There are a few things to consider: do you have kids? What is your budget like for cleaning the rug? There are pros and cons to both, so I understand your stress :).

Wool Runner - best if you have a budget for cleaning the rug. It will last generations, even with the heavy foot traffic. (In fact, wool rugs last much longer than polypropylene in high trafficked areas). If you have kids, just plan on taking it to be cleaned if major spills happen. (Also think back to the past 3 months. How often have large messy spills occurred in your kitchen?)

Polypropylene: This will show it's wear much faster. It's good if you like throwing out your rug and buying a new one after a year or 2. Since it costs less and is made of a cheaper fabric, you won't feel bad when it gets spills on it. If you have very young children, this might be good for you.

I use wool/sisal rugs in my kitchen (and at the front door) that are blended with dark/medium/light fibers so small marks are easily missed. As soon as something is spilt though, I quickly wipe up. They can also be reversed which extends their usage. Every now and then I bring outside and hose down and hang to dry outside, so I'm able to keep for about 2 years and because they not expensive, just buy a new one and I look for a different pattern, so I'm not bored with the same look. When the rug is removed, I can't believe how different and bare my kitchen feels..so I'm a big proponent of a rug.

No rugs in a kitchen. They are a safety hazard (for tripping and slipping) and a sanitary issue. Rugs have no business in a kitchen. It's a stupid trend that makes no sense. In my opinion.

Don't have kids living at home but do have a year-old granddaughter whose parents bring her over every now & then. Also have a dog & cat.

I'm not sure how practical it is, but the owner of this kitchen has a seagrass runner (from Ballard Designs) in her kitchen. She has a small child and a dog. She said she takes the runner outside every so often and hoses it off.

We had a kitchen runner and had an elder person trip and fall....that rug went out fast. No, they were not hurt but could have been.

We don't have any runners or small rugs in our kitchen. However, we do have them elsewhere, such as a runner in the hallway. I suppose you can trip on runners or rugs anywhere in the house.

I have a large dog, 2 cats and young nieces and nephews dropping in (my kids are now fully grown) and a 94 year old mother and the rug in the kitchen is no more of a tripping hazard than in a foyer, hallway or basically any room in a house. My kitchen and foyer rugs are heavy..never slide. If concerned, run lines of acrylic/latex based caulking on the underside and the rubbery caulk will prevent rug slippage. I don't feel I am compromising sanitation either - lol - and am content with wiping off a spill, regular vacuuming and the occasional full cleaning with a hose. So I you are looking for practicality, they are more work, but if looking to protect wood floors or want an added design element, that's another story. I don't recommend a rug near the stove or under the kitchen table though. Perhaps with a one year old granddaughter just learning to walk all area rugs in your home may be a hazard, so one less for now in the kitchen may be safer until she is more steady or roll it up when she comes over.

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Maureen, you're so right...rug hazards are not specific to the kitchen.

Sis-in-law recently broke her hip on her kitchen rug. Ended up with hip replacement. 62, new rug and didn't have anything non-slip under it. I do have a rug in kitchen by sink. It's a Cloud Step rug from Pier1. It's thicker so I really have to be conscious of working around it, but adds comfort to standing and a pop of color to wood floors. No kids, grandkids or pets here.

Maureen, would you share your source for the wool/sisal rugs?

Mary, the rug was not identified in the Pinterest picture, but these types of rugs/runners are pretty common and easy to find. If you search sisal wool runners on Google, you'll probably see lots of sources. For a kitchen I suggest a blend of dark and light fibers with a lot of texture. You may even be able to order on line through Wayfair or Amazon. I found the website below just to give you an idea around selection types, but it may be more expensive than others. Also you may want to view the section on care. https://www.curranfloor.com/viewcategory.php?tag=Bestsellers&goto=natural

You should look at painted canvas rugs. Can be paint the design you want,easy to clean and very durable.

I buy a very cheap, thin standard runner at Menards and replace it about every 6 months. I cook A LOT so they get stained up fairly quickly. My goal is to spend less than 20 dollars each time and so far, so good. I pick the "oatmeal" type as much as I can because it shows dirt and stains less than a plain color. You can't really see the runner from any part of the house except the kitchen so it's a win/win. Way more comfortable to stand on than just a bare floor. No elderly people here or kids or pets.

I really don't get the "elderly person tripping on rug" thing at all. Rugs are in many stores, restaurants, offices, homes... I just didn't know this was a thing, I guess. ???

IMO they are a tripping hazard if you really want one check out Chilewich mats they just get hosed off when dirty.

I had rugs in my kitchens in the past because it looked good and added color. They were never a tripping hazard any more than a rug would be anywhere else. They actually helped my big old dog with traction. The reason I don't do rugs in the kitchen any more is because I was constantly having to vacuum crumbs and wipe spills from them. Same reason I don't use a rug near a dining room or any eating area. Rugs and food don't go well together for me.

I have always used rugs in the kitchen.....even with pets, kids, grandkids, elderly persons, etc.. My current runner is in front of the sink, stove, etc. It is an indoor/outdoor variety. I vacuum it regularly and wash when needed.

I love my wool rug in the kitchen, I have wool rugs all over my apt, no one has tripped on them!

While a runner is not practical it would be aesthetically pleasing.