Rugs in the bathroom

We have noticed a trend lately: bathmats that look like real rugs.

Guess what? You can use actual real rugs in the bathroom. We love this look for the warmth and depth it can bring aesthetically. From a practical standpoint, wool is great for hiding dirt and absorbs a bit of water just fine (I love vintage wool rugs in mudrooms and laundry rooms, too.) True, you can’t just throw them in the wash, but a good vacuum or shake out on a regular basis does the trick.

Rugs in front of tubs

With statement tubs making a real comeback, we love the beauty and softness that a patterned rug can bring to the bath area. Also great if you are squeamish about the cleaning factor, since these tend to be lower-use than showers. In two projects in Minnesota, we used Turkish rugs with a traditional feel to complement bateau style tubs.

Rugs at the Vanity

Rugs are also a beautiful way to ground the area in front of a vanity. Most bath mats are small enough that you need one in front of each sink—a rug can be much more unifying. In a San Francisco project, we used a tribal rug in the primary suite and a vintage overdyed rug in the guest bath.

The Rug look

Of course, we are also on board with the rug-look bathmats. We are using this cutie from Anthropologie in a girls bath in Connecticut.