The Steen Style

A couple of weeks ago, I showed you the rug options I was looking at for our dining room. They all had color and they all had patterns. I kept thinking about it and I kept going back to one thing – calm and neutral. The curtains, the lamp shades and the dining room chair seats are all easy and cheaper ways to get color and pattern in the room. For me, something as large and expensive as a rug should be timeless and be able to transition from room to room. This totally changed my search and led me to these three options.

The first is a more casual jute rug from Ballard Designs. I can’t decide if I like the fringe or not. I see fringe all the time on rugs but do I want something cleaner? Maybe. It helps keep the rug from looking too stuffy but maybe is too casual for our dining room.

This one is really cool. It is also from Ballard but is made of sisal. I like the clean edge and the fact that there isn’t a large amount of fabric binding around the edges. I think the trellis pattern is a nice addition to the rug because the color is neutral but the texture and pattern give it some character.

This one might be my favorite because, you guessed it, it has a chevron pattern! Ballard Designs refers to it as a herringbone sisal but I’m calling them out and saying its chevron! (Yes, I realize they are similar but different and this pattern is probably technically herringbone but to my chevron-loving heart, it is what I say it is.) Again, it has the clean edge and neutral color but the pattern and texture really make it so much more.

I ordered a sample of each and should hopefully have them by Monday to compare to the samples I’ve picked up from the stores around town. Now I need some advice – do you have a jute or sisal rug? Do you like it? Do you not like it? Any favorites you can send my way?