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Rugs are a BIG investment and can make such a big difference in any space. And because there are so many different types and styles of rugs, choosing one to be a staple in your home for the next several years can be a bit overwhelming.
We have learned a lot about this home decor investment since we both moved into our first places and have made our fair share of rookie mistakes when it came to purchasing rugs (ouch). Between the two of us, we bought some that were too small, some that shed, some that were too bold, or even the wrong color altogether. Yet somehow we also managed to buy some rugs we really loved… and still love!
Before you purchase your next rug, here’s an HONEST review answering some of our most FAQ’s about the rugs in each of our homes. We’re also chatting about what we wish we knew when we made these investments.
Casey’s Rugs
Family Room
Overall Grade: A+
Source: Wayfair // Size: 9×12 // (approx) Price: $320
When we moved into our condo, finding a new rug for our family room was on top of my “to buy” list. Because it’s such a large open space, I knew a rug would help divide the family room from the dining and kitchen area.
I opted for this seagrass rug and I am soooo happy that I went with a natural fiber rug (more on the different types in this post). It has seen some serious action over the last year, and it still looks good as new. From spills, to workouts (lots of burpees on this bad boy), to parties…this rug has been through a lot.
Yet because of the material, it still looks great. No fraying, no spots…. it looks pretty darn amazing! So I definitely give our large seagrass rug an “A+”!
Master Bedroom
Overall Grade: B+
Source: Rugs USA (in the color Ivory) // Size: 8×10 // (approx) Price: Only $243
I purchased our master bedroom rug shortly after we moved in too. I wanted something large and neutral to really ground the space, and this 8×10 from Rugs USA fit the bill perfectly.
The pattern and texture add interest to the space without overpowering it. And it makes for a nice neutral backdrop for the rest of the room.
A friend of mine bought this rug and said after spilling water on it, some of the colors did bleed together. Yikes. I haven’t had that problem, but that’s definitely something to consider if you’re going to put this in a family room. I will say that it took at least a couple of weeks for the edges to lay flat. We ended up putting lots of heavy books on the edges to get them to go down. Now, it’s nice and flat and worn in. But I would still buy this rug if I had the chance…therefore it gets a solid “B+”.
Guest Bedroom
Overall Grade: B-
Source: Shop the Mine // Size: 5×7 // (approx) Price: $290
Along with the guest bedroom makeover, came some new furniture…including a new shag rug for the space.
Wanting to make our guests feel extra cozy, I just had to go with a shag rug. Because of the weird size of this room, I had to keep it fairly small…but I would have preferred a much larger one so it jutted out from the bed even more.
I love the feel and style of this rug, but I will say that it was a pretty bad shedder for at least a month after laying it down. And sometimes it looks a bit “matted down”, and I have to vacuum it to get it nice and fluffy again. Therefore it’s getting a “B-” from me.
Kitchen
Overall Grade: C-
Source: West Elm // Size: 2.5 x 7 // (approx.) Price: $120
I realized that I never actually blogged about our kitchen runner, so I’m so happy we’re chatting about it here today.
I purchased this rug from West Elm, and it has been in our kitchen for the past year. I love the style, color, and subtle pattern (very neutral and pretty), and it’s incredibly soft underfoot.
However, it isn’t the best for stains or wear and tear. It’s a bit faded, there are a few areas that have started to fray, and it has seen its fair share of spills (I’m looking at you dropped berries that left a nice pink stain…grrrrr). So would I recommend this rug for a kitchen? Probably not. And that’s why it gets a big fat “C-” in my grade book. I eventually need to find a new one for our kitchen, but this one will just have to stay for now.
Bridget’s Rugs
Family Room
Overall Grade: A-
Source: World Market // Size: 6×9 // (approx) Price: $199 <— great bang for your buck!
The family room rug is one of the first items we bought when we moved in and it’s STILL going strong!! If it wasn’t for my error, I would probably grade this rug an A+ but because I totally made the rookie mistake of buying this rug too small, I graded it an A- instead.
Although I wish this rug was bigger, I do LOVE how great it looks even after three years of daily traffic. If you came over, you wouldn’t be able to tell it’s 3+ years old because it still looks brand new. I also love that it does not shed and was pretty darn affordable. (Love world market for affordable rugs… especially during their sales).
I can’t remember now since it’s been so long but I think this rug is an indoor/outdoor rug. I only mention this because if you are looking to buy this rug, please note that it is NOT soft and cozy. I walk on it barefoot all the time, but I wouldn’t recommend buying this rug as a surface for kids to play on because those poor kids would have a serious case of rug burns.
Dining Room
Overall Grade: B+
Source: Goodwill!! (originally from Target) // Size: 8×10 // (approx) Price: $60 <– from goodwill
This is quite possibly one of the best finds I have ever scored at Goodwill. I found this like NEW Target rug at Goodwill a few years ago and couldn’t believe my eyes when this 8×10 rug was marked down to $60! Spending sixty bucks at Goodwill sounds a little crazy (you should have seen Matt’s face) but walking out of there with a brand new 8×10 rug saved me hundreds of dollars.
I like the light color and geometric pattern but at the end of the day, I really loved the price tag. Would I pay a couple hundred bucks for this rug normally? Maybe not. But for $60?! HELL YES… I’m obsessed.
The reason I think this rug was at Goodwill is because the edges aren’t perfectly straight, which means it was probably the runt of the litter. But unless someone is literally studying my rug, I don’t think they would ever be able to notice. And for $60, I don’t really care if they do. But because of the non-perfect edges, I graded this Goodwill rug a B+. Plus, it’s seen a LOT of traffic over the past few years so it’s starting to show its wear. Sadly, I don’t know how I’m going to beat this deal next time around.
Kitchen
Overall Grade: A-
Source: HomeGoods // Size: 2×5 // (approx) Price: $19.99
I bought this runner over 2 years ago and am still using it in front of my sink. I like it because it’s neutral and because its subtle pattern hides a lot of our kitchen spills. Like Casey’s kitchen runner, this runner has seen better days because of all of the spills/traffic it sees on a daily basis, but I just can’t seem to get rid of it because I love it so much.
I accidentally washed + dried it last year (not remembering it was wool) and it shrank a tad, but it survived! I’ve been on the lookout for another affordable runner, but haven’t been able to find a winner just yet. I’ll keep looking but honestly, I don’t mind living with this one!
Bedroom
Overall Grade: A+
Source: Wayfair // Size: 8×11 // (approx) Price: $600
I used to have a 5×7 rug in this space and it was way too small. When I refreshed our bedroom recently, I knew I wanted something larger and a rug that would match with just about anything. This 8×11 jute rug totally fit the ticket and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since.
I actually get a lot of questions about this rug, so allow me to answer the most FAQ’s below:
- No, it does NOT shed!!
- Texture: It’s soft-ish. I love walking barefoot on it because it’s thick and sturdy but I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s so soft that I would want to take a nap on it. If that makes any sense at all.
- It’s heavy, which I like because it feels sturdy and like you really got quality for your money.
- The colors are true to the photos above.
- It’s super versatile. Because it’s a natural color and a subtle pattern, I feel like you can use this rug in almost any indoor space!
Overall: I would give this rug an A+ and recommend it to anyone looking for a natural rug… especially one that’s stylish yet doesn’t shed.
Office
Overall Grade: B
Source: Hayneedle // Size: 5 1/2 x 8 // (approx) Price: $499
When I gave my office a “mini makeover“, I added this neutral, wool rug. Thanks to the old rug in this space, I found out that although I love looking at bold rugs in pictures, I don’t love living with a bold patterned rug. It’s just not my style. That’s when I opted for this neutral, more soothing pattern instead.
Because the rug is wool, it came with a large price tag, which is pretty much the sole reason why I graded this rug a B instead of a A+. I love that it doesn’t shed, I love the fringe detail and the pattern but after living with it for over year now, I don’t think it’s worth almost $500. And definitely not $500 for a 5 x 8 sized rug. I’d probably pay $500 for this rug in an 8×10+ but not for this size.
And one more part that I’m not obsessed with is that the rug casts a tiny hint of purple in the gray. I think it’s because it’s right next to the navy couch. Not the end of the world (and actually could work better in some spaces)…. just throwing it out there in honor of full disclosure.
Bathroom
Overall Grade: A+
Source: HomeGoods // Size: 2×3 // (approx) Price: $12.99
So we haven’t lived with our bathroom rug all that long now, but so far I rate it an A+. It’s super on trend, very soft, doesn’t shed AND was only $12. I mean, what more could you ask for in a bathroom rug?! Honestly, if I see more of these rugs on the shelves of HomeGoods, I will be buying a few extra as back up when it’s time for this one to retire.
Looking for more honest feedback on the items in our home? Check out these Rookie Reviews below…
Bridget&Casey
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