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!