is very susceptible to water and humidity, so avoid wetting it too much.
Sizes: 4 by 6, 5 by 8, 6 by 9, 8 by 10, 9 by 12, 10 by 14, 25 by 9, and custom sizes, Materials: 100% wool with 100% cotton backing, Colors: ombre red and orange, ombre taupe and pink, ombre green and yellow, ombre gray and blue, Shipping: free shipping within the contiguous US. These rugs are only an -inch thick (thinner than most low-pile rugs), so the entire rug can more easily be thrown into the average-size washing machine. But that makes it even better at hiding dirt. Crate and Kids Barcode Grey Rug (now discontinued) was a previous flatweave cotton rug pick in the guide, but it is no longer available.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: After using the light-gray version in a living room for five months, we found that it needed regular vacuuming to look nice, and that even small dark stains stood out. The stripes are smaller than those on the Stockholm, lending the rug a beachier look.
We also consulted the design book Domino: Your Guide to a Stylish Home to learn tricks from pros Jessica Romm Perez and Shani Silver. Plus, some of the colors look a little dated. *For more patterns and sizes visit Hook & Loom, $24 to $345, Best for: dining room, living room, bedroom, kitchen, kids room, bedroom. Colors: black and white striped, red and white striped, yellow (net pattern), gray (net pattern), brown (checkered pattern), orange (zigzag), Shipping: $10 to $100, depending on location. *At the time of publishing, the price was $400. She spilled red wine on them, too. The super-low pile is made of nylonwhich makes this rug easy to wipe down with a cloth.
You can machine wash them, so theyre great for a location where they are likely to get spilled on (think kitchen or dining room), though youll need to take larger sizes to a laundromat. If you cant afford a rug that big, try to get one that will fit partially under each piece of furniture. For the 2020 update to this guide, Gregory Han called in four new rug styles, re-tested previous picks, and added long-term test notes to existing picks. It will make a living room or bedroom instantly look more homey and cozy without costing you a lot. Though their feel is far from the plush texture of a rug with pile, these rugs are softer than most flatweaves weve tested. In the future, we plan to bring these new rugs into the office to get more feedback. Theyre great for dining rooms since you can scoot chairs around on them, but bare feet will also have a nice surface to rest on. Of the 42 rugs we tested, we highly recommend 16 that come in multiple sizes, colors, and patterns. Why its great: We love how the Safavieh Ramona Rug feels softer than the other flatweaves we tested while still being easier to vacuum than a rug with pile. We also like the Durahold Plus Non Slip Rug Pad for a bit more grip, and the Rug Pad USA Super Lock Natural for more versatile placement. Shag rugs, in particular, can make a room feel cozy, interior designer and author Jessica Probus noted. Because they are tiles, they dont have the finished edge most rugs do and will look best covering a space wall-to-wall. You can usually find her walking her dog and exploring the hilly trails of Los Angeles. Flaws but not dealbreakers: The rug size we tested was 3 feet by 5 feet, and while it washed well and easily fit in a standard top-loading washer (like most cotton flatweaves), cotton is heavier to handle when it gets wet, so washing anything 6 x 9 and above may get tricky and/or require a larger washer.
The original author of this guide was Shannon Palus. If you want to make your room feel open even with a darker-color rug, try stripes. In this guide we note how each fared in our tests, which rooms they will hold up in best, and how much shipping will cost when you purchase the rug online. We think the Lowes Pebble Path Carpet Tiles are similar to the industrial Flor options, and theyre only a fifth of the price. Sizes: 2 by 4, 2 by 6, 2 by 8, 2 by 10, 2 by 12, 2 by 14, 3 by 5, 51 square, 4 by 6, 51 by 8, 6 by 9, 8 by 10, 86 by 12, 10 by 14, 7 round, 51 round, Materials: primarily polypropylene with jute backing, Colors: aqua, brown, dark beige, dark gray, gray, ivory, navy, purple, red (some colors not available in all dimensions). The neutral color and white trellis pattern can provide a nice backdrop for more dramatic room decorations. We like that small stains and marks wont stand out against the intricate lines of the weave. Have it peeking out under a chair, or under two legs, Probus said. In person, the weave seemed loose, and the polyester yarns were thick and rough; our cats claws easily pulled them. In our research and testing, weve found there are trade-offs to rugs made of natural and synthetic fibers. This is one of the most affordable rag rugs weve found. Its a good choice for a bedroom, or anywhere you might walk with bare feet. One of our picks, the Hay Raw Rug, is made of tufted wool, and while it does shed, we think its an acceptable amount, but we note its better suited for low traffic areas. They come in a vast array of colors and patterns (solid, striped, geometric), offering the most variety weve seen in a single line. And when we had a cat roll around on one, his claws snagged on several of the loops. The rug is made of 100% wool with a cotton backing and has a medium pile (around of an inch thick). Why its great: The Safavieh Milan Shag feels amazing underfoot: SO PLUSH! wrote one of our testers. Experts we spoke to advised going with a more neutral rug as a base layer and then adding smaller accent rugs on topthe way youd add a colorful throw pillow to a plain couch. HAYs Raw Rug was a previous wool rug pick, but its been discontinued. Live with this a while and see how it resonates.
Crate and Kids Square Indoor/Outdoor Rug (now discontinued): We liked the look of this rugs grid design online. The rugs we cover in this guide arent that expensive and are all available for purchase online. While any vacuum can clean bare floors, some models make the task a little easier. Its a great choice if you need a large, affordable rug for a living room or bedroom. This means that most of the rugs we recommend can be had in an 8-by-10-foot size for not much more than $300 (plus shipping) with only a few in the $400 and $500 range. It looked a little strange and made the rug feel bumpy underfoot. Small rugs or runners work well in this roomplace a runner along the floor next to a counter. If you love the way a pink and orange striped rug looks covering the entire living room floor in a magazine, for instance, find a similar pattern in a neutral palette, or buy a smaller version of the rug that wont command so much space. Also, because of its deeper pile, you need a powerful vacuum to get dirt out from its depths (but avoid the rotary vacuum attachment). Flatweaves wont trap as much dirt as rugs with pile, and theyre easy to vacuum or wipe down with a damp cloth. If youre short on money, you can get away with smaller area rugs. The pad should be smaller than your area rug by 1 to 2 inches on all sides, so that the edges of the rug lie flat against the floor and dont become a tripping hazard. Our testers unanimously loved them. Unlike thick, bumpier jute rugs, these are thin and ideal for under a dining table or layering in a living room. Alison Fonseca, Our Essential Guide to Natural-Fiber Rugs, One Kings Lane, Jessica Probus and Alice Mongkongllite, Home Decor Cheat Sheets: Need-to-Know Stuff for Stylish Living, June 21, 2016, Jessica Romm Perez and Shani Silver, Domino: Your Guide to a Stylish Home, November 15, 2016, Jessica Probus, author of Home Decor Cheat Sheets: Need-to-Know Stuff for Stylish Living, phone interview, October 17, 2016, Lisa Wagner, professional rug cleaner, email interview, July 21, 2016, Elana Frankel, design consultant and former VP of creative at One Kings Lane, phone interview, September 22, 2016, Rebecca Atwood, author of Living with Pattern: Color, Texture, and Print at Home, email interview, October 25, 2016. Instead, Frankel suggested using those bolder styles as a starting point for rug shopping. Mark the boundaries of where youd like to put the rug with masking tape, as Apartment Therapy suggests, and measure the distance between them. If you can find it, we still think its a great plush rug that offers lots of cushioning, even without a pad. We like these rugs best in small doses: at the foot of a piece of furniture to support bare feet, for example, or as an accent rug in a playroom to create a soft spot where kids can lie down with a book. Why its great: The Safavieh Juliette Rug is a nice alternative to the IKEA Stockholm.
The Dash & Albert Herringbone Woven Cotton Rug strikes a Goldilocks-worthy balance between interesting and understated. It gets a lot of wear from being in one of the most trafficked areas in the apartment, and while there are a few snags in places, they dont look bad or particularly noticeable. Polypropylene (also known as olefin): Not as durable as nylon, according to Wagner, but cheaper. These quality flatweave organic-cotton rugs come in neutral and geometric patterns and can be machine-washed and hung to dry. Flaws but not dealbreakers: These tiles look and feel industriallike something youd find in an office building or an elementary school. When we put this rug through the washer and dryerDash & Albert recommends hand washing or professional cleaningit shrank by 10% in area, on a par with the other rugs we cleaned this way. This nylon rug is easier to wipe clean and less prone to staining than some low-pile rugs. It would work great near a bed or in a living room where kids can play around. But it may end up looking dingy after a few years.
These rugs usually have fibers up to a -inch high and provide a bit more cushioning than a flatweave but are still easy to clean. Safavieh Adirondack Collection: The knockoff Persian print on this rug looked faint and faded in person. The dense, soft fibers make it a great rug for a childs room or any space to which you want to add a luxurious, plush feel on a budget. Cheap materials can require steam cleanings a couple of times a year to look good. Sizes: 3 by 5, 4 by 6, 5 by 7, 6 by 9, Colors: several neutral earth tones and patterns available. Rugs with fibers longer than of an inch are considered plush or shag. Its a more delicate rug than a flatweave or polyester rug, and you need to get it professionally hand-washed every 3 to 5 years depending on your use (we also have more in-depth rug cleaning advice). The Hart Jute Rug is flexible and finely woven, giving it a more delicate, flat appearance. Amazon reviewers agree that its a good buy: What an incredible rug for the price, writes one. The rug we tested was the Holding - Taupe in 3 x 5, and while the colors did fade slightly after a couple of washes, it has held up well after several months of use. You can even machine-wash some of them, such as cotton rag rugs. Burrow also sells their own rug pad, which you can add to your order when selecting your rug size. Buy smaller rugs to go around your bed so that you dont spend money on square feet of rug that youll never see underneath your bed. Why its great: Of all the lower-budget options we tested, the Persian Area Rugs 3028 Moroccan Trellis Area Rug was our favorite. If you cant afford to cover the space between all of your furniture, consider multiple rugs arranged to unite specific areas where conversation happens. With those past rug purchases in mind, for this guide we set out to find what makes a great rugeven an inexpensive one. This rugs attractive woven pattern will add texture and interest to any room without commanding too much attention. You can just put down enough to get an idea of how a section of the room will look. You can easily install them in any configuration, thanks to peel-and-stick backing. It comes in many color and design options. Flaws but not dealbreakers: Two of the corners on our jute rug kept curling up for the first two months, even after wed placed weights and bent it in the opposite direction, but Revivals advice to bend and roll the corner seemed to finally do the trick.
These two-piece and lightweight machine-washable rugs are in a category all their own, available in hundreds of styles, nine sizes, and both high and low piles. In a dining room, a rug should be big enough for all the chairs to fit on it when they are pulled out, with at least a little room to spare so the legs dont catch on the edge. Designer Rebecca Atwood told us that dark rugs make a room feel warm, cozy, and grounded, while light ones will make it feel airy, and tones in between hide dirt, pet hair, and the like best, so thats a good place to start.. Then use this as your guide for picking pieces for your home., Even without a mood board, its prudent to give yourself a couple of days to reflect before committing to a rug. Consider a plush high-pile rug next to the bed or a reading chair to create a soft surface to curl up on, and a low-pile or flatweave next to a play area. The fine herringbone pattern will hide small marks or stains, to boot. Cheap rugs have a purpose and use, just like cheap furniture does, Wagner said. Though they are thinner than Flors indoor/outdoor offerings, the texture is comparable: rough, but also a little cushy underfoot. Low-pile rugs work well in kids rooms, since theyre soft enough for kids to roll around on and are generally easier to clean than higher-pile rugs. According to rug cleaner Lisa Wagner, polypropylene tends to attract oil more than a material like wool. These three durable and comfortable options will work for a variety of styles. *At the time of publishing, the price was $100. (Low-pile rugs are commonly found in schools.) These flatweaves will resist signs of wear and tear. Where should those edges be? The rug pad is -inch thick and made of polyester and thermoplastic rubber, similar to a yoga mat. The designer told her these viscose samples were ideal for her family room, Wagner said. It has a great price for a wool rug, and its softer than the other budget wool rugs we put our hands on. This system consists of a rug pad and a rug cover (the cover is the actual rug), which is not unlike the setup we recommend for most of our picks, but with Ruggable rugs the pad is not optional. Rugs can cost a lot. Flor Tiles: These pieces are the gold standard among rug tiles. After researching dozens of rug pads, interviewing rug cleaners and manufacturers, and testing 15 models, we found that the -inch-thick Mohawk Home Dual Surface Felted Rug Pad had the best combination of cushioning and nonslip grip. You can easily do these tests at home yourself. We use this one in the Wirecutter test kitchen, and we recommend it in our guide to standing desk mats. Like other natural fibers, its a popular choice for under dining tables and in hallways because it is durable, lightweight, and can be easily cleaned, but it doesnt provide a lot of cushion. Jessica Probus suggested thinking of bright, colorful rugs as you would accent pillows: there to add a little bit of texture and color, easy to swap out if you get tired of the design. The diamond pattern is subtle yet interesting, and in our tests the olive version even distracted from dirt and a wine spill (we tested it out at a party) that wasnt cleaned up efficiently. Unlike sisal, it doesnt hold on to stains easilyor dye, which means that it comes only in its natural light green or khaki color. When we put the Ramona through the washer and dryer, it shrank about the same amount as the other rugs we cleaned. Rugs with fibers longer than a inch are considered medium pile, while those over a inch are high pile; those taller than of an inch are considered plush or shag. Horizontal stripes will make a space feel longer, Atwood said. Its easy to clean, and it will hold up relatively well to wear and tear compared with other options, though it will cost a little more. The thin water-resistant rug cover, made of polyester, attaches securely to the pad. Mainstays Dylan Nylon Area Rug: This rug was thinner than it looked online and reminded us more of a bath mat than something wed put in our living rooms. Her first place out of college was a two-bedroom in South Philadelphia, with all linoleum floors. Be careful, though, about buying an inexpensive wool rug thats gone through a lot of chemical processing, Lisa Wagner told us, as it can shed horribly. As a general rule of thumb, Wagner said, you should stay away from tufted wool rugs, often made in India. One of our editors, who has a young child and a dog, has used this rug since 2017 and said: Its been pretty solid. By itself or with a thin rug pad, this rug is better for kitchens and high traffic areas, but when combined with a thick rug pad underneath, this rug could work well in bedrooms and living rooms where someone may want a more cushioned surface. Flatwoven rugs have no pile (fibers that stick up), and theyre easier to clean and good for high-traffic areas. Mohawk Home Supreme Dual Surface Felted Rug Pad, Illustrations from Home Decor Cheat Sheets (written by Jessica Probus and illustrated by Alice Mongkongllite) reprinted with permission from Ulysses Press, Rugs with fibers longer than of an inch, which types of rugs function best in high- and low-traffic areas, Dash & Albert Herringbone Woven Cotton Rug, Persian Area Rugs 3028 Moroccan Trellis Area Rug, How to choose the right rugs for different rooms, Home Decor Cheat Sheets: Need-to-Know Stuff for Stylish Living, A natural fiber rug that comes in several colors, A lightweight and easy-to-wash cotton rug, A rug you can throw into the washing machine, A supersoft, cheap rug for living rooms and bedrooms, unite specific areas where conversation happens, Our Essential Guide to Natural-Fiber Rugs, author of Home Decor Cheat Sheets: Need-to-Know Stuff for Stylish Living, design consultant and former VP of creative at One Kings Lane, author of Living with Pattern: Color, Texture, and Print at Home.
We didnt notice any unpleasant off-gassing, and it was fairly easy to spot-clean with some water and wool-friendly detergent.
Only get something that you cant stop thinking about! A bedroom rug should make the space feel comfortable and feel great underfoot. If you like the look of the striped Stockholm but want a softer rug or more color choices, this all-cotton rug is a good option. Our testers noted that this rug had a slight texture underfoot that felt pleasant, though not as soft as some of our other favorite flatweaves. Weve removed the HAY Raw Rug pick because its been discontinued. They add plush cushioning but are harder to clean. The loose weave may not work well in a house with cats, nor hold up as well over time. It is reasonably durable and great for kitchen use because it can be washed, and it comes in a wide range of colors and sizes. Still, for high-traffic spaces where the everyday thrills of spills are a reality of life, Ruggables design makes a strong argument for compromising a little comfort for hard wearing convenience.
But even the best rugs in this class wont last a decade-plus in a high-traffic area in your home. Why its great: If you need to cover ugly flooringsay, linoleum in your living roomon a bare-bones budget, these Lowes indoor/outdoor rug tiles are a great option. But if you cant afford to cover that much space, Probuss general advice is to buy a rug thats big enough to fit partially under every piece of furniture. We made a mixture of dry quinoa, cinnamon, and crumbled toast that mimic common messes and are easily stuck in fibers, and then sprinkled it over a selection of the rugs of different pile heights. Flaws but not dealbreakers: Although the white lines will show a stain more easily than the gray, they are thin, so a stain or a small color change from dirt wont stand out as easily as it would on a rug with more white area.
We sifted through editorial reviews and the websites of big-box stores and discount rug sellers, comparing the finer details of nearly a hundred rugs. Testers liked the soft feelits softer than the Stockholmand its available in more sizes. Why its great: Revivals flatwoven machine-washable cotton rugs feel soft and substantial underfoot, unlike thinner synthetic rugs advertised as machine-washable (like our Ruggable pick). His work can be found at Design Milk, Dwell, Domino, Apartment Therapy, and Airbnb. A former staff writer owned one of these rugs and reported that it pilled at first. Plus, stripes help draw you into a space, she added. Our recommended rugs were the ones our testers thought felt nicest underfoot. It also feels rougher than our other favorite flatweaves. It should pull at your heart. Rebecca Atwood, author and designer, Use your rug search as an opportunity to probe your personal style. This shag rug is great for the price, but if you think you want something extra soft and plush, consider the Hay Raw rug, a more luxurious (but expensive) shag option. Her solution is to put smaller rugs on either side of the bed (if the space is tight, a runner works well). But just as Tupperware can be scratched and look cloudy, synthetic rugs can get smushed and trap dirt. Pick something with a small pattern to help mask little stains. Sizes: 2 by 3, 2.5 by 8, 2.5 by 12, 4 by 6, 6 by 9, 8 by 10, 9 by 12 (swatches also available), Colors: Swedish blue, indigo, ocean, citrus, dove grey, stone, coral, sky, Shipping: free for orders over $100; $10 flat rate for everything under $100. Living room rugs can be a little rougher than rugs for the bedroom, as youre not likely to spend as much time here with bare feet. If you are considering a natural-fiber rug for one of those rooms, try to feel it in person before you buy, if at all possible.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: While soft, this rug is a little thinner and bumpier underfoot than many flatweavesget a thick rug pad to go with it. Besides the corners curling, we found most of these folds faded after a couple of weeks. We also stained swatches of several rugs with wine and chocolate ice cream to see how easy they were to clean off. *At the time of publishing, the price was $130. Medium- to high-pile rugs have a more cushioned feel, with fibers between a inch to a inch (medium pile) and over a inch (high pile). Wed think twice before putting the black-and-white version in a home with lots of foot traffic from kids (or even a home where you dont have a no-shoes-inside policy). Materials: 100% polypropylene, synthetic rubber backing, Colors: dark gray with cream lattice pattern. Best for: kitchen, dining room, kids room. If you have small kids (or are just spill-prone), invest in a dining-area rug thats easy to clean. In 2020, our rugs were stress-tested by Gregorys two senior cats in his home that provided plenty of messes to clean up. Though weve seen rugs made of other plant-based fibers in offices and living rooms in photos and showrooms, weve found that such rugs generally dont work as well in those rooms because they arent as soft underfoot. Dining room: A rug will make the dining space feel grounded and keep chairs from scraping the floor. Cotton: Typically used for flatweaves, cotton is a nice material for rugs because it is soft underfoot and can go in the wash. (Beware of shrinkage, though, when you are choosing a size.). Think about the pieces youve owned that have stuck with you the most and create a mood board based on colors, textures, patterns, interiors and photographs that speak to you, Atwood said. Our smaller 3-by-5-foot sample also proved to be a pretty good workout mat, sufficiently cushioned and nonslip for cardio, and never exhibiting any pilling. But she is discovering that NONE are holding up. We decided to skip testing these materials ourselves. If you really do think that magazines pink and orange striped rug would look great in your living room, Frankel suggests using construction paper to mock up how the rug will actually look on the floor. The adhesive should be easy to wipe off the floor with a cleaning solution (your mileage may vary depending on the surface youre adhering to). These square-foot-size tiles inexpensively hide ugly flooring. They can look greatsometimes really greatfor a few years. Why its great: If youre looking for an area rug with a contemporary, yet neutral design that whispers hyggecozy, comfortable, warm and welcomingthe Burrow Cape House rug is a solid pick on looks alone. We have picks for flatwoven, low-pile, and high-pile rugs that will suit a range of functional purposes and decorating styles. However, the rug we ordered felt more like a dish towel than a rugso much so that we didnt even include it in our testing. Jute: This material is made from the jute plant, primarily grown in Asia. Flaws but not dealbreakers: This rug comes in relatively light colors and has a significant amount of white. These rugs will also benefit from a thick rug pad.
We found that it can sometimes lend rugs a slick or silky feel.
Indoor/outdoor rugs are generally a good choice, since they can take some abuse. The majority of these rugs that we put our hands and feet on had dry, scratchy polypropylene fibers, a design that spaced the fibers too thinly and made the rug feel flat rather than plush, or both. Using a thick rug pad can make a big difference with these rugs, transforming them from something that feels most appropriate in a kitchen to a rug that is cushioned enough to put in a bedroom. Sizes: 2 by 3, 3 by 5, 4 by 6, 5 by 8, 6 by 9, 7 by 7, 8 by 10, 9 by 12, 10 by 14, 12 by 16, 2.5 by 9, 2.5 by 12, and round and custom sizes, Colors: black, terracotta, olive, teal, sienna, navy, gray, natural (tan), light (white). You can also spot clean with some water, but jute is very susceptible to water and humidity, so avoid wetting it too much.
Sizes: 4 by 6, 5 by 8, 6 by 9, 8 by 10, 9 by 12, 10 by 14, 25 by 9, and custom sizes, Materials: 100% wool with 100% cotton backing, Colors: ombre red and orange, ombre taupe and pink, ombre green and yellow, ombre gray and blue, Shipping: free shipping within the contiguous US. These rugs are only an -inch thick (thinner than most low-pile rugs), so the entire rug can more easily be thrown into the average-size washing machine. But that makes it even better at hiding dirt. Crate and Kids Barcode Grey Rug (now discontinued) was a previous flatweave cotton rug pick in the guide, but it is no longer available.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: After using the light-gray version in a living room for five months, we found that it needed regular vacuuming to look nice, and that even small dark stains stood out. The stripes are smaller than those on the Stockholm, lending the rug a beachier look.
We also consulted the design book Domino: Your Guide to a Stylish Home to learn tricks from pros Jessica Romm Perez and Shani Silver. Plus, some of the colors look a little dated. *For more patterns and sizes visit Hook & Loom, $24 to $345, Best for: dining room, living room, bedroom, kitchen, kids room, bedroom. Colors: black and white striped, red and white striped, yellow (net pattern), gray (net pattern), brown (checkered pattern), orange (zigzag), Shipping: $10 to $100, depending on location. *At the time of publishing, the price was $400. She spilled red wine on them, too. The super-low pile is made of nylonwhich makes this rug easy to wipe down with a cloth.
You can machine wash them, so theyre great for a location where they are likely to get spilled on (think kitchen or dining room), though youll need to take larger sizes to a laundromat. If you cant afford a rug that big, try to get one that will fit partially under each piece of furniture. For the 2020 update to this guide, Gregory Han called in four new rug styles, re-tested previous picks, and added long-term test notes to existing picks. It will make a living room or bedroom instantly look more homey and cozy without costing you a lot. Though their feel is far from the plush texture of a rug with pile, these rugs are softer than most flatweaves weve tested. In the future, we plan to bring these new rugs into the office to get more feedback. Theyre great for dining rooms since you can scoot chairs around on them, but bare feet will also have a nice surface to rest on. Of the 42 rugs we tested, we highly recommend 16 that come in multiple sizes, colors, and patterns. Why its great: We love how the Safavieh Ramona Rug feels softer than the other flatweaves we tested while still being easier to vacuum than a rug with pile. We also like the Durahold Plus Non Slip Rug Pad for a bit more grip, and the Rug Pad USA Super Lock Natural for more versatile placement. Shag rugs, in particular, can make a room feel cozy, interior designer and author Jessica Probus noted. Because they are tiles, they dont have the finished edge most rugs do and will look best covering a space wall-to-wall. You can usually find her walking her dog and exploring the hilly trails of Los Angeles. Flaws but not dealbreakers: The rug size we tested was 3 feet by 5 feet, and while it washed well and easily fit in a standard top-loading washer (like most cotton flatweaves), cotton is heavier to handle when it gets wet, so washing anything 6 x 9 and above may get tricky and/or require a larger washer.
The original author of this guide was Shannon Palus. If you want to make your room feel open even with a darker-color rug, try stripes. In this guide we note how each fared in our tests, which rooms they will hold up in best, and how much shipping will cost when you purchase the rug online. We think the Lowes Pebble Path Carpet Tiles are similar to the industrial Flor options, and theyre only a fifth of the price. Sizes: 2 by 4, 2 by 6, 2 by 8, 2 by 10, 2 by 12, 2 by 14, 3 by 5, 51 square, 4 by 6, 51 by 8, 6 by 9, 8 by 10, 86 by 12, 10 by 14, 7 round, 51 round, Materials: primarily polypropylene with jute backing, Colors: aqua, brown, dark beige, dark gray, gray, ivory, navy, purple, red (some colors not available in all dimensions). The neutral color and white trellis pattern can provide a nice backdrop for more dramatic room decorations. We like that small stains and marks wont stand out against the intricate lines of the weave. Have it peeking out under a chair, or under two legs, Probus said. In person, the weave seemed loose, and the polyester yarns were thick and rough; our cats claws easily pulled them. In our research and testing, weve found there are trade-offs to rugs made of natural and synthetic fibers. This is one of the most affordable rag rugs weve found. Its a good choice for a bedroom, or anywhere you might walk with bare feet. One of our picks, the Hay Raw Rug, is made of tufted wool, and while it does shed, we think its an acceptable amount, but we note its better suited for low traffic areas. They come in a vast array of colors and patterns (solid, striped, geometric), offering the most variety weve seen in a single line. And when we had a cat roll around on one, his claws snagged on several of the loops. The rug is made of 100% wool with a cotton backing and has a medium pile (around of an inch thick). Why its great: The Safavieh Milan Shag feels amazing underfoot: SO PLUSH! wrote one of our testers. Experts we spoke to advised going with a more neutral rug as a base layer and then adding smaller accent rugs on topthe way youd add a colorful throw pillow to a plain couch. HAYs Raw Rug was a previous wool rug pick, but its been discontinued. Live with this a while and see how it resonates.
Crate and Kids Square Indoor/Outdoor Rug (now discontinued): We liked the look of this rugs grid design online. The rugs we cover in this guide arent that expensive and are all available for purchase online. While any vacuum can clean bare floors, some models make the task a little easier. Its a great choice if you need a large, affordable rug for a living room or bedroom. This means that most of the rugs we recommend can be had in an 8-by-10-foot size for not much more than $300 (plus shipping) with only a few in the $400 and $500 range. It looked a little strange and made the rug feel bumpy underfoot. Small rugs or runners work well in this roomplace a runner along the floor next to a counter. If you love the way a pink and orange striped rug looks covering the entire living room floor in a magazine, for instance, find a similar pattern in a neutral palette, or buy a smaller version of the rug that wont command so much space. Also, because of its deeper pile, you need a powerful vacuum to get dirt out from its depths (but avoid the rotary vacuum attachment). Flatweaves wont trap as much dirt as rugs with pile, and theyre easy to vacuum or wipe down with a damp cloth. If youre short on money, you can get away with smaller area rugs. The pad should be smaller than your area rug by 1 to 2 inches on all sides, so that the edges of the rug lie flat against the floor and dont become a tripping hazard. Our testers unanimously loved them. Unlike thick, bumpier jute rugs, these are thin and ideal for under a dining table or layering in a living room. Alison Fonseca, Our Essential Guide to Natural-Fiber Rugs, One Kings Lane, Jessica Probus and Alice Mongkongllite, Home Decor Cheat Sheets: Need-to-Know Stuff for Stylish Living, June 21, 2016, Jessica Romm Perez and Shani Silver, Domino: Your Guide to a Stylish Home, November 15, 2016, Jessica Probus, author of Home Decor Cheat Sheets: Need-to-Know Stuff for Stylish Living, phone interview, October 17, 2016, Lisa Wagner, professional rug cleaner, email interview, July 21, 2016, Elana Frankel, design consultant and former VP of creative at One Kings Lane, phone interview, September 22, 2016, Rebecca Atwood, author of Living with Pattern: Color, Texture, and Print at Home, email interview, October 25, 2016. Instead, Frankel suggested using those bolder styles as a starting point for rug shopping. Mark the boundaries of where youd like to put the rug with masking tape, as Apartment Therapy suggests, and measure the distance between them. If you can find it, we still think its a great plush rug that offers lots of cushioning, even without a pad. We like these rugs best in small doses: at the foot of a piece of furniture to support bare feet, for example, or as an accent rug in a playroom to create a soft spot where kids can lie down with a book. Why its great: The Safavieh Juliette Rug is a nice alternative to the IKEA Stockholm.
The Dash & Albert Herringbone Woven Cotton Rug strikes a Goldilocks-worthy balance between interesting and understated. It gets a lot of wear from being in one of the most trafficked areas in the apartment, and while there are a few snags in places, they dont look bad or particularly noticeable. Polypropylene (also known as olefin): Not as durable as nylon, according to Wagner, but cheaper. These quality flatweave organic-cotton rugs come in neutral and geometric patterns and can be machine-washed and hung to dry. Flaws but not dealbreakers: These tiles look and feel industriallike something youd find in an office building or an elementary school. When we put this rug through the washer and dryerDash & Albert recommends hand washing or professional cleaningit shrank by 10% in area, on a par with the other rugs we cleaned this way. This nylon rug is easier to wipe clean and less prone to staining than some low-pile rugs. It would work great near a bed or in a living room where kids can play around. But it may end up looking dingy after a few years.
These rugs usually have fibers up to a -inch high and provide a bit more cushioning than a flatweave but are still easy to clean. Safavieh Adirondack Collection: The knockoff Persian print on this rug looked faint and faded in person. The dense, soft fibers make it a great rug for a childs room or any space to which you want to add a luxurious, plush feel on a budget. Cheap materials can require steam cleanings a couple of times a year to look good. Sizes: 3 by 5, 4 by 6, 5 by 7, 6 by 9, Colors: several neutral earth tones and patterns available. Rugs with fibers longer than of an inch are considered plush or shag. Its a more delicate rug than a flatweave or polyester rug, and you need to get it professionally hand-washed every 3 to 5 years depending on your use (we also have more in-depth rug cleaning advice). The Hart Jute Rug is flexible and finely woven, giving it a more delicate, flat appearance. Amazon reviewers agree that its a good buy: What an incredible rug for the price, writes one. The rug we tested was the Holding - Taupe in 3 x 5, and while the colors did fade slightly after a couple of washes, it has held up well after several months of use. You can even machine-wash some of them, such as cotton rag rugs. Burrow also sells their own rug pad, which you can add to your order when selecting your rug size. Buy smaller rugs to go around your bed so that you dont spend money on square feet of rug that youll never see underneath your bed. Why its great: Of all the lower-budget options we tested, the Persian Area Rugs 3028 Moroccan Trellis Area Rug was our favorite. If you cant afford to cover the space between all of your furniture, consider multiple rugs arranged to unite specific areas where conversation happens. With those past rug purchases in mind, for this guide we set out to find what makes a great rugeven an inexpensive one. This rugs attractive woven pattern will add texture and interest to any room without commanding too much attention. You can just put down enough to get an idea of how a section of the room will look. You can easily install them in any configuration, thanks to peel-and-stick backing. It comes in many color and design options. Flaws but not dealbreakers: Two of the corners on our jute rug kept curling up for the first two months, even after wed placed weights and bent it in the opposite direction, but Revivals advice to bend and roll the corner seemed to finally do the trick.
These two-piece and lightweight machine-washable rugs are in a category all their own, available in hundreds of styles, nine sizes, and both high and low piles. In a dining room, a rug should be big enough for all the chairs to fit on it when they are pulled out, with at least a little room to spare so the legs dont catch on the edge. Designer Rebecca Atwood told us that dark rugs make a room feel warm, cozy, and grounded, while light ones will make it feel airy, and tones in between hide dirt, pet hair, and the like best, so thats a good place to start.. Then use this as your guide for picking pieces for your home., Even without a mood board, its prudent to give yourself a couple of days to reflect before committing to a rug. Consider a plush high-pile rug next to the bed or a reading chair to create a soft surface to curl up on, and a low-pile or flatweave next to a play area. The fine herringbone pattern will hide small marks or stains, to boot. Cheap rugs have a purpose and use, just like cheap furniture does, Wagner said. Though they are thinner than Flors indoor/outdoor offerings, the texture is comparable: rough, but also a little cushy underfoot. Low-pile rugs work well in kids rooms, since theyre soft enough for kids to roll around on and are generally easier to clean than higher-pile rugs. According to rug cleaner Lisa Wagner, polypropylene tends to attract oil more than a material like wool. These three durable and comfortable options will work for a variety of styles. *At the time of publishing, the price was $100. (Low-pile rugs are commonly found in schools.) These flatweaves will resist signs of wear and tear. Where should those edges be? The rug pad is -inch thick and made of polyester and thermoplastic rubber, similar to a yoga mat. The designer told her these viscose samples were ideal for her family room, Wagner said. It has a great price for a wool rug, and its softer than the other budget wool rugs we put our hands on. This system consists of a rug pad and a rug cover (the cover is the actual rug), which is not unlike the setup we recommend for most of our picks, but with Ruggable rugs the pad is not optional. Rugs can cost a lot. Flor Tiles: These pieces are the gold standard among rug tiles. After researching dozens of rug pads, interviewing rug cleaners and manufacturers, and testing 15 models, we found that the -inch-thick Mohawk Home Dual Surface Felted Rug Pad had the best combination of cushioning and nonslip grip. You can easily do these tests at home yourself. We use this one in the Wirecutter test kitchen, and we recommend it in our guide to standing desk mats. Like other natural fibers, its a popular choice for under dining tables and in hallways because it is durable, lightweight, and can be easily cleaned, but it doesnt provide a lot of cushion. Jessica Probus suggested thinking of bright, colorful rugs as you would accent pillows: there to add a little bit of texture and color, easy to swap out if you get tired of the design. The diamond pattern is subtle yet interesting, and in our tests the olive version even distracted from dirt and a wine spill (we tested it out at a party) that wasnt cleaned up efficiently. Unlike sisal, it doesnt hold on to stains easilyor dye, which means that it comes only in its natural light green or khaki color. When we put the Ramona through the washer and dryer, it shrank about the same amount as the other rugs we cleaned. Rugs with fibers longer than a inch are considered medium pile, while those over a inch are high pile; those taller than of an inch are considered plush or shag. Horizontal stripes will make a space feel longer, Atwood said. Its easy to clean, and it will hold up relatively well to wear and tear compared with other options, though it will cost a little more. The thin water-resistant rug cover, made of polyester, attaches securely to the pad. Mainstays Dylan Nylon Area Rug: This rug was thinner than it looked online and reminded us more of a bath mat than something wed put in our living rooms. Her first place out of college was a two-bedroom in South Philadelphia, with all linoleum floors. Be careful, though, about buying an inexpensive wool rug thats gone through a lot of chemical processing, Lisa Wagner told us, as it can shed horribly. As a general rule of thumb, Wagner said, you should stay away from tufted wool rugs, often made in India. One of our editors, who has a young child and a dog, has used this rug since 2017 and said: Its been pretty solid. By itself or with a thin rug pad, this rug is better for kitchens and high traffic areas, but when combined with a thick rug pad underneath, this rug could work well in bedrooms and living rooms where someone may want a more cushioned surface. Flatwoven rugs have no pile (fibers that stick up), and theyre easier to clean and good for high-traffic areas. Mohawk Home Supreme Dual Surface Felted Rug Pad, Illustrations from Home Decor Cheat Sheets (written by Jessica Probus and illustrated by Alice Mongkongllite) reprinted with permission from Ulysses Press, Rugs with fibers longer than of an inch, which types of rugs function best in high- and low-traffic areas, Dash & Albert Herringbone Woven Cotton Rug, Persian Area Rugs 3028 Moroccan Trellis Area Rug, How to choose the right rugs for different rooms, Home Decor Cheat Sheets: Need-to-Know Stuff for Stylish Living, A natural fiber rug that comes in several colors, A lightweight and easy-to-wash cotton rug, A rug you can throw into the washing machine, A supersoft, cheap rug for living rooms and bedrooms, unite specific areas where conversation happens, Our Essential Guide to Natural-Fiber Rugs, author of Home Decor Cheat Sheets: Need-to-Know Stuff for Stylish Living, design consultant and former VP of creative at One Kings Lane, author of Living with Pattern: Color, Texture, and Print at Home.