Lulu & Georgia Inspired Rugs

The other day I was over at Lulu & Georgia, drooling...as usual. Is this my life? To be spent admiring items beyond my means? Drat my ridiculously good taste! *lopsided grin*
This gorgeous Paint Dot Rug and Arrowhead Rug are positively calling my name, but since they cost more than I spent to makeover my entire bathroom, I guess I'll have to settle for a DIY version. 

Materials & Cost
I was thrilled to find these washable cotton kitchen rugs at Target. They absorb the paint well, have plain white backsides, plus I was able to get 10% off because they all had speckles on top! Yep, in my world every cent counts! *wink*
Because I am using the backside of these rugs, it kind of makes these rugs reversible! The paint will not soak through to the other side, so if you wanted you could paint different designs on either side and get two styles for the price of one!

• (Target) Kitchen Rugs - $7.19 each
• (Walmart) 1 Folkart metallic paint, 2 fl. oz. - $1.77
• Leftover Interior Wall Paint, 1/2 cup 
• 3/4" Painters Tape
• Sponge brush &/or paint brush

I did not count the interior paint, tape or brush in my final cost for making these rugs since they are items we probably all have lying around...but if you do not have these items you should factor another few bucks into your budget.

Creating An Arrowhead Inspired Rug
Start by creating a chevron design on the rug with your painters tape. Find the middle of the rug and work outward. Oh, and really press that tape down good...I had a couple areas where I pulled the tape up then didn't press it back down properly and the paint bled a bit more than I liked.
Cut your tape strips to equal lengths, this will ensure some consistency of pattern.

You could eyeball a chevron design, however if you really want to keep some consistency, cut out a triangle to use as a taping guide.

Continue the chevron design across the entire rug, keeping a 2 inch space between each chevron layer.

Once you have created the chevron design, cut long strips of painters tape in half and tape them across the tips of the chevrons.  

Dilute your interior paint with a few tablespoons of water before painting your rug. You want the paint to be more like a dye than paint...this prevents the paint from drying hard and cracking. It also makes this rug hand washable! The first couple washes use diluted vinegar to soak it and allow any excess coloring to run off.

Peel the tape back before the paint has dried completely. Here is a shot after all the tape was peeled off, but before the paint had dried...it will be a bit blotchy until it dries.

I love my new folksy Arrowhead rug. 

See the entire $83 Jack & Jill bathroom makeover reveal here. It is the small projects like this one that keep your budget on track, but make for a great finished space!

Creating A Paint Dot Inspired Rug
The irregularity of the dots are what really make this rug. Sadly this particular type of irregularity does not translate too well into DIY...it just looks like you couldn't paint a circle! *chuckle* Plan for your circles or ovals to be much more precise. If you really want that imperfect look you do have two options: 1. You can create an intentional irregularity within a stencil and then keep each painted dot consistent with the last. 2. Make your ovals/circles more precise, but vary their distances and angle slightly.

The normal course of action would probably be to create your own oval stencil. And what stencil could be easier to create? I don't currently own any stencil materials, so sometimes you have to break out what you have. I used the ring of a canning jar lid and squished it slightly into an oval shape. I cut 4 slits so that it would be able to lay flush on the rug surface. Once you find the center of your rug, start there and work your way outwards, eyeballing an equal space between each oval.

I used the sponge brush to quickly fill in the middle, then a smaller paint brush to be sure that all the edges were well covered.

I admit this is no Lulu & Georgia, but I love this rug in my downstairs bathroom! It adds just the pop of design and color needed.  

And there you have it! Two Lulu & Georgia inspired rugs. I may be using mine in my newly made-over bathroom spaces*, however these would be just as lovely in a kitchen, laundry room, entry, or any other space!

*See the entire $83 Jack & Jill Bathroom Makeover here, or the $36 Powder Room Makeover here. These rugs were just the icing on the cake! *wink*

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