Oriental Rug Love

When I was living at my old house, I had to accommodate the interesting multi-level design of the apartment.  The old, wide board hardwoods creaked like crazy underfoot and caused some serious disruption for our downstairs neighbors.  We solved the issue with lots of throw rugs and one larger area rug.  You can see a couple of them here as well as my cute inexpensive living room area rug.

I loved getting my rugs.  I was lucky enough to hit up TJ Maxx at the right time {let's be real-- they're pretty hit or miss} and I scored getting 3 rugs that I am in love with.

This runner has always found a home in my bedroom. I love the chocolate, ivory and silvery-gray all together.  The floral, oriental motif spruces up the bland wall to wall carpeting that I always wish were hardwoods.  And it was quite the steal at only $49.99!

I got two much smaller Oriental rugs that used to be on those steps but now make their lay in the living room as the "welcome mat" and as an accent grounding the armchair.  Each of these probably cost somewhere between $12.99 to $19.99.  {Is it terrible that I can't remember exactly??} A little pricey for my liking for a door mat but it will serve me well for a long time coming.

The 5X8 area rug under the couch was a full out impulse buy and a steal at $39.99!  I had gone out for a few errands with my girl, Marion, and ended up at local legendary discount retailer Building 19.  And talk about hit or miss! You can either find a gorgeous subdued tone on tone rug like I did or you can take home a 8' X10' leopard print trimmed Elvis rug! {I'm all shook up!} Needless to say, we crossed the threshold on the right night! I already had a living room rug which was a lifeless beige rug an old roommate had left behind that I had ached to get rid of ... and here was my excuse. Once I moved, I took my golden egg with me and gave it a new lease on life!

 {NB: This is an old photo from the old room layout!}

You may be sitting there thinking, "But why, Gina, if you have wall to wall carpeting would you bother adding rugs?"  Well the answer is simple: Because I like it. I love area rugs. I love mixing up colors and having green Orientals next to a chocolate brown graphic rug and the pop that the chocolate gives the ivory couch. Also, area rugs ground your space. Whether it be wall to wall, tile or hardwoods, any single-material floor is going to foster furniture looking lost without something to wrangle it all in.  Instead of looking like your furniture is floating willy nilly in the middle of the wall or perhaps in the case of a dining set in the middle of the room, adding an area rug makes it look like its own "space" and that it belongs there.  

I'm now looking for one more addition to my rug collection for my bedroom. I really want an ivory cotton shag rug. Perhaps something like this Amazon find...

I can just imagine squishing my tootsies in this when I get out of bed every morning. I think that would make me happy. And isn't that what this is all about? Making a home that makes you happy, every day?

Now its your turn. Do you have a beloved area rug that you found on the cheap? Or maybe you spent a boatload on it but you know you'll spend the rest of your life with it! Let us hear your story.