my new entry rug

i have been deciding what type of rug to put in my entry since we moved in last summer.  most of the rugs that i have fallen in love with have been way out of my price range. i finally decided to take a chance on this rug that i found for a client on overstock.



 i am glad i did.

for a very affordable price (i paid right around $150 for a 5 x 8), i think it adds a soft graphic appeal yet manages to stay simple and classic.
(and HEY--i actually hung some things on my walls this weekend! more on that later...)

the rug is a nice ivory sand beige stipe,  and so far has done a decent job of camouflaging dirt...(although i don't think i would put this somewhere where heavy soiling would take place.)
i picked up the little console at tj maxx home goods for just over $100, and it is just a placeholder until i can get a piece that i LOVE here. the veneer is kinda peeling off the front, and i need to fix it...i may change out the hardware too.
the little stool was a $5 thrift store find that i have recovered.

  there is still SO much to do in this little space. at some future date, we will be adding extensive crown molding. i also want this wall to be a trim feature wall, and will most likely do something like the grid wall that we installed in the dining room in house #5.
we also need to paint the walls, replace the light fixture, get a new piece of furniture, and i will most likely wallpaper the ceiling in here with the yummy malachite wallpaper that i thought about adding here.
once all that is done, i may replace this rug....but until then, it is doing a great job of softening the entry and adding some pattern.


the rug pad is from rug pad USA, a site that offers rug pads for oriental rugs. they have an extensive collection of rug pads for application on hardwood floors, hardwood floors, carpet, laminate, and even outdoors! my rug pad is the eco-cushion pad, and it is surprisingly thick and soft. i love it!
you can find rug pads to fit any of your needs at rug pad usa.

i am also working on a little revamp of my living room, which i will be sharing over the next few weeks. if you follow me on instagram, you will see that i hung a gallery wall over the weekend. i also need to rework the pillows, and add some simple window treatments.  so much to do! isn't it fun?

(stupid?) product review: insta grip

ok.

 i admit it. 

i am a sucker for anything that says "as seen on tv". i guess it is the lazy consumer in me...i think that that ONE amazing product may indeed solve some of my legitimate concerns. 

yes---i have trouble opening opening jars!! maybe i need one of these??

and what if my house burns down because my dryer has too much lint??

maybe this gadget will ease my stress:

of course, not all of these products actually live up to their claims, as i sadly found out the duvet donuts. you can see my review of those here.

well, i was at the grocery store a while back when i spotted this:

i wasn't really sold, but then i noticed THIS claim:

what??

a DESIGNERS DREAM??

oooo....too tempting! i HAD to get it, right?

the claims:

"reposition able"

"easy to use"

"keeps rugs in place"...(and can be used for scrapooking and all sorts of other stuff, which i wasn't interested in the least)

here has been the scene at my back door lately:

and even worse---the hallways leading to my garage, laundry room and mud room:

this has honestly bee driving me nuts since we moved in. this is a pretty thin, indoor outdoor rug, and the rug pad is always shifting underneath it.
(PS--i ordered this rug from overstock for $35! it is currently out of stock, but you can view it here.)

i have trimmed the rug pad, and adjusted it, and it still looks like this after a day or two.
very aggravating! (and sorry for the messy floors. when i took this picture, it was after we were cutting wood in the garage for our kids closets.)

if there was even a chance that this stuff was going to work, i was willing to give it a try.
here is what came in the package:

two sheets, and two rolls of varying widths.

the directions said to clean the floor first, so i did.

then, it said the trim the insta grip, and stick it to the back of the rug.

then , peel back the lining and place the rug where you want it.

lets revisit those claims, shall we?

*repositionable?

yes---i found this to be true. it took a couple tries to get the hallway runner in the right spot, and it easily came up. 

* easy to use?

yep. i thought it was very easy to use. i still have a lot left after laying both rugs--probably enough for two smaller rugs or one larger one. 

*keeps rugs in place?

well, this is the BIGGEST question, right? i mean, who care if it is easy to use and reposition able if it DOESNT WORK, right?
well, i have to say that i am really impressed! it really has worked wonders on both of my rugs!

i have had it down for about 6 weeks now, and neither rug has budged---even with the heavy traffic that the garage hallway gets...and we have been pummeled with snow, and the entire family has been coming in and out of the garage with snowy boots on, and the rug has stayed in place beautifully.

the verdict:
(NOT stupid)
i was super impressed with instagrip. it has solved my issue of both of my rugs shifting and sliding around. worth the trip to the "as seen on tv" aisle in your local supermarket.

this item was purchased by me, and the review is my opinion about my experiences with this product.

patchwork cowhide rugs

something i have been seeing and loving lately?

patchwork cowhide rugs. 

i love the texture and organic pattern that a cowhide rug adds to a room,

and i adore the way the patchwork rugs add an additional layer of graphic appeal to an already classic look.

 the graphic pattern on this rug is gorge-eous.

i would love to have a rug like this in my office!

 its hard to believe that this is cowhide! it is such a fresh and modern look.

 i don't know which one i like more...the view or the rug.

what a statement room, eh? even though it has a lot of competition, that rug is definitely pulling it's design weight in the room.

i don't know the original source of the above 4 images, but i found them here.

love the pattern on this one....

(via)

zara home

this room is so calm and yet so fabulous! 

architectural digest

here is where you can find similar rugs:

 serena and lily's brazilian rug

evanston rug-noir, z gallerie

maverik rug-sand, z gallerie

i love the organic shapes and stitching in this one....

(cowhide flower rug in white, the rug company.)

this one is pretty amazing as well.

(cowhide morroco rug, the rug company.)

how fun is this one?

or this one?

i love the graphic look of this one as well!

this is really small picture, and i almost wasn't going to post it, but i really liked the way that

the small panels in this rug mimic the look of a hide in it's natal state...

if you like this look, but are not ready to commit to a rug, 

you can find some pillows with similar designs:

southern hides.

z gallerie

so, what do you think about these rugs?

love them? hate them? think they are great but just not for you?

do tell...

affordable find: homespun chevron rug

here's great one for you:

homespun chevron rug-7'6" 9'6"

$454.25

(available in brown, green, light blue and grey)

alexa chevron rug-7'6" 9'6"

$285.59

(available in navy, light blue, green, brown, and grey)

**i recently started a board on pinterest called "affordable finds". you can find all of my previous affordable finds here, as well as some new ones i have rounded up. click here to take a look.

*and thank you for all the sweet birthday wishes! i had a lovely day...out shopping and to lunch with an old friend, and then spent the evening with my family.
and it's nice to know that i am not the only one that gets called the WRONG name all the time!