Project: Rug Dreams

We need a rug for our living room. I love our hardwood floors, but in a room that triples as living, dining and kitchen, it'd be nice to define the space. These are older pictures of the room, but they give a sense of layout. Moving the piano is the biggest obstacle because it has to be on a sheet of soundproofing as well as casters. All that has to go underneath any rug we put down, and then the piano lifted on top. Needless to say, J is not too fond of that idea.

I really like the Andalusia rug from West Elm but think the weave might be too coarse and the color too much of the same chocolate brown.

My other dream rug is this cotton flatweave from Madeline Weinrib. However, a green rug in a mint room with ivory curtains and chocolate chairs and striped couch is a LOT. I would have to just commit to going for an intense, colorful look. Plus, even at the ABC Carpet Outlet, they're still pretty expensive.

I think I may have found my solution, though, in this post on Ikea Hacker. The complete instructions are in the post, but she bleached an old flatweave Ikea rug in the bathtub. Then she dyed it in the tub and painted a pattern on in acrylic. I think I found my next project for when J is out of town!