How To Pick A Kitchen Rug
Everyone’s kitchen is different… different layouts, different color schemes and of course, everyone has different preferences. But I want to give you some general guidelines to use when you’re picking out a new rug for your kitchen. I’m including tips on measuring, determining what type of rug is best for your space, and other things to consider. Plus, some of my favorite kitchen runners!
For a full home tour, you can check out this post and video here.
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TIP #1 | Choose What Type of Rug
You have three main options for a kitchen rug:
1) Runner
If you have an island in your kitchen, a runner is probably your best option.
2) Small Area Rug
If you have an open concept or U-shaped kitchen with no island and lots of foot traffic, a simple rug at the sink is usually the best way to go!
3) Large Area Rug
If you have a huge open kitchen, you can fill the space with a large rug. Just keep in mind that any rugs in your kitchen area are likely to get the most wear and tear so buy something that you can easily spot treat and take care of.
TIP #2 | Measuring Your Space is KEY!
You should definitely measure your space to see what kind of rug is best. Unfortunately, rugs usually come in predetermined sizing. So, you can measure your kitchen space and then decide what size will work best.
- The most traditional runner sizes are 2.5 x 8, 2.5 x 12, or 3 x 5.
- For a rug in front of the sink, 2 x 3 is the most common.
- If you have a big, open kitchen, that’s where it gets a little trickier. If you’re going to add a rug to a large kitchen, you want it to cover as much of the floor as possible. Pottery Barn suggests leaving 6-24 inches between the edge of the rug and the wall or cabinets. I think we have about 12 inches on both sides of our runner below.
TIP #3 | Choose Color, Print & Material Carefully.
- Colors – Picking a kitchen rug with more color will really help brighten up your space! Our current home has a lot of bright blue and I love it!
- Pattern – A patterned rug is better for hiding spills and stains!
- Fabric – You should pick a rug in a material that’s VERY durable and stain-resistant. A low pile rug (shorter fibers and tighter loops) is easiest to clean and can handle plenty of foot traffic. All you need is a little soap and water to easily remove a stain. Low is also better in terms of safety. You don’t want people tripping over a thick carpet!
- Shape – You don’t have to go with the traditional rectangle shape! There are tons of options out there…including half-round, round, crescent, square, and more!
BEST Places To Buy Rugs!
My Favorites: Gilt, Pottery Barn, West Elm
Affordable: Amazon, Wayfair, Walmart, Target, Urban Outfitters, Joss & Main, Rugs.com, The Citizenry, AllModern, Lulu & Georgia, Overstock, World Market
Higher End: West Elm, Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, CB2, One Kings Lane, Frontgate, Anthropologie
Etsy has a ton of vintage Turkish Oushak rugs here, which are beautiful, but that’s a little risky. Make sure if you are ordering rugs online that you read the return policy VERY carefully and you are super thoughtful about the purchase. You do NOT want to have to return a rug. Trust me. Learned that one from experience.
My Favorite Kitchen Runners
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Don’t forget to check out my full home tour here for more furniture favorites and home decor ideas!
Thank you for stopping by!
