When I shared the most recent progress in our kitchen last Friday, I received several inquiries about my kitchen rug. 

Who’da thought a lil’ ole rug would steal the spotlight from granite countertops?!  So, here you go!  A post devoted entirely to my kitchen rug.

I first spotted this rug in the Ballard Designs catalog.  (If you’re not on their mailing list, sign up here.  Even if you aren’t able to shop them, their catalog pages are chock full of inspiration.)  It’s the Farrah Indoor/Outdoor rug and it retails for $59-$149.  I was looking for something to “hide” our builder vinyl flooring in the kitchen.  If you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m drawn to geometric prints.  This rug was right up my alley.  But I held off on ordering it right away (I seldom by something the first time I see it) because I read in the description that it was made of plastic…recycled bottle caps to be exact.  And while keeping plastic out of our landfills sounds like a good idea to me, I wasn’t quite sold on a plastic rug.  After a few weeks of shopping other places, I kept coming back to this Ballard Designs rug.  After all, the catalog picture looked nice.

I ordered the plastic rug and expected to wait 4-6 weeks for delivery.  However, I received it not even 2 weeks later.  I put it to use right away and haven’t stopped loving it.  (Handy Hubby loves it, too, and he’s usually not a rug guy.)  There are many reasons why I love this rug:  1) the geometric print…it hides everything and adds interest to my uninteresting vinyl floor  2) the way it feels under foot…recycled bottle caps are surprisingly squishy when used to make a rug!  3) no rug pad is required…the plastic rug doesn’t slide across our vinyl floor  4) the ease of cleaning…I shake it and hose it off outside once in a while  5) the eco-friendliness…who knew you could make such a worthy rug from bottle caps?!  6) the texture…the woven plastic mimics rugs made of natural materials.

The rug is reversible too.  There’s the side with the brown background and white print (as seen in my kitchen to contrast with our builder beige floor) or the side with the white background and brown print (which would look sweet against a darker floor).

I’ve had this rug for nearly 6 months and it shows no wear.  People always comment on it when they see it and are shocked when I tell them it’s made of plastic.  The rug is still available for purchase from Ballard Designs and, if you’re lucky enough to live near a Ballard Designs Outlet (like me!), I’ve seen it there too for less.  All-in-all, I would give this rug a 9.5 out of 10.  My only comment is that it is a teeny tad browner in person versus the more gray-brown shown in the catalog.

So, that’s everything you’ve ever wondered about my kitchen rug.  Or is it?  Any more questions?  I’d be happy to answer!  Are you looking for a modern rug to hide your vinyl flooring?  (It’s a lot cheaper than buying new floors!)  Don’t forget that indoor/outdoor rugs are great options for homes with kids and/or pets.  They’re durable and easy to clean.  If this rug isn’t quite your forte, just search for an “indoor/outdoor rug” on Overstock or Amazon.  Happy rug hunting!

FYI – As always, I am not paid by Ballard Designs to review this or any other product.  I just really love this rug and think credit should be given where credit is due.  However, if Ballard Designs would like to hire me out…I’m game!

I finally got around to reading the March 2010 issue of Real Simple this past week.  (My subscription was a Christmas gift from Handy Hubby’s folks…thank you!) 

Of particular interest to me was an article entitled “What’s Your Decorating Style?”  I’m all for not ‘labeling’ yourself as akin to one specific design style, yet I find myself a little overwhelmed by all the home decor options available nowadays.  It helps (me, at least) to have some sort of guideline when searching for a piece of furniture or home accessory.  I took Real Simple up on their little design soul-search and decided to share my results with you this week.  I’m hoping it will help me define a loose design style and also maybe assist you in pinning down your decor preferences.  Feel free to grab a pad of paper, a pen and your camera to follow along!  And your style might be waaay different than mine – that’s great!  Remember, that you’re just trying to find out what you like…there’s no right or wrong.

The first page is a collage of images on which you are to circle the ones you’re drawn to.  No thinking allowed.  It’s meant to help you visualize a general sense of your design taste.  (You can quiz yourself here with similar images.) 

Each item is labeled with either an A, B, C or D.  (I detest these quizzes because I already know that the letter I circle the most of is ‘the winner.’)  It’s difficult to tell from the photo, but I circled 6 images:  a mid-century modern chair (B), a potted orchid (A), a leather riding boot (C), a silver metal bracelet (B), a vase of pink roses (D) and a starburst clock (B).  The B’s have it with a little bit of everything else thrown in.  So, what do mostly B’s mean? 

You’re into color, contrast and clean lines.  You’ll probably like the style Modern Graphic.  Modern Graphic is a fresh, fun contemporary look that combines urban styling (imagine a downtown loft) with edgy, colorful elements and midcentury designs.  Simple furniture forms balance out bold accents and patterns.

Well, I can go with the clean lines, downtown loft and midcentury designs but I’m not really into bold accents or colorful designs.  While the jist of my style may be modern, I prefer more serene colors.  Good to know.  I’ll keep that in mind…

On to the actual Step One, where I’m asked to tour my home and make 2 blatantly honest lists:  “Love It” and “Wish I Could Replace It.”  Easy.  I could do that in my sleep.  I ran around my house snapping pics of my faves and my not-so-faves.  Take a look.

“LOVE IT”

(a chair I found on the side of the road and brought back to life with some wood stain and new upholstery)

(my DIY pedestal table…pedestal base and chairs from Craigslist, tabletop from Lowe’s)

(a Home Decorator’s Outlet find that I painted green inside)

(my West Elm dining chandelier that I splurged on when it went on sale last year)

(my IKEA craft/sewing desk)

(our tall 9-foot ceilings which lend an open feel)

(our functional IKEA console for storing toys in the family room)

(our rustic family room side table from Ballard Designs outlet for a steal!)

(our light and airy sunroom)

Now, for the “WISH I COULD REPLACE IT”

(our busy builder laminate countertops)

(this horribly ugly intersection of wood, vinyl and carpet floorings, UGH!)

(our orangey oak stair railing and carpeted steps)

(our electric stovetop…we’d prefer gas)

(the boys’ orangey oak bathroom vanity)

(our first-floor carpet…have I mentioned I don’t like our floors?!)

(our master bath light fixture)

(our master bath orangey oak vanity – have I mentioned I don’t like orange oak?!)

(our master bed frame…a little too delicate and feminine)

(our master bedroom dresser…it was left by the previous owners of our first home…we painted it white)

So, there are my Step One lists.  Don’t know about you, but that was pretty cathartic for me!  Wow, I really don’t like our floors, oak vanities or master bedroom furniture.  Oh, if only I had the time and money to change up those “Wish I Could Replace”-ems.  What about you?  What items in your home popped up on your list of favorites?  What would you change if money wasn’t an issue?  Sometimes knowing what you absolutely don’t like is just as helpful as those things you ogle over.  Stay tuned for Step Two where I’ll (you’ll) conquer the little things.