How to Paint a Seagrass Area Rug
When the color of the border on a seagrass rug or natural fiber area rug doesn’t match your decor anymore or has become faded, there is no need to buy a new rug. Save money by simply painting the fabric covered border. It is an easy process – no special skills or tools needed.
Last week I showed you how my living room looked with the furniture back in place after getting the hardwood floor refinished. Everything was returned to normal, yet looked updated with the new grey floor stain and matte finish. The only thing missing in the room was the seagrass area rug.
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I placed the seagrass rug back into the room a few days ago, but before I did, I gave the rug a small makeover. See the beige border on the rug? It used to be…
…green!
I have had this seagrass rug for many years. Here is a photo of the exact same rug in my previous house. When we moved to South Carolina, it came with us and worked perfectly in the lake house living room.
I am drawn to natural fiber rugs and have had a few different types over the years from sisal to jute to my favorite – seagrass.
In my previous house I had a sisal rug in my studioffice, it was neutral and pretty, but it stained too easily. I bought a large jute area rug for my dining room, but gave it away when we moved. The smell of burlap never left it, it easily became unwoven and never laid completely flat.
Why I Like Decorating With Seagrass Area Rugs
I bought my seagrass rug 8 years ago. You can find it here: Seagrass Rug. It comes in many different sizes and border colors.
The rug does not need a pad. The underside of the rug is covered with a felt-like fabric which protects the floor and keeps larger rugs from moving. If you would like a smaller rug, you may need to place a non-skid pad to help keep it in place.
Seagrass area rugs add an easy breezy vibe to my decor, but I also like them for many other reasons:
- Go with everything
- Bring nature indoors
- Budget-friendly
- Durable
- Sustainable and stylish
- The fiber is highly stain and water resistant
- Very easy to clean. All they require is a regular vacuuming.
- Can complement a variety of interior decorating styles from cottage, modern, to traditional decor.
- A bordered seagrass rug can be a good starting point for a room’s furniture layout.
The only thing that may not be a positive feature about seagrass rugs is that they do have a hard woven texture. They are not soft to sit on and may take getting used to for this reason alone.
To remedy this, you can easily layer another smaller area rug in any color or style on top for a unique look.
Area Rugs and Open Concept Floor Plans
When the furniture was placed back in my living room without the area rug, I loved the way the floor looked, but the furniture didn’t look grounded.
My living room and kitchen are open to each other. It may not seem like an important part of the decor, but in an open concept space, an area rug is the easiest way to differentiate the open rooms into two separate spaces.
It is a visual trick, no partition needed or furniture to physically block or section the rooms from each other.
Another reason I like to decorate with any area rug in general is that they can make a seating area seem cozier by bringing an array of furnishings into a conversational grouping that brings a focus area to a room.
BEFORE: Seagrass Area Rug
My seagrass area rug is going on six years and it still looks good, except for the fabric border.
It has become faded over time and now with the new grey floor stain and matte finish, the faded green color just didn’t fit in with the color scheme in the room.
Instead of buying a whole new area rug, I decided to paint the fabric trim. It worked beautifully!
I do want to mention that I chose to paint the border a neutral beige since the rug stays in the room all year long and I change the color accents every season.
If I painted the border a color to match or coordinate with the blue color of the sofa pillows, a blue trimmed rug may not coordinate come fall. :-) I painted the rug neutral so no matter what color accent I use throughout the seasons, the rug will go.
What Did I Use to Paint the Border on My Area Rug
I did some testing first on the border of the rug to find out what type of paint and method would work best.
- First I tried using craft paint with fabric medium – TOTAL FAIL! It soaked right into the fabric and looked blotchy.
- Next I tried using latex paint. It worked better, but didn’t go on evenly.
The winning paint was DIY chalk paint. I mixed it up according to this Chalk Paint recipe. When I applied it, it went on perfectly and the makeover of the rug was a quick one.
How to Paint the Border on a Seagrass or Sisal Area Rug
supplies needed:
- Craft, latex or chalk paint in desired color
- If making DIY chalk paint – Calcium Carbonate Powder
- Stiff angled paint brush – I used this Purdy brush
- Mixing container
- A piece of cardboard (about the size of a table placemat)
- Clear Soft Wax – I used Annie Sloan, but any clear soft wax will work.
- Optional: Painter’s Tape
Time needed: 2 hours
Painting the rug is not hard and the process goes pretty fast once you start. I applied two coats, letting the first one dry completely before applying the second which will add to how long it take until the rug is ready to use again.
- Clean Fabric Border on Rug
Use a vacuum or stiff whisk broom to clean the border fabric of dust and dirt. If any area has grease or stubborn grime, try to remove it if possible using hot sudsy water and dish detergent. Let dry. - Add Painter’s Tape
To keep from getting paint on the rug itself as you paint, add painter’s tape around the edge of the border to protect the rug.
I used a stiff angled Purdy paint brush to paint the border and didn’t use tape since the angle on the paint brush made it fairly easy to not get paint on the rug as I painted. If you don’t have a steady hand, you may want to add the tape. - Place Cardboard Under Rug
Slip a piece of cardboard under the rug where you plan to begin painting. This will prevent any paint from getting on the floor as you paint. Slide the cardboard to move it as you paint around the rug. - Apply Chalk Paint
Put your chalk paint or ready-made chalk paint into a bowl to make it easy to dip your paint brush. Using a stiff angled paint brush, begin applying the paint to the fabric border.
When applying the paint, apply a thick coat and rotate the bristles on the paint brush to help push the paint into the weave of the fabric. Doing this will help the paint penetrate into the fabric and not just sit on top.
- Seal + Protect Paint
Once paint is completely dry, seal the newly painted border with soft paste wax.
Apply the soft paste wax with a soft lint-free cloth. A blue Shop-Towel or old T-shirt works well.
Rub a thin layer over the border and rub in using a circular motion. Go over a few times until the rags slips over the surface or you see a slight sheen on the painted border.
After first coat is applied, go around rug once more with a second thin coat. - Drying Time
Wait a few hours before walking over the newly painted and sealed border. It will dry pretty quickly to the touch, but be gentle with it for a few days until the paint and wax fully cure.
When DIY decorating, making color changes to almost any surface using paint can make a big difference.
Look What One Reader Did!
After reading this post, reader Donna H. sent me a photo showing me how she is painting her seagrass rug border navy. She used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in the color Oxford Navy.
If you don’t like the color of something and don’t want to buy something new – don’t be afraid to simply paint it.
Hardwood Floor Refinishing Series
If you missed the series of posts I wrote about getting the hardwood floor in my living room and kitchen REFINISHED. Select the link in the photos below to read the posts.
