Reasonable Rug Resources

Rug purchases often make people wince because high price tags aren't uncommon. And with pets and kids, many aren't willing to put anything too precious or expensive on the floor because it will surely see abuse. If the budget allows, I will always argue that high quality, hand-knotted wool rugs are amongst the toughest textiles out there...there's a reason why decades-old antique Persian/Turkish rugs are still alive and kickin'. They are tough as nails. But, those kinds of rugs can cost tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars and for most folks finding something that is durable and affordable is the real key.

Well, durability is certainly a relative factor and I won't bore you with my long-winded thoughts on the matter right now. The gist of my spiel is to buy woven or knotted natural fiber rugs. As far as composition goes, avoid viscose/poly, and other synthetics and for construction, I'm not a huge fan of tufted or hooked options. Flatweaves are all the rage these days because they are so cheap, but keep in mind that they may take some time (or ironing) to lay flat and depending on the weight, you'll probably need to rig something to the corners so they don't curl up.

And with those points made, let's move on to sources for affordable rugs. Here are some of my favorites, beginning with Lulu & Georgia. L&G is a darling web boutique that carries a wide selection of fabulous and inexpensive rugs. I especially love the ones by Alix Soubiran (the first one shown below) and these other picks:

Two of my other favorite sources are actually kids' retailers! Despite their juvenile focus, both The Land of Nod and RH Baby & Child stock some rather modern and/or sophisticated looking styles. Land of Nod is definitely more punchy and fun while RH offers more muted, low-key looks...

Other good places to look include:

Shades of Light

Serena & Lily

Calypso Home

West Elm (they're having a 20% off rug sale right now!)

Capel

One Kings Lane

Any sources I'm forgetting about? Do share...

Lacquer Tray Source

One of the random little items that I get tons of questions about is this mint/aqua hexagonal lacquer tray that currently resides in my master bathroom...

I snagged the piece a few years ago at Homegoods and therefore can't provide a current source for where it can be purchased. I've been pointing people to the Jonathan Adler Lacquer Hexagon Trays and Plantation's Lacquer Trays as the closest known matches, but both of those are pretty pricy.  Well, I'm happy to report that C. Wonder is stocking a product that looks similar to mine (aside from the shape) and has a better price tag at $78. Behold the Lacquer White Trim Serving Tray:

The tray also comes in a super cute navy colorway. Plus, C. Wonder is also peddling matching lacquered boxes if you're into a coordinated look...

Besides the Pistachio color shown above, the Lacquer White Trim Box is available in the navy and this awesome coral color, which is called Grapefruit...

So, if you've been hunting for a tray that looks like my one-off HG find, I hope this helps a bit. Happy shopping!