The first house my husband and I lived in after we were married was an adorable 100 year-old little house in downtown Mesa, AZ. It was like a dream come true for me to finally have my own little home to decorate!
The house was old and drafty. The wood floors in the master bedroom were especially cold in the morning, so we opted for area rugs. There weren't the same kinds of online and discount options available back then (or at least I didn't know about them), and I thought it was way out of our price range to get large area rugs from the standard sources.
So we went down to Mesa Sales, where they sell all kinds of great fabrics and flooring, including carpet remnants. For our bedroom, we spent about $75 for a remnant of a wool carpet that fit perfectly in the room, just a few inches inset from the walls. I think it was about 14x16'. The carpet was gorgeous. It looked just like a seagrass or jute, but was super soft underfoot. For less than $2 per linear foot, the nice people at Mesa Sales bound the edges of the carpet remnant and made it look finished. It was really a nice and reasonably-priced solution for that space.
When I saw this image from House Beautiful, I wondered to myself if there was a way to use two different carpet remnants cut into strips to get this same look? Maybe some industrial strength duct tape on the underside to keep the strips together and then have the whole thing bound?
The house was old and drafty. The wood floors in the master bedroom were especially cold in the morning, so we opted for area rugs. There weren't the same kinds of online and discount options available back then (or at least I didn't know about them), and I thought it was way out of our price range to get large area rugs from the standard sources.
So we went down to Mesa Sales, where they sell all kinds of great fabrics and flooring, including carpet remnants. For our bedroom, we spent about $75 for a remnant of a wool carpet that fit perfectly in the room, just a few inches inset from the walls. I think it was about 14x16'. The carpet was gorgeous. It looked just like a seagrass or jute, but was super soft underfoot. For less than $2 per linear foot, the nice people at Mesa Sales bound the edges of the carpet remnant and made it look finished. It was really a nice and reasonably-priced solution for that space.
When I saw this image from House Beautiful, I wondered to myself if there was a way to use two different carpet remnants cut into strips to get this same look? Maybe some industrial strength duct tape on the underside to keep the strips together and then have the whole thing bound?
House Beautiful
Pretty, right? So many of us with young kids like the look of a graphic striped carpet, but want something a little more plush than a cotton flat weave. This could be a good solution. I might just give it a go in our next apartment.
Girl what don't you think of?! This is a very nifty idea. Esp. for us renters.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful room! I'm sure you could do it-- the only thing would be to keep your kids from pulling on the edges of the seams (what MY kids would do!)!
ReplyDeleteI loved that room when I saw it in the magazine. I love the carpet because it adds such a pop but I also love the couch. It looks so comfy.
ReplyDeleteI know the point would be to keep the cost down but I am sure that a good carpet company could seam them together fairly easily. It is a great look. Wish you had a photo of the carpet in you first home...sounds charming.
ReplyDeleteThat is so beautiful! I would love to find one in B&W stripes.
ReplyDeleteyou're a genius!!! i think that would totally work!! cannot wait to see it!!
ReplyDeletexoxo
What a great idea! Surely it would work like a charm!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! It looks so cozy.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm, that's possibly a fantastic idea!!! Has anyone spoken with a professional installer or tried this themselves to know if it functions well, love it conceptually! I'd love to hear from someone who has tried this before recommending it on a project...
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Jaime
Great idea, you should check out FLOR (www.flor.com), you can do stripes, patterns, borders, anything you can think of with their products. We have it in our den, and the nice part is when my almost two year old spills something, you can pick up the tile and clean it in the sink! Love your blog by the way! Check it everyday!
ReplyDeleteOOOO, I really like how that looks. I have never seen a carpet done like that.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, Mesa Sales. Funny thing that's where we bought our first rug out of a remnant and had it bound. What a great idea with the stripes.
ReplyDeleteI love this idea! I live in an apartment with 16 year old pink carpet (yuck!) and have been trying to think of what I could do. This would be so pretty!
ReplyDeleteYou can use carpet squares- - they come with an adhesive backing that you just peel off and put down. You can make any pattern you want- -stipe, checkerboard. I am hoping to do it for a rec room soon!
ReplyDeleteLove this. If you do it, can't wait to see results.
ReplyDeleteNot only is a flat weave not as appealing as something a little more soft underfoot for kiddos, but I always wonder about cleaning the white portion of those graphic, striped rugs I love so much???
ReplyDeleteVery neat idea!
ReplyDeleteI love the way your mind works... don't ever loose that ability to make things work!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the store name! I didn't know something like that existed! Are they still in business?
ReplyDeleteI love the way your mind works!
ReplyDeleteLove this idea!
ReplyDeleteThere are carpet places around here that will trim and bind any carpets together to your specifications {I have had it done with inexpensive throw rugs from Urban Outfitters}.
ReplyDeleteRight now I'm using carpet squares I got for free that I tape together underneath with clear packing tape - you can't tell from looking at them. They are easier to reconfigure when I move.
Gorgeous! This would work with Flor tiles too!
ReplyDeleteYou could also use Flor tiles, they come in so many styles, types and finishes. I have a striped version in my bedroom now! Plus they can be recycled when you're bored with them. Flor is a very good carpet company.
ReplyDeleteOops, I just noticed someone else mentioned Flor! (:
ReplyDeleteI certainly am enjoying your blog. You have lots of designs that I really enjoy. In addition, you have an eye for balance. I'm going to sign up to follow you and I hope that you visit my blog. If you find something your like, I would appreciate your following me in return. Keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteI read an article in a magazine (year's ago in a doctor's office) where the mom/designer had taken carpet samples of various sizes and colors, and connected them together by using duct tape on the back to make an awesome rug for her son's playroom. It looked great and she picked up the remnants for super cheap too!
ReplyDeleteLove those large stripes! That's the kindof rug my living room needs
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to tell you about a website I recently came across. I don't know if you have seen it before or not, but your post reminded me of this website. http://www.flor.com It has rug squares that you can mix and match to fit to anywhere.
ReplyDeleteActually, whoever you take the carpet to to get bound or serged around the edges should be able to seam the pieces together. For a short-term solution, you COULD use duct tape on the back to join the stripes together, but eventually those seams will start to fray and unravel because they aren't latexed or finished. But, a decent carpet installer or workroom will be able to seam the strips together for you for. The cost per foot should be the same as, or close to, the cost per foot to have it bound.
ReplyDeleteOh, and you got a FABULOUS deal on that huge carpet remnant in AZ!!!
You can rent a carpet seamer and buy some carpet tape and put them together permanently. Pretty easy to do, google directions for carper seaming. I laid my own carpet in my house just by watching online videos. Carpet seaming was pretty easy, (Although the looped carpet is much harder to make look pretty). Don't know how to bind the edges of carpet, but I bet you can look that up to, but the seaming is a definitely doable do it yourself project!
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