Oops! How do you feel about olefin?
Written by stephanie on March 23rd, 2009Looks like I spoke (wrote?) too soon – I just found the black and white damask rug on another website.
I can’t decide how I feel about olefin though. On the one hand, I don’t want to spend a fortune on a wool rug which might get trashed, and getting trashed is a distinct possibility in a playroom.Olefin IS typically pretty stain resistant, so that is a plus. Still, I tend to be more of a natural fibers kind of gal. Hmmmm….
This one is interesting too:
http://www.contemporaryrug.com/crugs/control/prod/~pid=102CCL110-203/~color=8240
And crazy as the pattern is, I think I may also like this one: http://www.selectrugs.com/rugdetails.aspx?id=12179&name=pink_flower_power_rug.html
Guess it’s back to the drawing board for me (by which, of course, I mean Photoshop!)
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Hmmm….I’m loving all of them.
I know what you mean about liking the natural fibers. I’ve seen some man-made fibers that look and feel great and others that are icky….you may need to make yourself a little drinky-poo and mull it over, sister
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You crack me, Martha, and not just because this is the second time in a week that you’ve encouraged me to start drinking before noon!
I like the stain-resistance of an olefin, but it seems like the fibers tend to crush or clump together over time. But I say “over time.” This is going in a playroom – I’m not choosing an heirloom that needs to last for decades….
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I’ve had 2 problems with olefin rugs that have caused me to swear off, despite the low price-point:
1. The off-gassing – most olefin have that “new rug smell” and that’s not good. Who knows what chemical are flying out of those things.
2. Cleaning – while liquids do bead up a bit and wipe up a little easier than on wool and silk rugs the olefin does not seem to hold up under repeated cleaning (repeated being 2-3 spots). Also, i’ve had a problem with any liquid that is not clear staining.
Good luck!
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On second thought, have you looked into an indoor/outdoor rug made of recycled materials? I’ve found several that are low cost, fit in with period decor and are a little more earth-friendly. I have one in my entry and it has held up beautifully over the past 2 years of pets, boots, and tracking in of the norther eastern winter weather.
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I should look into recycled options, Alexis. That’s a really good idea. I’m with you about the fumes – the offgassing, especially with a one year old playing up there, kinda freak me out.
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Hey Steph (and Julio)–so this is my first time on your blog and I LOVE IT!
I like the damask A LOT. But, if you’ve decided to go the recycled, durable route maybe check out Flor tiles. I seriously thought and am thinking about these for every room in our house since every rug in our is seriously trashed. With the Flor tiles (which are often recycled and are absolutely recyclable) you could just change out a dirty or destroyed tile. One downside at least for my non-perfectionist sort of handy-inept is laying the tiles in an orderly, straight manner–they come with four little stickers for each corner. That’s a lot of lining up stickers!
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oh, I now see that this post is from a long time ago. perhaps you have already decided…
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I just stumbled across your playroom and totally love it! I think I am going to have to steal it.
Where did you get the bookshelf? I have two white trunks but love how big the cubbies are and the amount of them. We have a million books! 
It looks so pretty!
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Thank you, Tennille. The shelf is nothing special – it’s just the Expedit shelf from IKEA turned on its side. It’s very affordable – I *think* it’s $89. They make baskets and and canvas bins that fit those openings, but we have too many books to be able to use them! Good luck!