A good area rug can not only become very expensive, it can be a real task just trying to find the perfect rug for your home, especially if you’re trying to match a specific color scheme.
Well, you’re not alone. Stephanie thought the same thing before she figured out how to create her very own area rug. As she writes in a post about her project, “when I visited my friend Kyrie’s dorm room, I was beyond impressed with her area rug.” Turns out, her friend had collected an assortment of carpet squares and connected them into one massive rug using duct tape.
So, she decided to modify her friend’s process slightly and complete the project herself as well, spending only $30!
Here’s how she did it, and you can too:
Collect as many carpet squares as you need or want for the specific size rug you desire. Stephanie got a lot of them from random Craigslist ads or a variety of carpet stores that a great, vast selection to choose from. Most of the squares will cost about $1 or $2. By sticking to the same carpet material and length, the rug will look more uniform even if the colors are not all the same. (Finding so many squares in the same color is near impossible).
By buying different sized squares (and a couple extra for wiggle room), you can lay out your entire pattern. Switch the squares around for a while, playing with the different colors and shapes, until you find a pattern you enjoy.
For a smaller sized rug, you can use duct tape to attach the pieces like Stephanie’s friend, or for larger rugs, you can use a sturdier carpet adhesive that can be found at your local hardware store for under $4.
Before using the adhesive, cut it into strips so everything is ready to go.
Follow the instructions for peeling the strips to attach to the carpet squares. Then, attached the carpet squares together. When it’s all connected, you don’t even notice the gap between the squares.
To fill the smaller holes that the carpet squares don’t cover, you can use a few accent colored pieces of carpet. This can really make the carpet pop!
Lastly, to keep the rug from sliding across the floor (and protect hardwood floors), get a few rolls of shelf liner from your local Dollar Store to attach underneath the carpet.
For under $30, Stephanie created her very own personalized area rug that “grounds the room, adding a coziness that was previously lacking.” What are you waiting for? Start collecting your own carpet squares today!
