You Can’t Go Wrong with a Sea Grass Rug

You Can’t Go Wrong with a Sea Grass Rug

Since launching Return To Home Interiors and working closely with clients who want their homes to feel more beautiful and pulled together, I’ve heard again and again how hard it is to find the right rug.  I totally get it – the options are endless and it can be so intimidating because you don’t want to make a mistake (or break the bank!).

To this I say, make it easy on yourself and choose a “natural” rug!  I’m talking sea grass, sisal and jute…  You can’t go wrong!  If this sounds familiar, it’s because I believe the same thing about bamboo shades and posted all about it here.

A natural fiber rug (jute?), featured on the cover of House Beautiful April 2012

I love “natural” rugs for all the same reasons I love bamboo shades:

1) Natural rugs have a designer look (interior designers use them ALL the time!).

2) Natural rugs go with almost ANY style in almost ANY room.

3)  Natural rugs can be very inexpensive!

There are a few different versions of this rug you can choose from.  The good old sea grass:

Sea grass tends to be forgiving re: stains (read: good for kids and pets), it’s not super hard on the feet, and it’s pretty inexpensive.

Here’s an example of a custom cut, sea grass:

Designed by Matthew Patrick Smyth, via Cote de Texas

There’s also sisal:

Sisal is used all the time by designers – I think it’s pretty hearty and can come in a lot of different colors.  See how it’s more tightly woven than sea grass?  It’s rougher on the feet and I don’t think it repels stains or suffers kids and pets as well.

I always call my living room rug “sisal” as a general term, but I’m learning that it’s actually “sea grass” and quite different!  We’ve had that thing for almost 5 years and all kinds of gross toddler things have happened to it… and amazingly, we find stains come up incredibly well and the rug still looks great.

Finally, there’s jute:

Jute is the softest on the feet, the cheapest option, and not as long-lasting as the other two options.

I discovered jute recently while reading interior designer Bryn Alexandra’s blog.  She purchased a rug in Jute from World Market for her own home:

Via Bryn Alexandra

 She claims it’s soft underfoot.  And isn’t it pretty?  Even better, the PRICE can not be beat.  A quick search on the World Market website tells me that an 8’x10′ jute rug is about $200!

Via How to be a Heroine

Loving this charming corner, made even more special by the Fiddlehead Fig tree: