I’ve Used Joanna Gaines’ Vintage-Inspired Rug for a Year — It Still Looks Perfect

I love the coziness of shag rugs, so I tried to make them work in my home for as long as possible. After a while, though, I had to face the facts: They’re a total pain to clean. It didn’t help matters that my vacuum wasn’t quite strong enough to suck all of the debris out. Or that I shed enough hair that I could probably make a few wigs out of it, and it would cling to the rug’s strands.

That’s why I decided that a low-pile, washable rug wasn’t just a want, but a need. I’m so picky when it comes to patterns that I’ve mostly chosen solid-colored rugs in the past — it seemed safer when ordering online — so it took a good amount of searching to find one that wasn’t too busy and fit the vintage aesthetic of my apartment. 

The Joanna Gaines-designed Sinclair rug, which came out of Magnolia Home’s collaboration with Loloi, is one of the few that fit all of my criteria. As soon as I saw how it transformed my space, I knew I made the right choice. And after over a year of use, I’m even more impressed by how it’s held up. And it’s currently on sale at Wayfair!

Last year, the Fixer Upper star’s brand joined forces with Loloi, which has been making home products for two decades, to create a line of functional and stylish rugs (and throw pillows). The Sinclair collection alone includes seven pattern and color variations, and there are dozens more that came out of the collab for every style and purpose. (You can browse them all here.)

This area rug is power-loomed, which means that it’s machine-made. Compared with a handwoven rug, the design is more precise and the weave is more durable; even in areas with a lot of foot traffic, the synthetic polyester fibers help resist wear and tear. A little over half of the material is made from recycled materials, making it stand apart from many power-loomed rugs on the market. It’s also unique in its softness. 

In terms of appearance, the jade green and beige pattern is made up of antique motifs that look even more vintage with the rug’s subtle distressing. And even if it gets marred by a stain, you can toss it in the washing machine, as long as it’s 5’x7′ or smaller. Any larger ones can be taken care of by a laundromat with a commercial machine.

At first, I was hesitant to choose a washable rug, even as fed up as I was with shag rugs. They’re known for being on the thinner side (so that you can cram them into the machine’s drum) and comfort and style are equally important to me. Luckily, the Sinclair rug provides both in spades. Even though my feet don’t sink into the material, its buttery-soft feel makes up for it. It was soft right out of the gate, and two washes and a year of use later, it still is.

The print, while detailed, doesn’t overwhelm or clash with anything in my tiny apartment. The muted and slightly faded colors are gorgeous, and rather than worn, it comes across as artfully vintage. Its appearance hasn’t changed one bit, even after I’ve walked over it countless times. Granted, I’m usually barefoot, but I’ve also had a few guests tread over it with shoes on. 

It hasn’t shed either. It’s so much easier to vacuum compared with the shag rugs I owned that I can’t believe I didn’t make the switch sooner — it helps that hair doesn’t get caught in it. For the price, this rug is truly hard to beat. 

Buy: Magnolia Home By Joanna Gaines x Loloi Sinclair Washable Area Rug, 5’ x 7’6”, $119.33 (normally $189)