Okay, I'll jump in. I've just been looking for sisal/jute/seagrass rugs and have found some interesting styles.

I heard lots of complaints about sisal and how scratchy and uncomfortable it is to walk on. I have a girlfriend in Belgium who was renting a place with wall to wall sisal. With 2 young kids, she said she loved the look but it was really impractical - they all had raw knees.

Also, the cleanability of sisal is an issue. I had two standard sisal mats at our entranceway and found that once they were dirty that was it - I had to throw them out.

When I went looking for a sisal type rug for the living room, I found that all the sisals I found were bound with a canvas edge. I didn't want this since the edge is along a traffic path and I knew it would get dirty.

I found that some people recommended jute as being tougher than sisal and softer on the feet. Most of the jute I found were self bound (no canvas edge). And many were braided or woven in a way that made them quite soft. These also have that ability to lose the dirt and stains (just sort of disappears into them like with a shag carpet). The jute was also availble dyed from a couple of different companies. Two companies I remember were Surya and Feizy.

I ended up with sisal with a canvas edge because it had a really unique weave that incorporated the gold and dark brown colours we have in the room. It was so cheap that if the edge gets really dirty and I can't clean it, I won't feel bad about having to buy a new one in a few years.

I've got to go plant with my 3 yr old now, but I'll try to post pics later.

I bought sisal-wool, which is much easier on the feet, and wears better, I like the neutral color, which sets off my jewel-toned Soumaks.

I just went to a carpeting store, got big area rugs cut and bound and paid under $500 for a 9 by 12.

At the Pasadena Showcase house this month I made note of a wonderful look: wall-to-wall sisal overlaid with a Persian rug. I liked it! Sisal scares me, too, especially with pets. and small children. It's rep for staining with merely water spills is scary!

I like the decorating magazine photos of the jute and sisal rugs, but like many others, find the sisal to be 'not soft' 'not cushy' and am concerned about being able to clean one. Perhaps I just haven't seen the right one.

I love persians. I love that you can add pattern and color to an otherwise bland room with something that is so useful and long-lasting. I think that almost any type of room or decor could work with the right persian.

Much of my former rug buying was done by cost only. I found a $20 10' oval braided rug at a yardsale, and that rug shaped the painting and decorating of my daughter's room. I've bought a number of used estate sale rugs and just make them work. I have recently bought a really nice room rug from HomeGoods and also 2 old persians from Ebay. I guess my colors must all work together, because you could use any one of these 3 rugs in either bedroom, LR, or DR. I find them so versatile.

Red

I have a wool rug in my sitting/family room off my kitchen and it's really a "wintery" rug. I'd love to replace it with a jute rug for summer but I really don't want to spend a lot of money. Budge, where did you get yours?

I lucked out and got mine from Homesense for under $200.

My advice is to look around. I found one I kind of liked at a retail store and they quoted me $565 for the 8x10 size I needed. I went to another place and they quoted me $334 for the exact rug from the same company. The owner told me they were the distributor for the company in our area and would be where the retail store ordered from hence the price difference.

I also found one that was really soft (the kids were with me and actually lay down on it) called the seminole from Feizy rugs. Unfortunately, Feizy is discontinuing this rug (or so the salesperson told me) and I wasn't able to get one. I did find them online from a few companies, but to ship to Canada brings the price up. I was actually going to order this one anyways (it would still be just about $550) but I found the one at Homesense and am happy with it.

One thing we did was get a good pad for under it and it makes all the difference.

This is really fascinating to read so far everyone's thoughts and ideas regarding what type of rug they choose any why. I don't that I've read anything yet to convince me to switch over to sisal, nevertheless I do want to hear more about it and see some pics of rooms, particular with traditional decor, before going with persian rugs for my LR/DR. Like Red, I am waiting for the estate sale/CL find. In fact, I did finally find one that I thought would go and it got sold out from under me. :(

I'll echo the others who've mentioned the sisal/cleaning issue. My DD had a couple and they became soiled so quickly and didn't clean up well at all. One (or maybe even both now) were discarded.

I had thought that traditional oriental rugs were not my style, but have completely changed that feeling after really seeing them used. They seem to fit in with so many decor styles that perhaps that's why they seem ageless. I have several--in my dining room, entries, and in the great room--all wool and all are so easy to care for with small grandkids. Plus soft under foot!

{{!gwi}}

My newest rug (about a year old) is a Nourison Nourmak rug, which is a flat weave wool rug. I love it because it doesn't collect dog fur like my former rug did, the colors are vibrant without being garish, and it can be reversed. This rug is in a high traffic area and so far shows zero wear or dirt... and it's not a particularly dark color that you'd expect to hide dirt. And it didn't cost an arm and a leg (with 3 kids and 2 dogs, I have a really hard time bringing myself to spend big bucks on a rug), although in fact it is the most expensive rug I've ever bought (I think it was around 1600 for a 9 x 12).

Oooh good rug talk!

For years I had been looking for 2 large sea grass or jute or sisal with the plan of layering them. I have dark stained concrete in the LR and Library/DR and felt it would lighten things up a bit. I have a Zebra (actually cowhide) and some tribal/persians that would be the icing on top of the sisal cake. Knowing how "throw away" they are (had one in the kitchen for maybe 5 years, turned it over half way through), I haven't found a price I want to spend, or a fairly comfortable/thin one.

Think they are a great look, and personally love them layered with other rugs.

I started out with an expensive Herati rug in my LR. I loved the look, loved the deep colors, but found I was locked into that color scheme. I also worried there was too much foot traffic on that rug, and I have a lot of sunlight that comes through my LR windows.

I ended up moving it into my bedroom, with the idea that I would rotate it out in the winter.

I too found the sisals too scratchy. For the LR, I bought a neutral-colored wool rug with a heavy basket-pattern, bound by canvas. I did get it at Feizy too. It's easy clean-up; I have a cat that hacks hairballs on it regularly. :(

As for styles, I was told by the salesman that it was Ralph Lauren and his stores that made that jute/sisal rug so popular, and it's been around for a long time.

I've seen it in masculine decors, beachy decors, traditional, French country, etc. Seems to go with just about anything.

My friend just bought a faux sisal rug from the link below - she's had sisal before but didn't want to chance it again trying to maintain it w/dogs and kids.

She custom sized it to fit her FR and is really happy with its quality and how it feels on bare feet.

Plus now she doesn't have to worry about it when her dogs throw up or mud is tracked in accidently.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sisal Rugs Direct

OT (sorry):

texashottie: Try changing your cat's food to a high quality food, and you can eliminate the hairballs. Our cat used to have hairballs when she was fed a lower quality food. When we switched to Innova, the hairballs went away. Seriously. The anti-hairball stuff on the market is often petroleum-based, which is not good for their health. Also, try supplementing the dry food with a little wet food. Cats have a deficient thirst mechanism and are often dehydrated: the wet food helps to hydrate them, and lubricate the digestive system, as well.

Maybe you know all this already, but just in case. . . . :)

You know, I really really really am NOT a cat person. My sister's house has 10, and even though they have super condo cat kennels in the sun porch with state-of-the art litter boxes, it still flips me completely to see one on the kitchen counter walking past my bowl of cereal. But I just had to post anyway after reading organic's comment about wet cat food. I always read the vet's column in the paper and he wrote a very informative piece recently that said the same thing. Cats are carnivorous. They need some wet meat.

Just to even things out for all you cat lovers reading about my woeful lack of affection for the creatures, and to make this about rugs........I just want to say that one drawback to having lovely thick Persian rugs with colors and designs.......is, that sometimes, (like last night while we were watching t.v.) you may find something dried and naughty laying right out there in plain sight on the nice thick patterned rug. And it came out of a long little weinie dog. At times like this, you wish you had jute or sisal, since you would have seen it long before it had a chance to dry out. Ever since the time my DD (18 years old at the time) walked into the living room one Sunday morning and screamed bloody murder when she stepped on a wet, dead, mouse.....(another gem dropped out of the mouth of a wienie dog!!!) lost in the dark pattern of the Persian rug, we have worried that these busy designs cover a whole multitude of unpleasant things.

Now that I re-read for typos, I want to recommend a nice beige plain rug. It may get dirty easier. It may not be as soft and sensuous to the bare foot. It may not add rich color and interest to your room. But at least, you won't step unknowingly on poo.

Red

Chijim, your comment and link could NOT have come at a better time!

Actually this entire topic is perfect timing. I'm struggling mightily with rugs for my living room and dining room. I've got an L-shape configuration and now that I've nailed down a paint color I love, the BM equivalent of Silver Sage, and furniture for the LR, which is mostly dark or leather...I just can't figure out what to put on the floors!

The site you linked to has such a fantastic variety of very reasonable rugs and being able to customize size and style is a real blessing. I think I'm going to order swatches ASAP and then definitely do the dining room. Still not sure about the LR although I might just stick with the neutral wool or wool sisal, but at least I'm halfway there. Thanks so much for sharing that info.

Ann

as a person who has had almost any type rug you can think of, ill break it down for you..


sisals and jutes might be nice at first but over time, and within a couple years or so, the fibers tend to break down because of how rough or "scratchy" they are. i had some good quality ones before in my old beach house and they ended up frayed. this was not even used that much, no pets or kids at the time

they can run expensive sometimes , sometimes you luck out and find an ok one but typically they are not cozy or soft on the feet. ive spilled my share of everything on them and after a while you see the stains

if you think about it, they are somewhat plain and fit with every decor but their downsides in comfort, cleaning, maintenance and quality is par none to an authenthic good quality persian

the oriental/persian rugs ive had all lasted for decades, they are inconspicous to dirt, stains, (because there are so many colors and patterns that you cant ever tell if someone spilled wine or spaghetti,) and despite being made of wool and tightly woven , they are actually soft , cozy or at worst, bearable to your feet

as for decor, i used to stay away from persians because i thought theyre more classic , traditional or not modern enough for me, but it really is true when they say it fits with almost any decor. they are meant to be an added value to the room or subtle "star"to the room

i think their price is worth it in the end because they havent ever let me down in terms of quality, color vibrancy, feel/touch and design.

oh and dont let me.get into shags. i really like them but theyre like jute/sisal in that they look nice at first for a few years but then they collect so much hidden dust and grime and look faded after heavy traffic use

you dont want to see my shag rugs now lol or my old sisal for that matter

theres a reason persian rugs are timeless and ageless

bumped for careyann*
everyone else ignore