Stephanie runs a DIY blog called A Scoop of Sherbert out of her home in Kenosha, WI. Several years back, the Pinterest-and-project loving lady fell in love with her friend's new glamorous rug. But Stephanie was shocked when her friend told her that she made it herself using carpet squares and duct tape. Of course, she had to go home and try to make one of her own.
Stephanie found a collection of carpet squares on Craigslist (though pieces of carpets can also be found at Walmart and dollar stores for just a few bucks). After a few weeks of trial and error, Stephanie finally completed her very own large-sized area rug. As you'll see, the result is a pretty amazing piece of home décor. This project is creative, simple, and cheap. Area rugs can cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars, and Stephanie's rug looks like something you could buy for a lot more than $30.
Scroll down to see how she did it, and the incredible end result…
H/T: A Scoop of Sherbert
- Call around to several places and ask if they sell carpet squares (most do) and what kind of selection they have.
- Go to more than one store before you buy.
- I don’t think it would hurt to ask if they’d take $1/piece.
- They were asking $2 for large squares but I asked. I cut the cost of my project in half.
- Chances are you won’t find enough of the same color to make a monochromatic carpet. But, you should try to stick to one type of carpet to get a cohesive effect.
- Buy a couple extra squares if you can so that you have more to work with to get a pattern you’re satisfied with.”
"I started out by tossing the squares down on the floor and playing around with the arrangement. My first attempt would have actually left me with a completely different layout (above).
"After switching squares around for a little while playing with the colors, I got to the real work. Surprisingly, it took less than an hour."
"Here's the adhesive I used. You can find in the carpet department of your hardware store. I payed under $4 a box and used about one and a half rolls."
"I used a regular pair of scissors to cut strips. The length varied depending on which seam I was binding, but ultimately didn't really matter as long as you use enough to form a bond."
"You then peel off the white piece, lift the edge of the carpet square off the ground, and slide it under halfway. Then firmly press the square back down, take the second square and put it over the other half."
"You've got yourself a sturdy seal. Now, just do this until every seam is connected."
"There will be some places where the pieces don't quite come together and there is a gap. You can't really tell unless you look closely. I did learn from my experience that my first layout had many more of these gaps because of the number of times four corners came together.
I had bought some colored squares with my purchase just in case. I honestly hadn't planned on using them. I thought about leaving the small squares open to the hardwood. I thought it looked kind of cool. I used a regular pair of scissors (although, a carpet blade probably wouldn't have hurt my hand so dang much) to cut the squares down to the appropriate size."
"I also bought 4 rolls of shelf liner at the Dollar Store to use as a gripper. I haven't done this yet. The rug is heavy enough that it doesn't slide around. I might do it just to add some protection for my hardwood floors."
"There you have it! I am so happy with it. I love how it grounds the room, adding a coziness that was previously lacking. And, of course, I love that the entire project cost under $30!"
I absolutely love this idea. Stephanie did a great job, and she's inspired me to try a DIY project of my own. If you're impressed by this area rug, please SHARE it with your friends on Facebook!
