What are your kitchen colors (wall, cabinet, counter)? What colors do you like? What is your style? As d_gw said, zebra print is pretty versatile. It pairs well with bold colors or neutrals. If you do a Houzz photo search for zebra rug (I searched living photos because I thought there would be more examples than kitchen) you can see what prints others have paired them with. It's a wide range.

Thanks, jmm1837: I wasn't aware of the issue with petroleum based, latex, etc. backed rugs, but glad to kn ow before I ruined my floors. I will research that issue. Karen Rose: I've never seen Ruggables; they are interesting and being able to wash would certainly be a real plus! beckington: Yes, I'm sure I could use the same kind of mat I use under a wool rug on hardwood. Shannon_WI: I just want the warmth that a rug adds and I don't have much wall space or other area except window treatment and floor to add some color and texture. Small kitchen. IdaClaire: When all is said and done, I will probably end up with an oriental as I really do love them and have had them in kitchens before. I just thought there might be something new that I should consider. Sue Mcgrath: No, they didn't tell me anything, but they probably thought I knew how to care for them as the rest of my house is hardwood. I can certainly give them a call. Sheeisback GW: Another oriental lover! I love them, too. I will check out resale rugs-hadn't heard of them. Thanks for everyones input. It's a big help in making decisions

I think rugs in the kitchen are an accident waiting to happen. They also will hold a lot of bacteria, spills and dirt. Try it without a rug for a while and see if you can work without it.

I would, myself, but you have to weigh all the factors mentioned above. I had a flat weave rug in the kitchen (covering most of the wood floor) for the years that my DD had a large dog here, to protect the floor. So, it was in major traffic lanes, including from the back door to the rest of the house as well as in front of the sink, fridge, and prep area. I am sure that despite frequent vacuuming, it collected much more dirt, pet fur, and splatters than your proposed rug would! I am not sure what materiel it was made of (it was a pass-along to me) but it felt like wool. I took it outdoors spring, midsummer, and fall, draped it across a couple of patio chairs, lathered it up with carpet cleaning solution, rinsed it with the power nozzle on the hose (took perhaps 15 minutes altogether), and let it dry which generally only took one afternoon in bright sunshine. It held up to this very well. I didn't find this terribly time consuming or onerous, but I can see that others might. Some of the indoor-outdoor rugs are made of material that will dry even more quickly.