Our living room rug

3 November 2017

Soon after June was born and we realized how much time we’d be spending on the floor for the foreseeable future, a new rug for our living room moved to the top of our “to buy” list. While I loved the look of our old rug, it was scratchy and thin (and I even predicted at the time we would want to replace it when a kiddo came along!).

For its replacement, we wanted something soft and plush. I’ve also always loved the look of Turkish/Persian/Oriental-style rugs, vintage or otherwise, so that was our top choice. (Plus, all those colors can more easily hide spills!) These were a few of the photos that inspired me:

vintage rug

vintage rug

vintage rug

vintage rug

colorful vintage rug

Glitter Guide, My Domaine, My Domaine, Style At Home, Traditional Home

I logged several weeks of searching my usual haunts – like esalerugs, where I’ve had good luck before – but everything in the size we wanted (9×12) was absurdly out of our price range. Then, I stumbled upon the Betty rug on One Kings Lane, and couldn’t believe my eyes. While the colors weren’t perfect, the price absolutely was – $575 + shipping and taxes (our total ended up right at $650). Since we were able to sell our old rug for $100, our net price was just over $500, which I think is incredible!

betty rug

We eagerly rolled the rug out when it arrived a few days later and… meh. I felt it was way more orange and brown in person than it had appeared in the online photo, and the blue was more steely than aqua. On the plus side, the plushness was just what we were hoping for, the size was right, and the price, of course, was excellent.

Betty Rug from One Kings Lane

I debated for several days whether to return it and try again, but in the end, I didn’t think I could find anything I’d like better even close to that price and decided I just needed to accept it and move on.

inexpensive oriental rug option

We’ve now had it for about a year and a half, and I still feel about the same way, ha! I wish it had more pink instead of orange, that the blue was brighter, and that there was less brown. (My dream rug is pretty much this one, but at six times the price of our current rug, it’s not happening unless the CWD crew gives it to me for free :)) But it’s served us very well, and if I ever find a reasonably-priced rug I like better, I know I’ll be able to get a good resale price on this one. Plus, we’ve gotten lots of nice compliments on it from visitors, and that’s always appreciated :)

colorful family room

living room with kids

Oh rugs… they are so hard! Any pieces in your home you’re currently living with because the price is right? :)

P.S. If you want to snag our rug for yourself, it’s currently on OKL for only $499, which is less than we paid!! Such a steal!

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Lindy
November 3, 2017 9:12 am

I totally agree with you on CWD rugs being the ultimate!! I would LOVE one of those… My fave is the Kismet Rug in Navy. But – like y’all – it is WAY out of our price range, especially with little kids! If I paid that much for a rug, I wouldn’t let my kids near it, which totally defeats the purpose since a home is meant to be lived in!
I’ve found awesome deals on One King’s Lane as well as overstock for large area rugs. We recently upgraded our living room as well to this one (in 9×12): https://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Safavieh-Evoke-Vintage-Light-Blue-Ivory-Distressed-Rug-8-x-10/11736781/product.html
It’s super soft, looks great, and was definitely the right price (around $300ish which felt like SUCH a steal).
Love seeing posts about your home! They are so much more relatable than some bloggers- I can tell y’all really live there with a family and actually have a budget and think about decisions like the rest of us do!

Sarah
November 3, 2017 12:33 pm

A reader may want to buy your rug! Sell it and get your dream rug. :)

In your last post you mentioned a 2% reward thing for a credit card. Do you mind telling me which one it is? We are thinking of getting a credit card (due solely to the rewards) after years of not having one. And can you put things like your mortgage on it?

Love the blog!

November 5, 2017 10:11 pm
Reply to  Sarah

Hi Sarah! We use the Citi Double Cash Rewards card, which is what I believe Em uses too! :) Here’s the link: https://citicards.citi.com/usc/doublecash/2017/Feb/PS/default.htm?m=2SGO111111W&cmp=KNC~01~110901~CRDACQXX~~Google&BT_TX=1&ProspectID=4D484D8D999E4E68A975E35AFDC7F0F5https://citicards.citi.com/usc/doublecash/2017/Feb/PS/default.htm?m=2SGO111111W&cmp=KNC~01~110901~CRDACQXX~~Google&BT_TX=1&ProspectID=4D484D8D999E4E68A975E35AFDC7F0F5

Unfortunately, most banks typically don’t allow you to pay your mortgage on a credit card or the few that do typically charge a hefty fee, which would cancel out any potential savings in rewards.

Katie
November 3, 2017 1:08 pm

I came here to comment about Overstock, then saw Lindy already had above! I got our 9×12 for like $300 a well, as we LOVE it! I found this one in the vein of your inspo just from a quick search, so I’m sure there’s way more! https://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Safavieh-Monaco-Bohemian-Medallion-Navy-Light-Blue-Distressed-Rug-9-x-12/13298756/product.html?refccid=TBGV3HYWLD42XJKBZVV64AQ6JI&searchidx=31&keywords=&refinement=rug%20size%3A9%27%20x%2012%27

Gillian
November 6, 2017 1:19 pm
Reply to  Katie

I love that rug! We have a different overstock rug by the same make in our playroom, and it is my favorite.

November 3, 2017 2:59 pm

Ditto the above comments about Overstock–our 9×12 was under $300 and we’ve been thrilled with the quality! Though someday, a CWD rug will live in my house…we share the same favorite. It is the perfect rug!!

November 5, 2017 10:03 pm

This post definitely did not go where I thought it was going!! Ha! I love your honesty in all of your home posts. :) I think your current rug is lovely too, and while I’m usually a big advocate for saving up and getting what you LOVE for your home, I can’t fathom ever spending that much on a rug either! I am learning that home stuff is like budgeting for a wedding but 10x harder and more expensive! :)

Maren
November 6, 2017 8:16 am

Have you checked Wayfair? I wanted a similar look and found this one on sale for $200 (8×10). I was pleasantly surprised that the colors were even brighter than pictured and I love it! Very plush and hides stains from my kiddos. https://www.wayfair.com/rugs/pdp/mistana-hillsby-saffronblue-area-rug-mtna3186.html?piid=22619850#readmoremodal1

Bethany
November 6, 2017 1:58 pm

I love this post! It’s so honest, and I’ve definitely been there with “meh” home decor purchases! We have a shag rug from Rugs USA that I love, but once Lucy started crawling and pulling on it, I had to roll it away. I would love to get a new rug for our living room, too!

November 13, 2017 11:30 pm

Oh, I feel you on the rug search. To find one that is beautiful, functional, child-friendly, and affordable is no easy task. I love the grace you are showing yourself ( and all of us) for doing what you can now and not stretching your budget limit even if it means having a second choice. And you have made your home look so beautiful! Also, Woody saw me looking for rugs tonight and told me about https://ruggishco.com/ that he saw in Fast Company! It doesn’t meet what you are looking for in your main living space, but it is a great option for style, price, and kid-friendly in a home space! I’ve added one to my wish list! xo!