Traditionally we tend to think of kitchens as needing hard flooring, like tiles or wood — maybe with a doormat or anti-fatigue kitchen mat with some rubber backing. But adding a rug to your kitchen can add a degree of texture, color, and sophistication to your space that it may be wanting. Especially if you live in a rented house or apartment and your kitchen is frustratingly bland, a rug can be a great way to highlight and enliven your space without making any changes your landlord may not approve of.
But choosing a rug for your kitchen can actually feel more challenging than choosing an area rug for other spaces in your home. Where do you put it? How big should it be? And what do you need to keep in mind when it comes to choosing a kitchen rug?
Well, wonder no more. Let’s talk about everything you need to know when it comes to choosing the right rug for your kitchen.
What Do You Need To Consider?
Choosing a kitchen rug is a little more challenging than selecting a rug for, say, your living room. For one, natural kitchen floors tend to be made from tile or wood for the simple and obvious reason that you’re much more likely to spill food or drink onto the floor of your kitchen than anywhere else in your home.
And unlike the bathroom, where there are specific rugs designed to absorb water and cope well with what tends to be a damp environment, you don’t necessarily want your kitchen rug to be solely functional. A kitchen mat with some polypropylene or PVC for waterproofing may be nice, but it’s not exactly revolutionizing home decor. It’s the heart of your home and sometimes doubles as a dining room — not something to be hidden behind a closed door. Style is just as important as function and accessibility in this case.
Will It Stain Easily?
The answer to this question should obviously be no! Your kitchen sees a lot of action throughout the day, especially if you have a large family or like to entertain. This isn’t the place for an antique family heirloom, nor is it a great room to place the whitest rug you can find (unless it’s one of ours.)
Look for a rug that is spillproof, stain-resistant, and water-resistant. Tumble rugs are coated with a water-based solution that helps to separate oils, stains, and liquids from the fabric of your rug. This cuts down on absorption and makes it much easier to spot clean your rug. So if you send a pot of spaghetti sauce flying, you don’t have to panic.
Tumble rugs are also non-toxic, which isn’t a given with all waterproofing techniques. In fact, many clothing items and household products that are spillproof are known to contain harmful chemicals, so be sure to do a little research before selecting your spillproof rug.
Is it Non-Slip?
Picture it: you’re standing by the sink washing dishes, and without realizing it, you’ve got the floor around you a bit damp. You turn away from your sink and step away, placing a foot on your kitchen floor mat, and whoosh — the water and the slip-prone mat fly out from under your feet.
It’s not just important for places that are prone to getting a bit wet like the space around your kitchen sink. Any high-traffic area should have a non-slip rug for safety reasons. After all, it’s all too easy to injure yourself slipping and falling on a rug.
Tumble rugs come with a rug pad, which tucks into pockets on the underside of the rug. The rug pad itself isn’t likely to go anywhere, especially when placed on a hard surface, like the one you likely have in your kitchen. This means it’s just as good in your entryway as it is in your kitchen because you’ll never have to worry stepping onto your rug will result in a skid or a slip.
How Easy Is It To Wash?
The next thing you should keep in mind is how easy your new rug is going to be to wash. You’ll want something low pile, and generally, natural fiber rugs are a bit more durable than others — although this isn’t universally true. Something like jute or sisal, for instance, might be great in your kitchen because it’s a material that’s often used for outdoor rugs.
But if you want an accent rug with a little more panache, consider a Tumble rug. Our rugs are 100% machine washable. That means that whether you choose a small rug to set in front of your stove or sink or a kitchen runner rug to complement your space, no matter what goes on while you’re cooking and entertaining, you can just pop your rug in the washing machine.
This makes your rug just as easy to care for as your other linens, because rather than shelling out for expensive professional cleaning, all you need to do is walk your rug into your laundry room, and it’ll be as good as new. Even if you run a tight ship and don’t expect much mess, keeping your rug clean is important to the air quality of your home.
What Is Your Kitchen’s Style?
Lastly, you’ll want to think about what style your kitchen is decorated in. Is your apartment boho in style, or are you more minimalist? Would a multicolor rug like our Flora Rug brighten up your space, or would your kitchen work better with something simple, maybe dark gray, or black and white?
While a shag rug may be out of the question, there are so many rugs to choose from, you can definitely find one to fit in with your decor. Even if you tend to prefer things in pale neutrals, our Tabor Rug in Natural/Ash would work in your kitchen — because it’s easy to clean and spillproof, so nothing is off-limits. Even white.
In Conclusion
Adding an area rug to your kitchen is a trending theme in home decor, and while choosing a comfort kitchen mat made of something like memory foam may seem like your only option, Tumble offers a wide range of rugs that would be as at home in your kitchen as they are in your living room.
Sources:
100+ Organizations to REI: Lead the Outdoor Industry Away from PFAs | SaferChemicals.Org
Slipping and Tripping: Fall Injuries in Adults Associated with Rugs and Carpets | Pub Med Central