DIY Tutorial: Dining Room Rug

25 Jul DIY Tutorial: Dining Room Rug

Yesterday, I discussed the dilemma of dining room rugs.  I like them, but if you have messy:

1. pets
2. spouse
3. children
4. all of the above

they can be more pain than they are worth.

With this in mind, I decided a dining room rug would be advantageous if you could wipe it as simply and easily as the floor.  It sounds difficult to find such a thing, but a few weeks ago, while perusing World Market, I saw these.

World Market Rio Blue Ikat Rug

I found the pattern and color so pretty, and though made for the outdoors, it does not have a fabric-like texture requiring a hose down when cleaning.  A simple wipe, and you are done.

The only problem?  They were a mere 4×6.  (there is one size larger, a 6×9 – not big enough either)  I got to thinking…I wonder if I could turn this into the size of rug I need by putting a few together?

Four of them would create an 8×12, a weird size, but proportionate to the room.  Also, the larger size makes the pattern more apparent, a neat graphic element.

Bonus – they were on mega sale, $9.99 apiece, I believe.

After I plopped my $40 down, I headed to Lowes where I found this.

I bought four boxes just to make sure I would have enough.  (two boxes were left over when the project was done)  They were only 41¢ a box!

Since I needed a large work area, I headed out to the 110 degree driveway.  July in Texas makes for a steamy project!

First, I laid out the rugs to make sure the pattern matched up correctly.  The sequence was a little off, something I liked, yet the direction of the design was still there.

Then I cut the carpet tape to the length of the first long side.

After I cut the first long piece, I measured another length the same size for the other pair of rugs.

This tape is really great because it has a black line to act as a guide.  You want to have straight seams!

Carefully, I pressed the side of the rug onto the black line while slowly pulling down the backing of the tape.

As always, the first step of a project you have never done takes the longest amount of time.  Finally completing my initial task, I stepped back to survey the strip of tape when my neighbor and his cute dog greeted me.

Enter Cricket, the beagle.

Cricket also really liked my idea and thought she would check out my handiwork.  She put one little paw on my tape and took off running.  Her paw, the tape, and my rug, were a blur as she raced back and forth through my front yard.  This was the end result.

Back to square one.  I removed the tape, and started over.  After I finished putting the rug together (Cricket did not offer any more “help” thankfully, ha), I walked on the seams to make sure they were pressed firmly.

Quick Note:  When you are attaching the rugs to make a seam, slightly overlap them and push to make the seam flat.  The edges will be flush, and look more professional.

One small problem: after completing the rug, I had to use an upholstery needle and some twine to pull the center seam together.  It was a little disjointed,  but looked great after a few stitches.  (This picture is pre-stitching.)

To make certain the edges lay flat, I put carpet tape along the border to reinforce them.

And then, I took it into the house!

Overall, I like the rug.  It was cheap enough I wouldn’t be upset if I got sick of it.  The colors are rich, and the pattern is fun.  However, I decided it was not right for my dining room.  A little too bold for the space.  And the material didn’t mesh with the other elements of the room.  I’m sure another place in the house will be happy to have it someday.

The moral of the story…if you find a rug you just love, and it is too small, don’t lose heart.  Two or more together might be your perfect size, and more often than not, will cost less than a larger rug.

Total for this project was less than $45.

Keep in mind this will not work for all rugs, but don’t be afraid to go for it!  Lay them on the floor and see if they look right.  Be adventurous!  That is part of the fun in discovering your style.

I would love to see what you do with this idea!  Let me know the story!