And I would clean this ... how???

Wall hanging, maybe. Rug, no way.

Wow, it's beautiful, although it seems really challenging to live with. I love the pattern and the materials, though.

Very cool looking -- but a maintenance nightmare. And how safe to walk upon? No stars . . .

Seriously? Nothing against this rug, but a comment on the contest in general... what is going on with the pricing on these items?

I like the texture and concept, but I agree that it might be difficult to maintain. Not just in terms of cleaning, but the fact that it's stuffed...would it look as good after people actually walk on it and squish the stuffing?

The rug is too thick, and I would be tripping over it constantly. Looks a little too lumpy to be able to walk on it steadily too.

gives me the willies

@Lulu77:
I think you, and everyone else who's making a big fuss about the price point of the entries need to read the Design Showcase 2009 contest page and specifically the "What Designs Are Eligible section." This is a competition that is meant to give burgeoning independent designers and student designers a chance to show off their designs that have made it to the prototype stage or beyond. That means these are NOT products that are in production on a massive scale like things you would buy at Ikea. The competition rules specifically state that designs are NOT eligible "if they have been purchased or licensed to commercial manufacturers or distributors." This means that either the designers are manufacturing these things themselves or paying a skilled fabricator to make them for them on an individual basis. As a designer myself, I can tell you that this level of production is very specialized and very expensive.
I'm going to speak for myself when I say that I'm a designer because I love being creative and solving problems. But I aint in this profession to be giving stuff away for free. I actually think that Rebekah is pricing her rug a little low. Wool is expensive and This looks like it took a lot of hand work to make. It's a beautiful design and I wish her all the best. I hope she sells a bunch and is able to continue to refine her designs and expand her line. That is, after all, the point of all of this.

Agree with redbeard. I would never be able to afford it but I think the pricing is fine for this piece. It's art, people!

redbeard, you may be overlooking that she's using surplus blankets -- she's not getting new wool (which is indeed expensive). I know some quilters who do their work by hand, and who sell much more intricate designs than this for about the same price.

I like the design. I have a similar rug in texture and fabric that is not difficult to clean, needs a good shake and don't spill things on it!

I would use this in a low traffic area. It is really cool and totally my style.

This looks really cool, and I like the way it is used in the pictures. I would definitely put this in a place where I could lay on it rather than in the living room.

As for the price discussion - I guess the problem is whether this is the price they are going to be advertising and selling their items for, or whether they hope to go into more production and lower the costs by producing and selling more units. Yeah, I understand to produce two or three lamps is very expensive. But is that the place they want to stay, or do they hope to expand? Do they want to stay hand-made and low production, or do they want their design more accessible? Not that there is anything wrong with either one, but I think it is reasonable to consider that when rating the product.

if you are worried about cleaning art, you probably coming at it from the wrong place. these look, and presumably feel, awesome!

I love this post. I was looking for something to make for a prop bed, that had a futuristic bent. This is the perfect inspiration for a Lexx looking bed style thing.

to those commenting negatively about it's ability to be a typical rug...go take a long walk on a short bed of nails for crying out loud...this is art plain and simple...very nice.

Obviously not for a high traffic area, but looks like it would be perfect for occasional walking-on in bare feet or lying-on for a nap.

I want one.

Oh, I like this. Cool design, very natural but with a modern feel. Great color and looks comfy to walk on. Yeh, I worry about the dirt in the cracks etc...looks hard to clean, but am still in love with it. Finally a good design, the first of this competition.

Beautiful, natural, soft. Put it in front of the fireplace.

I want one! :)

LOOKS AMAZINGLY COMFORTABLE! I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THIS IN FRONT OF MY FIREPLACE ON A CHILLY EVENING WITH MY SPECIAL LADY!

PROBABLY GREAT FOR IN-HOME YOGA AND PILATES TOO!

The rug, in all it's comfy beauty, is not meant to be walked on. So no, you wouldn't place it in a high trafficked area, but in a lounging nook in order to read or maybe watch a movie. Play with your kid perhaps?

People need to look at this piece as such and come at it from the correct angle.

Yes, I want one too! This is the perfect book-reading, movie-watching, baby-playing piece. People who are looking at this as something that would be placed in a high traffic area are coming at this at the entirely wrong angle.

I love this piece! I think the lines are interesting and soothing. I think the material is rugged and a great contrast to the slim and soothing lines! I would love to lay on this rug and I think it would wear in a way that would give it even more character! I also love the idea that she has taken old "utilitarian" army blankets and turned them into something so creative!

Nice! I totally agree with redbeard. Very impressive Bek!

I love the quilted pattern and charcoal color. As is, I see this much more as a textural wall hanging than a rug for the floor. It simply strikes me as too high to be a useful rug. If you made only one side of the rug textural, you could reduce the height of the piece by half and make it more appropriate as a floor covering. Furthermore, with the right fabric and batting, this pattern would make a really great bed modern bed quilt (which is the type of item I would be most likely to buy in this pattern.)

Great job!

Can we just agree to use price? Either "price point" means the price at which there is enough demand to satisfy the manufacturer, according to Wikipedia ("Price points are prices at which demand for a given product stays relatively high."), or it means nothing ("I’ve studied economics for the past seven years (and counting) and have been exposed to a whole range of topics at four different universities, one of which happens to be the London School of Economics. Never, and I repeat never, have I heard a professor of economics juxtapose the words “price” and “point.” And you know why? Because it’s meaningless.") Source:http://peppercomblog.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/07/what-is-a-price-point-really.html

wow! really cool! I could see this on the floor of a playroom where kids could sit and play! Great work!

This rug looks really awesome!

Sure, it might be difficult to clean with an upright vacuum but most come with some sort of crevice attachment or you could use a hand-held vacuum. If you had to you could just pick the rug up and shake it out.

Very nice design, Rebekah. I want one.

I love the concept and the texture is really neat. I would definitely trip over this rug...I have a slow learning curve when it comes to walking.

I like the design flow and organic texture of this rug, plus I admire the artist's use of something that already exists in our world, and her transformation from plain and serviceable to a truly nice piece of art for one's home.

I like the simplistic flow of the design and the earthy organic texture of the rug. It is especially nice to see someone take old existing serviceable army blankets and transform them into a beautiful piece of art. I want one.

What nloewen1 said.

great design

Cool design, very unique!

Very cool, unique! I would buy one!!

Fabulous! Very organic... i could curl up on it right now.

girl you got it going on!

This rug has such an appeal, not just to the eye; it appears inviting to several senses! I could see this rug in a special sitting area; for meditation or conversation. The old military surplus blankets have had their time to be utilitarian. Now they have been redesigned (yes, 'redeployed'!) into something so evocative and sensual. A very exciting piece of functional art!

Hm. More friends of the designer trying to pad the results.

i look at it as a piece of art & think it is beautiful/original/organic. i have no issues by the price point or the piece's usefulness - those would just be factors in the decision procession (in purchasing it or not).

& i am not a friend of the designer (such a cynic)!

Nice looking product and well thought out, not an easy thing to accomplish. The idea of using surplus items fits so well with our green thinking..good luck !

Not everyone who posted positive comments, but there are a handful of people who registered to comment the day this piece was up for a vote. And their comments have been uniformly glowing. I've seen this ploy happen before with other contests on this website and I don't think it's pure cynicism to suggest that this might be the case here.

I love it. I'd like to try my hand at making my own version of it.

Yes, the rug is nice but come on peope lets get real $800-$1000 see why the economy is in the toilet. You people who lost your jobs would you pay that amount for war surplus?

This rug is impressive! I appreciate that it's made from recycled material with a bit of history. I also admire how this designer chose such a drab color and material and transformed it into something beautiful by her well thought out design stitched and tailored into the fabric.

this is awesome!

I'd like to see the topographical metaphore taken to differing heights...then you'd be on to something.

This is probably one of the sweetest looking rugs I have ever seen. And as a man who loves his wool, I must say great material choice! I could imagine laying and reading on the rug for hours at a time, although this could only be possible after I auctioned off a kidney to pay for it.

laying on the floor and reading by a big window sounds gorgeous. beautiful design