Chinoiserie Chic: One Rug Challenge

Thursday, October 4, 2012

One Rug Challenge - The Reveal

Today is the reveal of our painted rugs. You will recall that the latest brain child of Linda of My Crafty Home Life was that each participant plan and paint a rug over a two week period. See posts 1 and 2.

I am not a DIY type at all and wondered why I had volunteered for this. I have never painted a room in my life, why was I painting a rug? Fast forward....

Here is my runner and I love it. The total cost was:

$49.95 plus tax - Olin runner from Crate and Barrel
$7.50 in materials - Martha Stewart paints and roller kit at Michael's with coupon
30 minutes labor
A glass of Champagne

I used Martha Stewart Multi Purpose Paints in Satin (one bottle of Marmelade and one bottle of Pink Dahlia) and her little foam roller and tray kit and they were all fantastic. I put a towel on the kitchen counter, taped in five minutes with blue painter's tape I had already, painted in ten minutes with one coat of paint and great coverage, threw away the foam roller and plastic tray, and poured myself a glass of Champagne. The perfect DIY for the non DIYer - painting two stripes on a narrow runner!

The original rug shown at bottom that inspired me was over $400 - I was able to create a great copy for $60. I picked up my materials while at Crate and Barrel and Michael's on other errands, so my time spent on gathering materials and execution was very minimal.

So am I now a DIYer? Hardly. The most fun was figuring out how to game the system and paint a rug in a few minutes, not actually doing it. That's why I am an interior designer and not a painter or a wallpaper or a carpenter. I also don't like worrying about my perfect French manicure!

Not go check out how everyone else did -
Chinoiserie Chic

Design du Monde

Design Post Interiors

Trapped In North Jersey

Inspiration Rug

Thursday, September 27, 2012

One Rug Challenge Part 2

Here we are in week two of the One Rug Challenge, also known as the Paint a Rug Party. Since there is no food or alcohol involved, I prefer to call it a "challenge" and not a "party." Click here to read last week's post on part one of this challenge.

This past week my goal was to locate a runner. In searching for a flat weave white runner, I discovered that they don't seem to exist. Jennifer from The Pink Pagoda had the same experience trying to locate one, so Linda from My Crafty Home Life made her one. Glad there are no rules here because...

I was at Crate and Barrel with a client looking at rugs and spotted this Olin runner (top right). Exactly what I was looking for and the black and white stripes are already done for me!!!!! The perfect size - 2' by 6', a great price - $49.99, and all I have to do is paint one orange stripe and one pink stripe. I can do that and I will have painted my rug. Unless Linda will drive down from New Jersey and paint it for me.

Now I am off to delve into the crazy world of paint to use on a rug - do I use acrylic craft paint or latex with a fabric medium or fabric paint? Too bad this isn't a party - I need a drink....

Here are the participants -

Chinoiserie Chic