Get an indoor/outdoor rug

Some suggestions:

http://www.plowhearth.com/hammock-indooroutdoor-rug-8-x-11.htm

I love this rug:

http://www.plowhearth.com/veranda-indooroutdoor-rug-8w-x-10l.htm

http://www.plowhearth.com/9-x-12-houndstooth-polypropylene-indooroutdoor-rug.htm

http://www.plowhearth.com/710-x-1010-laurel-indoor-and-outdoor-seagrass-look-rug-in-neutral-patterns.htm

I've recommended them often because I've never found rugs that look or work better for a kitchen - Dash & Albert indoor/outdoor rugs. They wear well, feel good underfoot and hold their shape and color after many washings. They are nearly impossible to stain. I have them in my kitchens (home & lake) and this one in a dining area has a pattern similar to yours.

They work best, IMO, with a good rug mat beneath them. Keeps them from sliding, and gives a cushier feel. The pads I got are like a thick felt and were recommended on this forum. Ordered the pads from Amazon.

I have this one from Overstock.....come in many colors and patterns. It is indoor/outdoor and so easy to clean.

I second amck's suggestion for Dash and Albert rugs. We have them in several places at the lake, and if you watch the outlet (and are not set on a specific one) you can get one at a good price, like this runner:

I also use the Dash and Albert rugs in my kitchen. I actually have the blue diamond one shown above. They aren't inexpensive but their weave is nicer than the usual plasticy indoor/outdoor rugs.

aktillery, I love your kitchen runner, but I have a question about placement. Do you stand on the rug when at the sink or stove, or on the floor, or are your feet partly on the rug and partly on the floor? I'm trying to decide if that would bother me, if I used a runner.

Such a great topic, especially since I will soon look for one too.

I wanted to go with indoor-outdoor but then read somewhere these are highly flammable. Do you find it true? Should I be scared? Should I look for, say, vinyl instead? (I found a site with really nice vinyl rugs) What do you say about wool rug?

oly, I try to keep it in the center and I guess part of my feet are on it. I never pay attn. Guess it doesn't bother me.

Thank you all. Seems as though indoor/outdoor is what I am going to pursue. aktillery, your runner is gorgeous, I will check out esalerugs as I'm also in the market for a new foyer rug.

I have a wool area in front of the sink, and have never had an issue with it, even when I had a leak under the sink and it became saturated with water. I took it outside on the patio, went over it with a squeege to get the excess water out, and kept it outside until it was dry the next day. There was no odor, and i've been using the rug going on 8 years and it still looks relatively new.

Should be wool area RUG.....

My preference would definitely be wool, but it's much pricier.

Re: Aktillery's rug: "Persian" style rugs look really great in kitchens, IMO, so long as they're not that cheap looking kind. Aktilltery's, for example, is gorgeous But an authentic Persian will be very, very expensive. Definitely take a look at eSale rugs as well as a few others: Rugsdirect is one.

In case anyone's interested - MDAY20 is the Memorial Day Sale promo code for a 20% discount I just received from Annie Selke Co. that also applies to Dash & Albert rugs sold there.

Odin, I'm sorry to read you haven't had good luck with yours. I'm wondering if it's wool, cotton or indoor/outdoor. I have a large striped one of theirs in cotton that I put out in summer in the LR at the lake. The colors are cheery and it feels good but it can't take wear like the indoor/outdoor ones.

A client of mine has a cotton Dash & Albert rug in her beach house LR. Big mistake. It's awful. It is impossible to vacuum because it is so lightweight and it bunches up and creases brutally, even on a rug pad. That one rug convinced me to never buy a D&A rug.

Joss and Main are having a sale on area rugs. They have some great prices and selections on runners. I saw some possibilities for you.

https://www.jossandmain.com/Area-Rugs-l167-c1859050-O95050~Runner.html?itemsperpage=96

Tibbrix, my guess is that your client's D&A rug is one of the 100% cotton indoor rugs. They are indeed lightweight and not suitable for vacuuming. The D&A indoor/outdoor rugs are more hefty and can withstand vacuuming.

Personally, I would never use a wool rug as a kitchen runner. My criteria for most fabrics, including those underfoot in high-traffic areas, are they must be easily cleaned and on a regular basis. Especially in the kitchen. Between feet and dog and spills and loading dishwasher by not-so-careful kids, and so on, my kitchen runner has to be washable in my washing machine, or it doesn't work.

Unless I come across a cool vintage rug with patina TDF. Then perhaps I'll have wool in my kitchen.

D&A indoor/outdoor rugs are more durable and easier to clean than the cotton rugs.

Chilewich floor mats are great, though maybe not natural looking enough for you.

My almost 8 yo wool area rug, and no worse for wear.

Oaktown, I have a Chilewich runner on my kitchen table - I did not know that they made rugs. Thanks!

Amck2: per the D&A website: "Constructed of an eco-friendly PET weave, this lightweight area rug is super durable and easy to clean--bring on the sand, snow, or mud! Made of 100% PET, a polyester fiber made from recycled plastic bottles."

My rug didn't vacuum to well- I hesitate to bring it outside and hose it down because it is large and I have no place to dry it. It is also all pilled from the constant traffic. Sorry it didn't hold up as it wasn't inexpensive.

Update: So after taking everyone's great suggestions and advice, I settled on this Dash & Albert runner, which arrived today. As I unrolled it, I noticed that there was a visible vertical line through it (middle left). Hopefully the picture shows it. Upon closer inspection, there is a *tiny* snag near the bottom which caused the threads to pull. I have already contacted the company for a replacement, but now I'm not very confident about it lasting very long in my house with a dog and 3 kids. I love how it looks and feels though!

I have a Dash and Albert runner I have been using in my kitchen for years. Make sure you get the outdoor version. I just hose it off to clean it. I also have a plain cotton D&A runner that I use in another part of the house that hasn't been as durable. Very stylish but not practical.

Keep in mind that even though they are easily cleanable they aren't teflon. The lighter colors will show dirt.

Hi amhers104. I really, really like it - it has held up beautifully. I wash it once a month on the delicate cycle with diluted bleach and then air dry it. I find this method works best for removing stains, but hosing it off would work well too. The only noticeable signs of wear are slight fraying on the cording on the sides - but it is minimal. I do think that having a rug pad helps too.