via Serena & Lily
I use outdoor rugs indoors as a result of homemaking lessons learned. When I first moved to NYC, I was blindly naive. Not in the sense that I would walk alone down alleys or anything, but in the realities of city life. Our first rug was really cool. It was from IKEA with a blue squiggle pattern, but, it was WHITE. It thought it would be okay because the rug would be in the bedroom, and most of it would be located under the bed. If this were a movie, this would be the part when the narrator comes in and says, “but it was not okay…”
Indeed, it was not. Now, NYC is a pedestrian city, right? And the great majority of its people take public transit and are out in the elements getting to said transit every single day. You wouldn’t believe how much dirt and grime you bring back into your home. Even leaving the windows open is a cardinal sin because street cleaning is twice a week and if you have a street facing apartment (we did) then guess where all that lovely city dirt and garbage goes? Into your apartment.
We only stayed in that apartment for a year-ish, before moving into where we now live: a nice Jewish neighborhood. That rug become the rug under the dining table. Again, a naive move. Although we don’t use the dining table for dining (that’s valuable real estate, ya’ll!), it got so dirty just using it as a home office. It was around this time when I realized how many kitchen and bathroom rugs we were going through. It seems we were replacing them every 6 months. That’s when it hit me: I will use outdoor rugs indoors and change everything.
I Use Outdoor Rugs Indoors in these Two Rooms
Truth be told, I didn’t know some people already did that and thought I was sooooo inventive. Whatever. I still am. But anyways, if you aren’t already, you might consider using outdoor rugs indoors in the kitchen and bathroom. It sounds crazy, I know, but think about it. Think about the most high traffic areas of your house, the areas with moisture, with food, with stains. What rugs are water and stain resistant and incredibly hardy? Outdoor rugs.
I have an outdoor runner in front of my kitchen sink and oven area, and an outdoor rug as my bathroom rug. I have had both for over 3 years! I only am now replacing the bathroom rug because the white is dingy (when will I learn with white?) and it bothers me. But the outdoor rug in the kitchen has been a God send. Spilled red pasta sauce? Ooops but no worries. Dropped food? Just a quick spray and it’s gone. If you are like me and go through tons of rugs that just won’t hold up, do yourself a favor and use outdoor rugs indoors in both your bathroom and kitchen.
I didn’t even get high quality outdoor rugs, either. The bathroom was on sale at West Elm and the kitchen rug was from Overstock. They still both lasted so much longer than typical indoor rugs. Another place for an outdoor rug would be under your dining table, especially if you have small children and pets. So, what do you think? Did I change your mind?
-Kristen
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2 Responses
LOVE it! I’m so excited to read this post and the one about outdoor furniture inside. I’ve been arguing with my family for over 10 years about this idea. 10. YEARS. THANK YOU for giving me evidence to win the debate!
I live in the country by Lake Ontario and need rugs but gave up as they constantly were ruined in a few months. I have 7 rescued cats and two dogs- kids are all grown but I dream of pretty rugs in my boho farmhouse. I even window shop for them on Wayfair and Overstock— and don’t get me started on how long I can sit and daydream at the piles in Target!
I even tried one of those lovely sisal rugs– my dogs kept licking it and my cats scratched it to well let’s just say it’s been upcycled into a kitty toy.
Now outdoor rugs– I do wonder how they would hold up to my pack of high maintenance pets– can you really just spray and go? I mean if the deposit a furball– spray wash and go with these??
Plus we’re Italian- lots of sauce and cooking going here daily, and I won’t tell you how crazy Sundays are. My heart leaps at the thought of a runner that will be resist the soaking up of tomato sauce and that I can wash off before the dogs do!
Is there a brand you’d recommend? Types for specific rooms? ie a runner by the kitchen island? Overstock here I come!
Your comment made me smile:-) A 10 year debate? Wow, I’m glad you now have evidence to win lol. I get nearly all my rugs (and rugs for clients) from Rugs USA. I swear by them. The outdoor rug I referenced in this article was in the kitchen for years as a runner in front of the sink–I cook a lot of stain-able things and it shows no wear! I love the outdoor Rugs USA rugs and the brand or type doesn’t matter as much to me as the reviews people leave! I recommend outdoor rugs for both kitchen runner and under the kitchen table. Hope that helps!