Makeover Monday: The Rug is Your Canvas

Today’s Makeover Monday tip is coming to you from Lisa Boyd from MeridaHome.com. Thanks, Lisa!

What do you like about rugs? Is it their subtle charm of adding warmth to a room? The protection they provide to your feet as you walk across them? Or maybe they are just another means to add color and give personality to a room? Whatever the case may be, rugs have been a classic way to adorn one’s living space for centuries. Tradition, however, can get a little boring. I’m happy to share a hot new trend that we found to shake up your rug’s personality – painted rugs!

It’s a make over for your rug that completely revolutionizes the versatility and customization of your rug. I wish it had more color. If only it came in this pattern. I love it, but it doesn’t match my couch. Now you can fix all the subtle details that were minor problems. You can be sustainable by recycling old rugs that have been collecting dust in your basement instead of adding to the 5 billion pounds of carpet and rug waste that end up in landfills every year.

Deciding how you want your rug to look is the easy part. I recommend starting with a vegetable fiber (sisal, jute and sea-grass) rug due to their great absorbing abilities. From there, the painting part gets a little tricky. There are few different techniques to paint your rug, including stenciling, painting over rug’s original pattern (if it exists or is still visible), stamping, dyeing, or, for the brave souls there’s the option of painting free hand. I recommend using stencils because I like precise, clean, patterns and lines.

Photo by: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/

For this project I recommend using either a fluid acrylic or water-based polycyclic paint to ensure that it sticks to the fiber, doesn’t fade easily and because it is fairly affordable. You’ll also need paintbrushes, possibly rollers, masking tape, a drop cloth, varnish for the finishing product, and patience! It’ll take a few hours/ days for your new rug to dry, but it’s worth it for a long lasting quality rug!

So, get your paintbrush Picasso because the rug is your canvas.

Photo by: http://www.designsponge.com

Photo by: http://www.designsponge.com

Lisa Boyd is a regular contributor for MeridaHome.com, a premier source for distinctively designed natural rugs with a conscience for sustainability. Merida was founded on and is committed to a tradition of integrating the finest quality natural fibers with innovative textile design and floor covering style. Our commitment to sustainability is also exceptionally important in the design and production of our large area rugs and one we promote each and every day.