apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Oriental rugs last for about 100 years. They're great for high traffic.

For your room, I'd look for a geometric rug (perhaps an Afghan or Moroccan rug), not one of the curvy Persian-style carpets.

I'm a Sisal freak.

We recently purchased some FLOR tiles that were specifically for a high traffic area. So far(about 4 months) they have held up great.

The good thing is, if they start to get very dirty, you can just remove the tiles in that area and clean them or replace them in the event of a bad stain.

that is the cutest living room i have ever seen

I love your coffee table (I know it's not what you posted about). I think I may have the same one...is it a high coffee table? Teak?

As far as a rug - an oriental rug that has similar colors would be fantastic. I don't know where you are, but in my area, we have a place called Building 19 - disgusting hole of a joint, but they sell beautiful rugs, hand made!! The business is located in Rhode Island and Mass...

Where is that candelabra in the fire place from? Super cute.

seconding duckumu, I have no useful comment, but I really love this room.

I second the FLOR idea. I have Toy Poodle in Lala Lime and just last night spilled Tang on it, in addition to mud from shoes when people sit on the sofa. Both have cleaned off exceptionally well, and it's only specified for medium traffic.

I have nothing helpful to contribute...but

When you're done with your green couch, could you please send it to me?

Thanks :)

I agree that a semi-antique Persian would be great - but if you want to go a bit more modern, this room would be perfect for FLOR.

A good wool persian/oriental rug will last longer than any other you could buy - they wear beautifully.

Faith, I love your room, "dingy" remnant and all. If you change, get another similar dingy remnant. The color is perfect.

lovely room!
By the way, does anyone know if there is a name for that style of chair? (the white one with the bent wood frame)
I have a pair of those (in black, mine are old) and I have no idea what they are called.

Chilewich is the way to go. They have more patterns than are shown at Design Within Reach, but they are easier to order from than to find another dealer. I used this product in a room that was going to be exposed to ski boots, that is what I call High Traffic.

Here is a link to the rugs on DWR.

http://www.dwr.com/category/floor-coverings/sandy-chilewich.do

Oh and I love your room, what a great eclectic group of furniture.

Love the room, where is that gray chair from?

Great room!! I second lisetiffner's question about the grey chair.

As for the rug, I think the oriental rug is a great suggestion. It will give you a ton of options with color and the detailed patterns hide stains/spots well.

I LOVE the eclectic but clean look of this room! The three-seat red bench is so unusual, and mixes with the rest of your stuff so well...

As to you question, I second the sisal idea. If you go with an oriental or persian-style rug, I'd worry about making the room too busy. Right now, I feel it's the perfect balance of interesting details and visual cleanliness. I'd be very conservative about adding pattern. A sisal in neutral shades would contribute some texture and pattern without too much noise.

I don't know if this is the chair - but it's a close cheap alternative.

wow, what a great room! i actually really like what you have now because the neutral grounds the various furniture colours.

I recently purchased Flor tiles for my living room, in the "Organics" pattern. They look really great, and not as industrial as some of the other patterns/colors. They have a sage color that would work great with your furnishings.

Add me to the sisal corner... The room is so awesome and I think an oriental, while lovely, will district too much from what you have going on.

I think OnlyMe is right about the grey chair being from Overstock. I just ordered the same chair. It looks a lot like the Astoria chair from Room and Board, but it's a lot cheaper. Can't wait to get it.

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for all your comments - really helpful stuff! A couple answers, too:

- Yes to the Overstock chair. It definitely isn't RB quality (very stiff cushion) but it looks good and it's a great reading chair.

- The driftwood candelabra was bought a little while ago from Wisteria.

- I am not sure what the bentwood chair is called. We bought it used from a MCM place nearby, and it's actually a gliding rocker!

- The bench/loveseat is more of a dark salmon color, and it is a row of seats from an old university theater.

Thank you again for the rug advice - please keep it coming, if anyone has more thoughts. I am torn between adding some more color to the room and keeping it neutral. I am rather drawn to the Next In Line Flor tiles in sage grey (is that what you have, julieleanne?). But a dark kilim could also be fun. We'll see...

Agree with Sisal suggestions, or Seagrass. The latter is typically a bit thicker and smoother so less prickly on the skin.
A thick pile or shaggy rug would also up the coziness factor. Maybe a darker color than the existing rug would be more subtle.

Faith,

I have "Botanicals", you can find it in the patterned section. I love it!

Thanks, julieleanne!

Also, I forgot: the coffee table, @lactavia, is a vintage Lane Acclaim. We have a couple of the side tables and a sofa table too - such good old pieces!

What a lovely, serene room! Excellent example of a beautiful and eclectic room!

I like the current rug, but other rugs would also work. The solid color looks nice. I am a fan of kilims and other flatweave rugs - some are very understated and they tend to wear well and can age in the nicest way. I suspect that if chosen wisely, they can also hold their value (or at least some of their value) over time. Kilims and flatweaves are also versatile - they can be used as floor coverings and also as wall hangings and throws over furniture. So if you pick a flatweave, think more broadly in terms of its potential uses than simply a floor covering.

The room is so elegant, why pick only one solution? You can swap out area rugs and use different rugs for different seasons or moods.

Faith- I like the look of sisal (or a jute/wool blend, which is much softer), which keeps it neutral. But then you can throw a smaller (4x6 or 5x7) on top, under the coffee table. I did something similar in my living room, and it added some color, softness, and texture without your having to spend a lot on a large kilim or oriental-style rug. Cute house!

Do you have kids or guests that sit on the floor in that room? If so, Flor tiles might be better than itchy wool or jute or even sisal. Some grades are so cushy, you'll actually WANT to sit on the floor! Great for the durability factor, as well... and you can replace a damaged tile OR re-work the grid to hide any problems.

I know I sound like a Flor salesman, but sometimes a product just makes sense.

Someday I'll have Flor in every room...

Your floor has such a nice colour - why hide it? Have you considered a round rug? Something like this: http://www.ikea.com/nl/nl/catalog/products/62757663

You have done such a beautiful job with this room! Even though it's a "pass through" it doesn't look like a hallway - it looks so centred and comfortable and inviting and sociable, I love it. (Sorry, no particular suggestions for a rug except that the oriental/persian sounds good)

I love this room! Great things are going on in here...

I tried some traditional Oriental rugs next to the room, and didn't think they worked somehow...

However, the I beg to differ with the comment about how Persians would be too curvy for this room -- in fact, I think curvy and colour is exactly what the rooms needs from a rug.

Unfortunately, the perfect rug is a very expensive rug (although I am sure it can stand up to the traffic). It's a contemporary design classic -- Paul Smith's Swirl. The swirls would go beautifully with the curvy armchairs, and the colours would be brilliant! Either the original (the colours are more muted than you might think), or the Paris Swirl (leaning towards the original). Another possibility would be the Amèlie rug by Kim Parker, if your husband does not object to a flowered rug (the colours are perfect for your room).

http://www.therugcompany.info/default.aspx

Love this room!

I actually think you need a smaller rug not a bigger one. The floor is lovely. And of course very durable with your high traffic.

I think the sisal/ seagrass idea is good, they're neutral but have good structure. Or a wool carpet in a darker shade, closer to your floor and the bricks in the fireplace. I'd be wary of a pattern too as I think it could all quickly become busy.

My compliments, the room's very well put together!

The possibilities are endless! Flor is great but this room screams for something more intimate & less trendy. Sisal; too predictable for sure. I am imagining an antique hand-knotted Oushak rug with subtle organic colors and a wonderful aged effect. Shop flea markets & yard sales; perfect time of year & you never know what reclaimed gem you may find! Will hide a multiple of sins and the more worn the better;a great investment as well.

I would do a jute or sisal, but in a patterned weave. For example: http://www.westelm.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?partNumber=WE-PRODr543&storeId=17001&langId=-1&catalogId=17002&viewSetCode=E&parentId=WE-SH1RUGRUG&retainNav=true&cmsrc=WE-SH1RUGRUG

I definitely recommend some sort of oriental rug. I have known two families with rugs "in the family" that are over 150 years old, and they're only just now starting to show their age - and they are in high traffic areas. Plus, I think it would tie your room together nicely.

A few suggestions.

Classic and timeless: Go with an American Sarouk design for reds and blues. Great floral patterns and allover field will be much more conducive to bringing the room together as opposed to a repeating pattern such as a "bokhara"

Current Trends with "Antique revival": Chobi or Peshawar rugs with accents of sage, antique ivory, bark brown and sometimes cinnabar, copper or charcoal top colors. These often have more negative space and more earthy tone. A little more subdued, but a great celebration of classic Persian designs such as Mahals and Sultanabads.

Any which way, all the best of luck and don't forget to rotate the rug every 6 months to decrease likelihood of traffic-pattern wear.