rugs

Brighten up any room with a striking canvas floor cloth by Sarah Minor Design. The cloths, which are hand-painted in Portsmouth, N.H., are made with 100% cotton duck. They are treated with commercial primers, paint and finishes, which makes them both durable and impervious to water. Even better, they can be easily cleaned with a damp cloth.

Sarah Minor Design floor cloths come in two different sizes and in a variety of rich and vibrant colors. The 2-1/2 by 3 foot size is perfect for a foyer, powder room, kitchen, laundry room or mud room. There's also a 2-1/2 by 5-1/2 foot runner, which looks great in a hallway or a French door entryway. Whimsical designs range from red peppers, eggplant, artichoke and lemons to poppies, pansies, lake trout and roosters, among many others. The company will also welcome custom orders if there's a particular size, design or color scheme you prefer.

Painted floor cloths may be the new rage, but its hardly a new concept. They were very fashionable in homes from the Colonial days to the early 20th century.

Prices range from $295 to $595. Custom orders are priced per square foot.

Missoni is so well known for their bold designs and vibrant color schemes that it seems anticlimactic to choose one of their more staid patterns from the Missoni Home line. The Missoni Carousel Rug is anything but staid. The circular rug is 100% wool and is available in three different kaleidoscopic color combinations, a red/blue (pictured), a green/brown and a neutral. Each measures 86-inches in diameter and would make a great focal point for a sitting area. Price: £2,686.

Can a floor covering still be considered to be a rug if it is made of wood? West Elm's Wood-Block Rug is an indoor-outdoor "rug" made of natural dark ebony-colored wood. It comes with a poly-PVC coated pad to prevent the rug from slipping against other surfaces.

It actually reminds me a bit of those orthopedic wooden bead car seat covers that were popular for a time, so it probably feels nice against your feet when you walk on it. Sizes and prices vary, but a 5' x 8' rug is $299.

The Dots Then Dot Rug is part of Van Der Hurd Studio's Follow the Dots collection, which seems to have been inspired by dots, drops and all the different ways that they can be showcased. Even in this simple pattern, you can see how the arrangement of the dots leads the eye from side to side, following them around. The rug is hand-knotted and made of 100% wool. Its muted tones will add some color to a room, but will not be obvious or detract from other design elements. It measures 6' x 9', but custom sizes are available. Price: $5,500.

[via Elle Decor]

Winter isn't actually here yet and already we're getting a little bit tired of seeing so many blacks and dark browns in stores. We don't mind those colors, of course, but things just seem to get a bit drab in winter, especially when compared with the vibrant colors of summer. This Cross Hatch Rug from Emma Gardner can add some color to your decor without going over-the-top. It features seasonless tans and neural colors to balance the richer pinks. The rug is hand-tufted 100% New Zealand wool and is available in three sizes: 6' x 8' ($1,776), 9' x 12' ($3,996) and 12' x 16' ($7,104).

Are shag rugs experiencing a revival? They seem to be cropping up more and more frequently, as consumers look for decorative touches to add to their homes that look "lively." The Seagrass Rug is made with hand-tufted New Zealand wool and is made with great care, with precise stitching and knot work. It is available in small and large sizes, as well as in red and blue. Nancy Marquina, the creator of the rugs, works with nonprofits to fight child labor in the rug production industry, so the purchase of a rug like this one helps to support an entire movement. The large size measures 7'x10' and is $2,798.

Measuring eight feet in diameter, the round Noodles Rug makes a great focal point of a room or a sitting area. The rug is made from New Zealand wool with soft cut piling as well as heavy gauge looped pile. The design is an ever-swirling array of red on red that manages to look comforting, rather than chaotic, even in spite of the bold color and busy pattern. An ideal location for this rug would be to spotlight a dining area or an intimate seating arrangement in front of a fire place. Price: $1,998.

One shows an owl perched on a tree during the day (orange) and one shows him at night (navy), but both of these Night Owl Baby Zoo Rugs have nightlights built into them. These rugs are 100% virgin wool and are colored with natural vegetable dyes, so they are durable, soft and safe to have around kids. The floor light runs on 3 AA batteries and matches the rugs' coloring. They're $500 each, but that seems like a small price to pay to alleviate fears of the monster under the bed. Think about it: to a child, whatever it costs to get rid of the boogieman is worth it. He's a scary guy.