rugs...

Another Monday is here friends and the weather here in Brisbane is perfect. Autumn in the sunshine state is heavenly and perfect for a spot of window shopping.

 

I do some of my best spending when I least expect it - are you like that? When I have cash to burn I cannot find anything to buy, but when things are a bit tight, things jump out at me begging to be purchased. Today was no exception to that rule.

 

We move into the new house in just two weeks time and one of my immediate concerns is decorating (on a budget) and trying to keep our little shanty as warm as possible in winter.

Yes, yes - I know. You live in Brisbane how cold can it get, I can hear you say. But night times can be chilly, particularly when you have cold drafts running up in between floorboards. So, the obvious solution to the problem would be to buy rugs, right? But I ask you, what makes a good rug? What about rug patterns and colours? To me, rugs are one of those purchases that you can get very wrong. Interestingly but yet not altogether surprising, most of the rugs that have caught my eye recently are a couple of thousand dollars - clearly out of our budget. Everything from Persian rugs to Kilim rugs are divine but in our household, would have food and drink spilt on it, not to mention dirty little feet and grubby little paws.

 

Photo taken with my iPhone and jazzed up with instagram.

 

This morning while wandering in Paddington with my mum, I came across this beautiful rug (above) at a shop called Les Salles. This rug is made by 'Mad Mats' (read about their story here), out of recycled material and can be used indoors and outdoors. Not only are they ridiculously soft on your feet, but have the most beautiful patterns and can be simply wiped or hosed down when dirty. This is my kind of rug. Fashionable, affordable and environmentally friendly. Needless to say this rug was purchased rather quickly. The chairs were pretty tempting too, but I showed amazing restraint. I am so excited to have made my first new house purchase :)

 I will be heading back to Les Salles to buy one more of these rugs. I also have my eye on a black and white geometric pattern rug that they have in stock. Mad Mats can also be purchased online here.

 

Are you a rug person? What floor coverings do you have in your home? If you had a choice, would you be investing in an expensive Persian rug, a piece of art or another piece of furniture? Ahhhh, such are the woes of the modern day budget conscious decorator :)