Zebra Rug

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Our Living Room Rug: The Final Chapter

IMG_8214 (800x600)For those of you following the blog, you know all about the living room rug dilemma.

In a nutshell: bought living room seating at estate sales. Bought zebra rug (new) intending to recover the sofa, but after learning that a reupholster job would cost big bucks (and after seeing that the sofa actually went well with the chairs and painting), we (I mean me. My husband was hands in the air on this one) decided to get a new rug.

LRrug2 (551x735)Ta-da! Alright, I’m sorry for the crappy photo. Perhaps a less lazy blogger would have taken the two blankets off the sofa (that she JUST got through tucking in perfectly so the dog wouldn’t completely junk it up during the remodel), but I didn’t have it in me. You’ll just have to imagine the sofa in full floral glory.

After spending hours and hours (I’m so not kidding. HOURS) on design websites and shops, and after consulting with a million people (okay, this time I’m exaggerating), decided on a 10 x 14 neutral hemp-wool blend rug by Safavieh that I found on Overstock. It’s funny, many sites listed it as a jute-wool blend, but it is actually a hemp blend (is the hemp thing still that off-putting to some?).

LRrugClose (552x735)

Part of me wanted to go really eclectic and I came up with some options like this one from Serena and Lily….

Feather Rug – Bark/Smoke | Serena & Lily 10 x 14. Too much? / Also in Army/Turquoise / $1800

and this one from Anthropologie (although I later saw it was a viscose blend, which I’d read negative things about) …

and a Persian-style one from One Kings Lane…

Medlin Rug, Taupe | Cool & Current | One Kings Lane - Good Browns, but purples might clash?

All of which may have worked fine (or possibly not), but I just wasn’t willing to make such a bold leap, only to find out I was wrong. The thin stripes on the new rug add a bit of excitement and the bumpy texture adds depth, which the room really needed.

And where is the fantastic zebra rug? In the little one’s room. It looks perfect.

ZebraRug (551x735)

ZebraRug2 (551x735)And so, the living room is finally done!……

Or is it!?!?!……

IMG_8953 (1280x1079)Stay tuned.

 

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To Reupholster or Not to Reupholster? That is the Headache.

IMG_8517 (800x600)So after posting my September list, stating my couch vs. rug dilemma, I decided to ask for help from my Facebook friends. Should I cover the couch (and if so, what color) or get a new rug? The response was overwhelming. I’d say it was 60/40, with the majority loving the rug, thus in favor of reupholstering the couch.

Some responses:

Mariana: “Right away I felt something is not right and it’s the zebra rug.” (she pasted a link to Restoration Hardware’s rugs. Gorgeous, obviously. But pricey. Eek.)

Marisa: “Warning: our cream sofa with two kids and two dogs? Destroyed. I love the rug. And the couch.” (She included a link of her dream couch: blue velvet. sigh And back to reality.)

Anna: “Keep the zebra rug, cover couch with cranberry red, accent with pillows and add a dark wood coffee table.” (Unbeknownst to Anna, the previous owners of the couch paired it with a cranberry rug. Indeed. AND they had pink wingbacks! As you can see below.)

homes.cloverlylivingSusan: “I like the chocolate velvet option and then you can keep it more casual/fun with cute pillows!”

Veronica: “Call me crazy but I love the floral couch. I like things that are different and light and bright :)” (she pasted a link called Not Your Grandma’s Floral Sofa. )

Titus: ” I will go with Mariana. The zebra rug looks out of place. Everything in the room (including the architecture/windows) looks “traditional” so replacing the zebra rug with something more traditional/understated would really pull the room together for not very much money at all.”

Lynn: “If you recover the couch, I would think something with a texture or tone on tone would be nice. What I like about the rug is it is unexpected.” (I had already been to Calico Corners, an upholstery shop in town, and picked up a few chocolate samples, several with some texture for interest.)

IMG_8270 (480x640) IMG_8271 (480x640)There were tons of great comments, opinions and suggestions (and thank you again, everyone!). But now, I was more confused than ever. Deep down, I wanted to keep the rug. It’s exciting, unexpected and fun. But the couch is lovely and goes so well with the painting and two sets of pink chairs. And… we bought it for $800. Not retail, but not cheap. The quote I got for recovering the couch – a whopping $1800. Gulp. And that does not include the two “accent pillows.” You mean the arm rests? “Well, they aren’t technically part of the couch, so those would be a separate charge.” Ummm, okay.

I decided to mull it over. During my mulling over, I got an email from my sister-in-law, with a link to the website of her friend, Anna, who does interior design work. I clicked. I saw. I wanted. And I did what I said I would never do. I hired a designer.  My head was spinning and how could I say no to someone who loves sheepskin as much as I do?

Photo credit: Anna Versaci Design

Photo Credit: Anna Versaci Design

A few days later, she came right over. She listened to my ideas and threw in several of her own. Curtains (we wanted, but she’s suggesting them for two windows only), a gallery wall (which I wanted and the husband did not, even though he didn’t say it exactly. Thank you!), some great lighting (we have no ceiling light), tables, a better furniture arrangement, and oh yeah……she wants to keep the couch.

So oh my gosh you guys, against my deep down wishes (sort of), it looks like the couch is staying. I trust her vision, and honestly, the rug is going to look so amazing in our youngest daughter’s room, which, coincidentally, has a zebra theme. And a sheepskin rug, of course.