Flokati Rugs

I love the idea of stepping out of bed in the morning onto the softest, furry pile of wool. So I've been thinking a flokati rug would be so cozy and swanky (I vow to never use that word again - it had to be done) in our soon-to-be-dark-walled bedroom.


I've been looking around for a nice flokati (aka one that doesn't shed like C-R-A-Z-Y). But I also want one that won't be a huge investment, since, let's be real, it's a white rug in a house full of kids and maybe a dog. If I didn't have about a million other places to spend our money right now I would be tempted by a real Beni Ourain Moroccan rug, like Jenna's.

Living Etc.

I've had my eye on this flokati for a couple weeks since it has pretty decent reviews and the price was good. As is typical for me though, I let it sit in an open browser tab for about three weeks - until I noticed it was 75% off (still is!). And since I'm a total sucker for marketing gimmicks like that, I just couldn't pass. A little over $100 for the 5x7 seemed like a very fair price for a well-reviewed flokati.


Elle Decor, March 2010

Anyone have this particular rug? Or a flokati in their bedroom? Spill!

PS If you're feeling adventurous, Danika at Gorgeous Shiny Things used a little bit of fabric dye to recreate the Beni look.

41 comments:

  1. Oh clever on the dye thing! Check out my recent blog....with a "little" sheepskin/fokati tale.

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  2. I love Flokati rugs! I also just worked on a room for Copy Cat Chic and found a great budget friendly version on the Moroccan rug you pictured from Elle Decor- you might just love me for this!

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008B8WMIQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=cocach-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B008B8WMIQ

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  3. Scratch the Amazon one- I just found this one for an even better price!

    http://www.worldmarket.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12818851

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  4. I got a deal on 5x7 white flokati at TJ Maxx that I put in my bedroom. Best feeling ever- stepping on it when you first get out of bed! kinda makes you feel less grumpy ;) it's def for a "no shoes" zone though!

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  5. If you're still interested in the Moroccan look Rugs USA also carries this one. I'm considering getting it to try in our bedroom as well but same issue...does it shed? Would love to know before I tackle return shipping which is always a pain. http://www.rugsusa.com/rugsusa/rugs/rugs-usa-moroccan-shag/ivory/200MTVS28A-507.html

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  6. I have been dying for some form of flokati/sheepskin for my living room but have been hesitant because of the high foot traffic it would receive and my two dogs- it wouldn't be white for long! Also, I have heard Flokati mat up really quickly, but they look so lush and cozy!

    http://baublesandbeams.blogspot.com

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  7. Flokati rugs are the most practical rugs you could possibly own! It doesn't absorb dirt, at all, it just kind of hovers on top and when you do spill something you throw it in the washing machine and then air dry! As a Mom to twin toddler boys take my word for it, cowhides and and flokatis are the most family friendly rugs you can own! I've had my flokati for 5 years and put it through the wash countless times and it's still perfect. Enjoy!

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  8. We had a flokati rug in the livingroom. It didn't shed but boy it got dirty - and we have no kids. It was a dust magnet and always looked dingy grey. It was murder to vacuum. The bits just stuck to it, worked their way down to the bottom of the pile and wouldn't come out. I used to shake it outside, then put it in the washer but it only looked good for a few days. My husband detested it. At present its being used in the stable.

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  9. I second Jenn - these are beautiful but the large ones are terribly hard to maintain. Pretty sure you cant wash any but the very small ones. We had a big off-white one that was so pretty, until it started getting dirty. No kids, no pets, but it started looking dirty almost immediately. They also tend to get matted from normal traffic, and there's no way to fix that unless you comb (really! Some manufacturers say to comb these rugs!) it. Vacuuming is out of the question, and ours shed like mad - looked like we had a white-haired dog. I sure wish someone had told me all of the above before I bought mine! Our $600 flokati rug is rolled up in the garage, banished.

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  10. I literally just bought this rug 10 min ago! for our nursery, the reviews seemed great! can't wait for mine to come in!

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  11. I was just researching these the other day! The look great, and would be super comfy...but how to maintain? I'd like a larger one for our guest bedroom, but would need at LEAST 5 x 7, if not 8 x 10, and there's no way that size is going to end up in the washing machine. They say not to vacume them, and to shake them outside (and comb?!?!?) periodically. It may be a little more high maintenance than I can deal w/ in a rug at this time.

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  12. i have a flokati in our master bath. i put it between our two sinks (which face each other) so i could have something soft underfoot while getting ready in the morning. brings a little glam to the bath! i love it!

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  13. Thanks for the great find! I bought one too for the office! I can't wait to see how it looks!

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  14. Love the look, but with 2 cats at home, any thick rug has been a disaster if there is a stain. Can't figure out how to get a stain out without a mess.but love the look!
    -Katie
    Athomewhenimwithyou.blogspot.com

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  15. I got a "flokati" rug from Target for our bedroom, by which I mean it is synthetic. It has a rubber backing and is about 3x5 (the right size for our small space, actually) so it is washable, which is a must for living with my husband :) I love it! We've had it about 10 months. I vaccuum it with the suction only function and wash it once a quarter or so. Works great, and really softens the bedroom.

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  16. I grew up in a home that had (has) a real, purchased-in-Italy, flokati rug. My parents bought it when they lived there in the 70s. It was always (and still is) in the living room of my parents' home. I didn't know what to think of it! But now, it's back in style and I'm hoping it will get passed on to me some day!
    Thanks for the memories with this post today!

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  17. I think you're mad. My Dad had one of these IN THE 80s! In the end it was full of germs and dirt. I just think they only look good for little time and then it's all over...

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  18. I can't imagine vacuuming a large flokati with my vintage-1965 Kirby.

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  19. I can't imagine vacuuming a large flokati with my vintage-1965 Kirby.

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  20. That will look great against the dark walls. I somehow missed that post about the black walls, I only just did something similar this past weekend-

    http://www.designgratislondon.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/marvellously-moody.html

    I can't wait to see what you do with the new place!

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  21. I'm so excited, I have been waiting for forever to find a flokati rug for my living room that was big enough and affordable enough. This is perfect, just purchased it!

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  22. You're tempting me to replace my cheap Ikea version. It fits perfectly in front of my wardrobe.

    http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40095398/

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  23. Those look soooo luxurious! And hey, I spot my coffee table in one of the pictures! :)

    Champagne Lifestyle on a Beer Budget

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  24. I use those IKEA sheepskins by the beds in our house to keep the tootsies warm. Very reasonable price, and if they get wrecked, I can always get a replacement.

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  25. These are so adorable! I have something similar in our bedroom and its so great for us b/c we have a dog and boy.....my dog's hair is stuck onto the carpet ALL THE TIME!

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  26. They look pretty but maintenance seems to be a bit much.

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  27. I had one in my last bedroom (in NY, prior to moving to TX) and I LOVED how it looked, almost as much as I detested the amount it shed. It also absorbed specks of my dogs hair, sock lint and everything else. It did however stay bright and fluffy, still looked pretty new and never matted over the year I had it. However, I had a cleaning woman who I'm sure cursed that rug every time she was in my house.

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  28. My grandparents had a small one in their guest bathroom when I was growing up....best bathmat ever!!!! (*They always cleaned it well between visits!)

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  29. I have one in my living room that I bought on eBay a few years ago. No kiddos or pets but it sheds like crazy. I still love it though. Love the DIY idea too.

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  30. I love these rugs, I just wonder how you clean them-regular vac?

    The shedding would bug me, but the luxury might make me overlook it!

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  31. I had a friend who had huge flokati rugs in her living room. What a pain in the neck ! She had to rake them , comb them out, pick dirt out ,they were so much work to keep clean and looking good. They do feel wonderful but they are a job to keep up.
    We have a wonderful antique Oriental rug in our bedroom .

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  32. Long ago we had neighbors in NC who were from Switzerland. They had a huge Flokati rug that they brought with them. When we had a new snow, she would take the rug and put it fluffy side down and drag it over her yard - then gently rub snow into the areas that needed a little special care. Then she and her husband would shake it well and take it indoors. It was always beautiful. She also did this with their Orientals with the same degree of success. We seldom have snow here in East TN, but when we do - the wool Orientals go out - face down.

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  33. i used to have a flokati rug in my living room, and they do feel great underneath your feet, but they are a nightmare to clean. they get dingy and you can't really vacuum them. i wouldn't recommend it!

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  34. I hate to say that I had this rug and it was THE WORST. It shed all day everyday all over everything and everyone. I wound up throwing it away. Cute idea, but I would try with a different rug.

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  35. Did you see this post http://honeyandfitz.blogspot.com/#axzz1pK2C8y5i

    knock off Beni Ourain rug I just found on Rugs USA. With the crazy 75% off they are running right now, the 5'x8' size comes to just $170.75 (down from $683!)

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  36. I have to agree, after spending hours with a shop vac sucking out dirt and crap that got mushed in there (even with a no shoes rule - my blood pressure would go up every time somebody got close to it), I would never get another one. If you must start your day with a high pile rug under your feet, get two small ones and place them under both sides of the bed, with a few inches under the skirt. They're small enough to still be washed and it tricks the eye into thinking there's a huge one under your bed.

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  37. I love them, even have a giant great quality one in our living room....but I would be weary of putting it in a house with pets and small kids! Ours has not faired so well over the years, Vacuum it every day, and had it professionally cleaned once or twice...and it was so expensive! I am now in the market for a new rug. Good luck with yours!

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  38. I love these, and I was delighted to see that World Market has one that is pretty similar for a fraction of the cost. http://www.worldmarket.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12818851

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  39. The flokati rugs are absolutely gorgeous!Really dying for!

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  40. I actually bought that flokati for my new place (I checked out Rugs USA as per your suggestion actually) and LOVE it. I have it in grey and get constant compliments. Warning, it sheds a fair amount at first, but that it is well known, but after that initial period it seems to have been smooth sailing.

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