Ok, we know we said our sunroom’s mini makeover was next on the agenda, but we had to share this rug swap first. Readers often ask how we choose finishing touches like the right art or the perfect rug. Our answer is always the same: there isn’t a single “right” or “perfect” formula. There are many ways to finish a room you’ll love. Think of it like a buffet—many delicious options. The good news is there isn’t just one solution for making a room feel complete.
Another common misconception is that great deals just fall into our laps. In reality we put in a lot of legwork to find pieces we love. To show how the best deals (and the long-lasting pieces) usually require effort, here’s the play-by-play of our lengthy rug search.
Why did we need a new rug? We had been living with a dirty little secret. The $70 Lowe’s rug we bought four years earlier was shedding and the natural jute fibers were breaking down, flaking, and scattering underfoot. That’s not typical of jute—our other jute rugs have held up fine—but with a small child in the house, we weren’t comfortable with the dust and fibers that could be inhaled. Time for a new rug.
Which 5 x 8 rug would we bring home? The search felt a bit like The Bachelorette: so many options, so little time. After “courting” over 30 rugs and imagining each one in our lives for years to come, we narrowed the field to five finalists. Here are the contenders.
First, we found a celery-and-beige wool beauty at a local lighting and rug outlet (pardon the terrible iPhone pic). We loved that it was 100% wool—natural fibers matter to us: wool, cotton, or jute without rubber backing so we avoid synthetics, offgassing, and unnecessary chemicals. The soft, serene colors appealed to us, and we wanted something cushy since our daughter will appreciate softer underfoot as she becomes more mobile. One concern: the design was raised about a half inch, and we weren’t sure two storage ottomans that sit in the center of the rug would sit properly on that surface. The outlet offered it for $200 on sale (down from over $550), and we left with that photo to think it over. Ideally we wanted to keep the price under $150, but that’s hard when you want a large wool rug.
With that rug still on our minds, we hit lots of other stores—TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, Lowe’s, Target, and Home Depot. Nothing felt right. Either the price was too high, the rug was synthetic, too rough and thin (we wanted something plush for the little one), or just not our style. Online searches on Overstock, CB2, and Crate & Barrel turned up nothing either.
Then we remembered a $100 West Elm gift card we had, so we checked their site. That led to three more contenders. The first was lively and colorful, but thinner and not as soft as we wanted. With our $100 gift card it would have been $129—tempting. The second had a great pattern but risked blending into our dark mocha hardwood floors instead of anchoring the den. It was also not as plush as we hoped. The third was a plush, natural undyed wool option that looked incredibly soft. It felt pure and appealing, but at $179 after our gift card it was pricier, and its subtle ribs felt a touch too understated for our taste; we didn’t want to replace a textured jute rug with something that ended up looking like a bland brown rectangle, even if it was comfy.
By this point we were frustrated. Each finalist missed one crucial trait—either cushion, pattern, or personality—so the search continued. Then a tip struck: West Elm gift cards can be redeemed at sister stores like Pottery Barn. We checked PB Kids and PB Teen without luck, and then explored Pottery Barn online. The online selection proved much larger than the brick-and-mortar store.
There we found a 100% wool 5 x 8 rug that was both plush underfoot and full of pattern and interest. The large floral motif felt modern and fun, and the colors fit our cream, tan, and chocolate den palette perfectly. Better yet, it was on clearance and came to $130 after applying our $100 West Elm gift card. While scrolling up to double-check, we noticed the rug’s name: the Clara Rug. Sold. We redeemed the gift card, paid the remaining $130, and celebrated that we’d added a rug named after our daughter to the family.
Here’s our new favorite rug positioned by the fireplace. We completed the look using some existing accessories in a soft lime hue to tie the space together and add a fresh pop without spending extra:
We wouldn’t call this hunt easy—things worth having often take work—but we’re glad we searched both in-person and online to find a rug that scored well for price, material, softness, color, and pattern. Are there other rugs that would look great in our den? Definitely. But we love our Clara Rug and the process that led us to it. If you’re hunting for the table, lamp, print, mirror, chair, bed, or sofa of your dreams, don’t despair. Keep looking, be persistent, and don’t settle for something that isn’t quite right. With patience and a bit of persistence, the right piece—or one of many right pieces—will find you.
Psst—Want to read more about our (subjective) rug rules? Check our previous posts for details on how we choose rugs and other decor decisions.