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Which Rugs Would You Choose?

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Happy Friday, friends!

I get to submit my rug designs for the Annie Selke Rug Design Challenge today, and I’d love your help narrowing them down to three if you feel like helping me decide! 🙂

Let’s call the first one “Floral Stripe”. It’s a cross between Dash & Albert’s “Catamaran Stripe” and some vintage textile “strips” I found on Etsy.

I did it in two different colorways. Blue…

…and green:

Just for fun, I popped it into some photos I found on Pinterest:

Let’s call rug #2 “Cross Stitch Roses”. It’s a cross between Dash & Albert’s “Checks” rug and an antique cross stitch pattern. I did it in blue…

…and brown:

On that one, I also thought it would be cool if the roses were sort of pixelated, like this:

I wasn’t sure how to do that in Photoshop though, so you’ll just have to use your imagination. 🙂

And maybe the whole rose design needs to be shifted over to the left like that too? (Tell me what you think in the comment section if you have time to type!)

We’ll call rug #3 “Octogram Star”. It was inspired by an incredible old encaustic (cement) tile design:

I was thinking it would even be cool to use charcoal-colored thread to simulate the seams between the “tiles”.

Last but not least, rugs #4 and 5. They were inspired by the old painted advertising signs you used to see on the sides of brick buildings, and I’d love to produce a whole lettered line of these things!

I can see them in a bathroom, in front of a kitchen sink, or by a back or front door.

(Vintage Whites)

The colors and message possibilities are endless on those, but they can only face one direction, and probably wouldn’t be used as area rugs, so I’m not sure those would be the best submissions. ?

That’s why I need you to help me decide! If you would be so kind as to choose three designs in the poll below, that would give me a better idea of which three I should enter into the challenge. Voting starts next week, and I can’t tell you how excited I am to see all the other designs too. I’ve never done anything like this before, so I have no idea if what I created will stand a chance, but it sure was fun putting them together!

Happy weekend, y’all!
Layla

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Comments

  2. Trina

    Its not allowing me to pick three. I really like the last three. The tiled star and the worded ones.

  3. Lisa G in TN

    It would only let me vote for one. But I would choose- floral stripe blue, octagon and Homer hardware.
    Thanks!

  6. Arli

    I could only vote for one. I like the star, the pixilated flowers on the side and the green stripe with flowers. Good luck, Layla!

  7. Karlene

    It was only letting me make one choice, but I would choose the blue rose, octogon star and the hardware one!

  8. Jane Rossing

    I loved the pixelated version of the cross stitch roses, but it’s not an option to vote. I like the fact that it looks weathered and antiqued vs. pixelated. I also like it on the left vs. center. I don’t care for the other cross stitch roses because they look too perfect. Really, all the designs are great, Layla! Exactly what I would expect you to design.

  9. Tiff

    I really like the pixelated cross stitch look with the roses to the left – I like the example you have there, including the colours.

  10. Jenn A

    I pick the blue floral stripe as my favorite. I like the pixelated cross stitch looking example with the off center roses. Maybe you can make some changes to your roses rug design. I like both of the sign rugs too.

  11. Cbarnes

    It only let me pick 1
    But I would choose both advertising and pixelated pink rose

  12. Katie

    Dear Layla —

    I recently happened about your blog and I enjoy it so much. You are so talented and I am amazed at the ideas that you come up with – these rugs are the perfect example! I would purchase every one of them 🙂 my fave was the blue floral stripe! Thanks for everything you give to your readers – it’s such a gift! Have a great weekend!

  13. Jane Rossing

    I loved the pixelated cross stich the best, but it was not an option to vote. The other cross stitch versions are too perfect, but the pixels look almost weathered or antiqued. The color combo is perfect, and I love the left alignment. They really are all great designs — just what I would expect from you!

  14. Robin

    Hi ya. It would only let me vote once as well. So….. I vote floral stripe blue and green and homer hardware. Good luck Layla! Very pretty. Very cool.

  15. Louise

    Wow! You just ooze creativity! Love them all, but I voted for the blue floral stripe. The ones with the lettering are aDoRaBle, but I guess you’re right about them not making good area rugs. Good luck Layla!

  16. Jan

    Good job, Layla! I would scoot the roses off center like the inspiration though. The sign ones are great! Good luck!

  17. Cindy in Oklahoma

    I would have voted for the floral stripe in the brighter colors! I can see it under a white sofa with bright pillows or in a breakfast room or in an entry… such perky welcoming colors!

    • gail

      Miss Mustard Seed used to have a rug/floor mat in her dining room that had an old alphabet on it. It was a fibre type with black lettering that she got somewhere. It looked nice in her setting so I could see your last 2 styles working as area rugs as well. I was able to vote for 3 and I picked the last 3 designs because they were more unusual. Fun designs all!

  18. Nicki J

    I think floral stripe looks fresh and bright. It is not a rug you see everywhere. It also looks like your style. The other two in my opinion are cute or pretty but not sharp!

  20. [email protected]

    Just gorgeous, Layla! I love the Floral Stripe Blue, the Octogram Star, and Sunlight Soap. (The poll wouldn’t let me select three choices.) I could find a place for each of these in our home! ♡

  21. hello haha narf

    also couldn’t do three, but if i could:

    floral stripe blue
    cross stitch roses blue
    sunlight soap

  22. Kim R

    I enjoyed this post since I have never even thought about designing a rug. I voted for the Octogram Star but also would have voted for the Floral Stripe (either color) and I like Sunlight Soap.

  25. Samantha

    Layla – I love “your” rug ideas!! But – I am having a consistent problem Pinning anything from your blog. 🙁 (I don’t have this problem on any other blog or website). When I click Pin, the Pinterest popup comes up, but the picture does NOT… any thoughts on how I can remedy this? I try 4 different Pin buttons – the one you supply, the other one that shows on your pictures (I guess from my browser) the other one on my browser by the line where your web page is shown, plus the drop-down one. I have also tried using a different browser, to no avail. Thanks in advance!

    • Nanette

      I have a similar issue…it allows me to pin your blog post, but not the individual picture. 🙂

  26. Krista

    So creative! I love the “old sign” rugs! They are so original. I haven’t seen anything like that. I would love to have one for in front of my kitchen sink. Great job!

  28. Heidi

    Your vision always amazes me Layla!! Sooooo creative!! I ADORE “Then Octagon Star” it’s so versatile! That got my vote! Good luck!

  31. Lauren

    Voted and such a cool thing to design!! Here’s to hoping you win!

    Such cool design’s and looked like so much fun.

  35. Kay

    OMiGosh! How wonderful! I vote for the pink rose that looks really aged + worn. I have no pink in my house, so could you possibly switch it to blue?

  37. Kellie

    I love the pink pixilated rose carpet!!! I voted for my other three fave though since that one wasn’t an option. Good luck!!

  38. Bernie

    You are so talented. I saw this too late to vote, and I love them all, but my 3 favorites are the rose stripe in blue, pixelated rose, and the Soap Advertising (my dad worked for Colgate for over 40 years!)