"I won't never be nothin' but a cowboy"

Meet Bessie, our newest addition to the household.

Gorgeous, isn't she?  A real Brazilian tri-color stunner, I'd say.

Not only is cowhide easy on the eyes, it's also incredibly practical with a mix of durability, stain resistance, and retro-modern flair that you won't find in any other material.  In addition, the rug has proven surprisingly soft and comfortable underfoot. 

A small part of me may have also wanted one because, as an animal by-products salesman, I found the inclusion of a large, dead animal in my decor very apt.

So that's the great rug dilemma solved!  Those of you who were with me back in the beginning can now breathe a sigh of relief.  We've finally turned the page on that chapter of our epic decorating saga.  There will be no more posts agonizing over which floor covering to bring home.  I promise... at least for a while. 

Many thanks go to Second Hand Hannah, because without her I'd still be a bare-floored savage.

So, in honor of Hannah and Bessie, here's a little Western tune by a favorite artist of mine, Slackeye Slim. 

Reflection

I know.  I know!  You are probably all sick to death of rugs, but I went to the girlfriend to speak about the purchase, and now I'm more confused than ever.  This whole decision has been taking far more time and energy than necessary, and I think I've figured out why.

I've got conflicting ideas of how I want the place to look!

On the one hand, I really the look of an eclectic mix of antique/vintage and modern, more of a typical european style.  It's super classy, grown-up, and sophisticated.  It also matches well with my current home, a 1940's gingerbread-style with a lot of beiges, browns, and other earth tones as well as antiqued brass hardware.  If I went this route, I'd probably need to pick a flat-woven kilim rug in a more muted rust, beige, or black, a natural-colored jute, a natural-colored shag, or a cowhide.  Obviously, I'd also need a more traditional pattern or solid as well.

On the other hand, the typical Mid-century Modern style look also appeals to me.  It's a bit more "kitsch", funky, and fun. As far as rugs go, I could use something more modern with brighter colors and bold patterns.  It might go a bit better with the teal sofa and chartreuse chair too.

I've never been a very stylish/artsy person (at all), so I think that by starting out with a set list of rugs that I'd put together and checking a few off, I kind of limited myself.  I need some input from my keen-eyed, fashionable readers, who are likely far better at this sort of thing than me.

Of course, both of the rugs that were picked last time around are still solid options...

... but lets see what you all can find.  What type of rug do you think I should go with (material/color)?  What works with my space?  If you feel up to having a look around (bonus cool points), I have a budget of about $140 and the rug needs to be around 5x8 in size.  Overstock.com is a great place to start.  They have a huge selection of low-priced and stylish rugs.  Who knows, you might even find one for you like for your own place!

Here is my abode as it stands:

Go crazy folks!  Thanks for all of your help!

The final countdown

Today is the final day of Rugmania 2012, so get your final votes in and we'll hopefully be placing the order tonight!  Have a little trouble visualizing what they would look like last time around?  Well, I've put my excellent Photoshop skills to work...

As it stands, the vote tally is at 4 for rug #1 and 5 for #2.  Every vote counts!

Rugmania 2012

It's time for the final showdown!  After all of your input and no small amount of ruminating, I've narrowed the selection down to two fine, woven competitors.  Two rugs enter, but only one will find its place in the living room.

Note: I plan on getting some Kilim pillows (above) for the sofa as well

In this corner we have the 5x8 hand woven kilim in a black and off-white zig-zag pattern.  It's neutral.  It's modern.  It's gorgeous!  It's only weakness: it might blend in with the taupe/beige walls.

In the other corner we have another 5x8 hand woven kilim, this time in a red, off-white, and black pattern.  This bad boy is a heavy-hitter with a lot of pop and a classic design, but will it's bold colors  leave it exposed to it's more flexible opponent?

Which floor covering will reign supreme?

Let's get ready to ruuuuuuuuu(g)mble!

That rug really tied the room together.

Alright, dear readers, I'm going to be making a few decorating decisions and I, due to my terrible indecisiveness, need your assistance.

First off is rugs.

Here's my living room and dining room as they stand (I still hate those brown Walmart curtains).  It's kinda hard to tell, but the walls are beige/taupe in color, the couch is dark turquise, and the Plycraft is chartreuse.

Now, that living room rug, which is actually just a folded yoga mat, needs to go.  It's a decent enough looking rug placeholder, but the material just isn't made to stand up to heavy foot traffic and it's beginning to pill and wear.

So here's the details:

*Given the roof situation, we are gonna have to do this on the cheap (<$120).  Yeah, I know.  Rugs don't come cheap.  However, Overstock.com has a wonderful selection of modern-looking rugs at unbelievable prices.

*My ideal would be a Navajo/Native American-style woven rug, but that likely isn't going to happen

*I'd like something retro-modern, with bold, but not necessarily bright, colors that go with the overall color scheme (if there actually is a real coherent color scheme, I'm not sure) in the room/house.

*Both patterns and solids are welcomed.

*I'd prefer something very textural like a jute, fiber, or kilim rug

*The rug should be somewhere between 3-5 feet in width and 5-8 feet in length.  Ideal size would be 4x6.

*I'd also like them to go with the kilim pillows that I plan to order.  They come in a variety of colors, but here's a couple examples:

I've also picked out a few (well, not really a few) options:

1. Hand-woven Sindhi Brown Jute Rug (4' x 6') $61.99

2. Hand-woven Sindhi Green Jute Rug (4' x 6') $61.99

3. Hand-woven Sindhi Brown Jute Rug (4' x 6') $74.99

4. Hand-woven Jute Rug (4' x 6') $73.99

5. Hand-woven Natural Fiber Arts Natural/ Rust Fine Sisal Rug (3' x 5') $41.99

6. Hand-woven Jute/ Cotton Multicolor Rug (4' x 6') $74.99

7. Hand-woven Diamond Red Jute Rug (4' x 6') $64.99

8. Hand-woven Kilim Wool Rug (4' x 6') $86.99

9. Hand-woven Kilim Wool Rug (5' x 8') $109.89

10. Hand-woven Kilim Wool Rug (5' x 8') $119.99

11. Handmade Jute Flat-weave Rug (4' x 6') $48.68

Personally, I think that I prefer numbers 7-11 (as if that narrows it down...), but I can't really make up my mind.  There's too many good options.  What do you think?  If you happen to know of any others that'd fit, I'm open to suggestions as well.