I’ve been concentrating on my craft room reorganization for the past couple of weeks but recently my hallway floor recently started calling to me, or should I say nagging at me, lol, because it wasn’t done yet.
The floor started bothering me so much that I decided to abandon my craft room, temporarily, and get it done.
When I finished my first painted faux rag rug in the upstairs hallway I knew I was going to paint another one in the open area at the top of the stairs, between two of the bedrooms and the upstairs bathroom.
I measured and masked out the area with painter’s tape.
Then I painted the base of the rug the same light blue colour as the walls, and then Christmas came and it stayed like this until now.
Even though I’m using the same six colours as the first carpet you’ll see how different they look at the end of this post. I’m using already used craft paints from my stash.
First I painted lines in the dark blue.
Then I went with the green.
Notice there are some wonky lines. I don’t worry about that. I just keep on going. Those can always be fixed when the next line of colour is painted.
Next is the bright pink.
Then the light pink and the yellow.
Here it is with the lines all done. Some of the lines are thicker then others and that’s perfectly OK.
The most important tip I can give you when it comes to a painted rag rug is to not overthink it. Just pick each colour and go with it. It’s only paint, and whatever booboos you make can be easily fixed.
Now it’s time to paint the fringe, which is pretty much the most important part of the rag rug. It’s what makes it look authentic, and it’s really easy to do.
My other rag rug had a pink base so I used the light and dark pinks for the fringe. This rag rug has a blue base so I’m using the light and dark blues for the fringe.
I decided that I wanted my fringe to be 2 1/2″ long so I masked out the outer edge to make it easier to paint.
Then I used a very narrow brush and painted lines this way and that way… just willy nilly really… with the light blue paint.
Then I did the same with the dark blue paint.
Here’s a close up of the fringe on one side, just to give you an idea what it looks like.
So here’s my first painted rag rug that I did before Christmas.
You can see how different it looks even though I used all the same colours. With this one the focus was pink because it’s on the way to my craft room.
With this one the focus was more blues and greens.
Except for the base coat I got the rag rug all done this past weekend, along with another coat of white on the hallway floor around the two rag rugs, and two coats of a clear satin water based polyurethane over the entire floor… including the two rag rugs.
I vacuumed the floors several times during this process to catch whatever cat hairs might have been flying around, but with four cats I’m sure there are a few hairs immortalized in the paint and poly. Oh well, I can’t worry about that. If I did I’d never paint anything. lol.
Leo wanted to say hi. lol.
We’re both so glad it’s finally done now. Yay! That’s one more thing off the list that I keep in my brain.
This finished rag rug is about 48″ by 62″, and while the two rugs don’t match… they do go together beautifully because all the same colours were used. Each rug is one of a kind.
Please check out my first painted faux rag rug post for more tips.
Now it’s back to my craft room to finish up just a few more reorganization projects. Hopefully nothing else nags at me so I can stay focused. Ha! That’s a funny one, but I’ll try.
Thanks so much for reading, and until next time… keep on keepin’ on.
XOX
Love this one too! Definitely on my to do list!
Thanks so much Sherry!
I can’t get over how different they look from each other! Girl!! I WANT to do this! Oh, I know! My patio needs a rug!! Now, to get my daughter on board………
A patio would be a great idea Dona! I’m thinking of doing one outside on my back deck in the summer.
It looks great Tuula and Leo looks like he is saying “yay” too! :o)
Tania
Thanks Tania! .
It fits there nicely, you did a great job. I enjoy your projects, you’re brave to “just do it”. What’s next?
Thanks so much Linda! Next is to finish my craft room reorganization.
Love it! Amazing how different they both look even though they have the same colors. Still contemplating painting my hallway. Did you wait to put the poly on, on purpose for curing reasons, or too much going on?! I would definitely have to do that step right away because it is the entrance to the house.
Thanks AnnMarie! I waited to finish the second rug so I could poly the whole floor at the same time. There was just too much going on over the Christmas season, and then the mess in my craft room distracted me. lol. It’s always something.
I LOVE it 🙂 You never cease to amaze me, sweet friend 🙂 Love and hugs!
Thank you so much Stephanie!
The rugs look so real and the colors are great. I am leaning towards the blue one as my favorite, but the pink one is not too far behind. I’ll let Leo choose!
lol. Leo likes both, but he’s a mommmy’s boy so he’d probably choose the pink. lol.
so totally cool and so easy to maintain! no more clogged up vaccuums for sure 🙂 love all the colors and how you can totally personalize your ‘rugs’!
Thanks so much! It’s so easy to make a rug like this fit any room with just the colours used. Each rug is one of a kind.
What a fun idea. Who needs to buy expensive rugs when one has a pot or two of paint….obviously not you. Great colours!
Thanks Kim! It’s amazing how little paint it takes to create one of these rugs. Between the two of them it probably cost me about $5… if that.
Love it! Great colors, great job!
Thanks so much Sheila!
This one is just as fun and creative as the last rug. Looks like Leo likes it too. Thanks for sharing at Talk of the Town.
Thanks Betsy! Leo’s a mama’s boy so he likes everything I do. lol.
Hi! I just LOVE your painted rugs. I have a question because I’m going to give this a whirl. I know you said it’s best not to overthink what you’re doing but I have to ask. Concerning the fringe…It kind of looked like you were following the line of the light blue with the dark blue. Am I right or just over thinking and both were painted on willy nilly? Thanks so much and keep up with the beautiful work. Tell Leo, hi from me!
Hi Julie! I’m so glad my rugs have inspired you to give it a try. I didn’t follow the lines of the light blue at all. I just winged it again. Sometimes they may overlap but that’s ok. It really is best not to overthink it too much because then it looks way too perfect and a rag rug is not perfect… especially the fringe. I’d love to see a picture of your rug when it’s done. 🙂
Tuula, these are beautiful and they look so real! If Leo ever curls up on one, that’d be a great picture!! I’ve been wanting to stencil a floor and put a polyurethane on it or some sort of preservative, but I, too, have a cat so my question is how long does it take for the poly to dry? Worried I won’t be able to keep her off the floor if it takes too long! Thanks for sharing these 2 rugs and you did an amazing job and beautiful colors that made me smile, too!!
Thanks Karolyn! I did those rugs a few years ago and I still love them, and they have held up really well. How long you need between coats of the poly depends on what type you use. I always use Benjamin Moore’s Stays Clear because it does just what it says. I don’t like it when things yellow over time. Drying and curing are two different things. Each coat of mine was dry within a few hours, but I left at least a day before applying other coats. It’s important to read the instructions on the can of whatever you use and consult with someone wherever you get your paint. I have a door between my downstairs and upstairs so I always have somewhere to keep my cats safe and paint and poly free depending on where I’m working. It’s super important to keep those kitty paws out of the way for sure, but I know it can be a challenge sometimes. 🙂