Creative Rug Ideas: Make Your Own Cheap Floor Covering

Almost all apartments need rugs. Whether you have a pristine hardwood floor to protect or an ugly taupe carpet to cover, you can make you own cheap floor covering instead of buying a pre-made rug. Rug stores tend to overdo the "Oriental" theme and the so-called "contemporary" geometric designs. And you're more creative than that, aren't you? You can fashion something cheap but attractive, kitschy but practical. Try these two creative rug ideas, and your boring floors will become bohemian.

1. Duvet Rug

This idea came to me when I found an old Ikea quilt cover in my closet. Once serving as a duvet in a former bedroom (three apartments ago), this linen item had been collecting dust, despite its cool goldenrod and slate tones. For those unfamiliar with quilt covers, imagine a big shell that encases a quilt - like a cozy for a comforter. Sewn together on three sides and open on the remaining side (for quilt insertion), this cover can actually be turned into a rug. Whether the quilt cover fastens with buttons, zips up, or stays loosely open on one end, it can be fashioned into a cheap floor covering.

There are two techniques. First, you can use an appropriately sized quilt (imagine that!) to fill out the duvet ensemble. Chances are you have an old comforter that can fit the bill. If not, go to a thrift store or a discount department store and buy a cheap quilt. Even if it's ugly, it will get covered. Just make sure your quilt cover is opaque enough to remain unaffected by the colour of its filler quilt. This type of duvet rug is easy to care for - all you have to do is wash it when it's dirty.

The second technique, not as washer-friendly, involves buying stuffing (the kind you'd use to make pillows or stuffed animals). Get some bulk bags of synthetic filler, and start shoving it inside the cover. It may take awhile to puff out the duvet rug even and make it full enough for feet to stand on comfortably. One benefit of this method is that you can always add more stuffing if you feel like it's getting too flat. If your quilt cover does not use buttons or a zipper, then you may also sew the open end shut to trap the stuffing.

The duvet rug will generally stay in place well on carpeting, but may need to be anchored down on hardwood floors. A coffee table or the edge of a couch will easily do the trick. This creative rug idea will almost always result in a pleasantly squishy floor covering, since bedding is already soft and cushy by design.

2. Dropcloth Rug

For a much flatter cheap floor covering, you can use a painters' dropcloth as a rug. Even a large dropcloth won't break your budget. I found several cotton canvas dropcloths priced under $10, and these covered areas like 6' x 8' and 4' x 12'. Depending on the size of your room, you can opt for a more square dropcloth, or choose something long and narrow, like a runner.

Most dropcloths are in various shades of off-white, eggshell, ecru, etc. Because they have an imperfect, clothlike texture, they provide a nice contrast to a solid hardwood floor. While you can certainly leave the plain dropcloth as is, I'd recommend getting more creative with this rug idea. If a dropcloth is meant to catch paint, then why not put it to use more deliberately? Paint a design or pattern on the dropcloth by using the same kind of paint you'd use on your walls. And don't be too precise with your designs: as the fabric of the dropcloth itself is imperfect, your rug painting may also look better that way. I don't recommend painting the whole dropcloth, so I suggest some tasteful parallel stripes, some funky polka dots, or a broad diagonal band of colour as simple, appealing designs. I especially enjoy the dropcloth rug idea because you can pick colours that complement the rest of your decor.

Like the duvet rug, the dropcloth rug may need some help staying in place because it's fairly lightweight. Anchor the ends (or the middle) with furniture if possible.