Top 7 Budget Friendly Rugs In Our Home

I’m always fascinated when people have antique rugs. And I can’t help but think… every time… “they must have never pets”. I know I sound like a cynic and I get annoyed when people assume I don’t have kids or pets (which we have both) because of our furnishings — but rugs are tough to maintain. Far more difficult than sofa fabric, wall paint, and bedding. It took several years and a lot of frustrating pet incidents for me to truly appreciate a good looking, great value, affordable rug. But there is such peace of mind when your rug is budget friendly, without sacrificing on style. Of course, my pups cause their fair share of wear on our home, especially our rugs, but replacements are far less daunting. In the 10 years we’ve lived in our home, I would guess that at least 80% of our rugs have come from Wayfair — and there have been a lot! Today, I’m sharing my seven favorite (budget friendly) rugs in our home.

*Posts on KelleyNan.com may contain affiliate links. While this post is created in partnership Wayfair, all opinions, concept, and creative are my own. Click HERE for full disclosure.*

1. Kitchen Runner

I just switched out our kitchen runner this past week, after having had our previous one for a record breaking length of time — since our kitchen makeover was finished (see that HERE). I loved that runner — I loved that it was washable and it had a grippy backing — both perfect qualities for a kitchen rug! It has a mix of neutrals — both warm and cool — making it easy to blend into any space. There are a bunch of sizes but mine was the 2’6″x10′ length.

Former Runner

Agreeable Gray Sherwin Williams Kitchen Cabinet Paint Makeover

Runner | Tile Backsplash | Cabinet Drawer Pulls (Champagne Bronze Finish, 5 1/16″ and 6 5/16″) | Cabinet Door Knobs (Champagne Bronze Finish, 1 5/16″ diameter) | Dutch Oven

Former Contender

Before we had settled on that one, we had actually purchased this one too, to see which we liked better. It was a tough call…

Warm Light Gray Kitchen Cabinet Makeover with Agreeable Gray Sherwin Williams Paint and Shaker Cabinet Fronts

Runner | Tile Backsplash | Cabinet Drawer Pulls (Champagne Bronze Finish, 5 1/16″ and 6 5/16″) | Cabinet Door Knobs (Champagne Bronze Finish, 1 5/16″ diameter) | Dutch Oven

As much as I loved the one we ultimately chose, I decided to try something different for our next go-round. So once again, I purchased two to test (BTW — Wayfair has free shipping on orders of $35+).

Contender

I liked the first one I laid down and like the color variations which seem like it would help disguise imperfections/spills. Here it is, still not laying flat just yet since I had just unrolled it ;)…

Neutral, Affordable Rugs

Runner | Tile Backsplash | Cabinet Drawer Pulls (Champagne Bronze Finish, 5 1/16″ and 6 5/16″) | Cabinet Door Knobs (Champagne Bronze Finish, 1 5/16″ diameter) | Dutch Oven

New Runner

But ultimately, I went for Option 2 — a subtle, neutral plaid. I snapped a quick pic as soon as I unrolled it but it started laying flat within 24 hours. The winner and a new fave…

Favorite Inexpensive Rugs

Runner | Tile Backsplash | Cabinet Drawer Pulls (Champagne Bronze Finish, 5 1/16″ and 6 5/16″) | Cabinet Door Knobs (Champagne Bronze Finish, 1 5/16″ diameter) | Dutch Oven

Prices are always subject to change, but currently, my size (2’7″x10′) is just $84 HERE. Since it doesn’t have the rubber backing, I used sticky grips (like THESE) to hold the runner in place. If you’ve never tried them, they’re awesome!

Affordable Neutral Rugs

Runner | Tile Backsplash | Cabinet Drawer Pulls (Champagne Bronze Finish, 5 1/16″ and 6 5/16″) | Cabinet Door Knobs (Champagne Bronze Finish, 1 5/16″ diameter) | Dutch Oven

I love it as a runner in our kitchen, but there’s a ton of sizes available and it would look great in a large-scale area rug, too. The 8’x10′ size is currently only $268!

Best Neutral, Inexpensive Rugs

Runner

2. Living Room Area Rug

When I talked about peace of mind in affordable (but still pretty) rugs, the living room is top culprit for the pups and their naughtiness. This past month, I had to replace the living room rug and I ended up going for THIS LoLoi CloudPile rug. And btw, if you’ve never felt a CloudPile rug (I had not), it is the softest rug you’ll ever feel. I just had friends in from out of town who would back me up on this. The size of mine is large at 8’3″x11’3″ and it’s still (currently) just $281 (as far as I’m concerned, almost unheard of for this size rug). It gives our living room a little more warmth and coziness and I also used a rug pad underneath.

Two Story Living Room Layout

Rug | Stoneware Jar on Hearth | Round Wood End Table

I’m not kidding when I say that I’ve made everyone who has come over take their shoes of to feel the rug.

Former Living Room Area Rug

I love our latest rug but I liked our former living room rug so much, I was actually just going to repurchase it. However, the size I needed it in was (and still is) on backorder. It’s thicker than our current rug and I didn’t use a rug pad underneath — you can see all the sizes currently in stock HERE.

LoLoi rugs for High Traffic

Rug

THIS rug will likely be my inevitable next living room rug 😉

3. Entry Rug

She may be small, but she is mighty! My entry rug has stood the test of dirt, dogs, and wear and still looks to be in perfect condition after a few years. It is stain resistant and rare for a jute-type rug, it actually has a rubber backing (which is perfect for such a high traffic area!) It would also make a great rug/runner in the kitchen. If the natural (my color) is out in the size you need, the sand appears just a hint lighter!

Simple Home Entry Ideas

Rug | Mirror | Large White Vase

4. Eliza’s Bedroom Area Rug

Among our most colorful rugs, I adore the rug in Eliza’s room. While I don’t typically care for thinner rugs on carpet, this one has worked perfectly. It looks great in person and the value is wild. There are several sizes available but as an example, the 7’5″x9’6″ size is currently under $247 HERE! The runner version also looks really pretty…

Purple Bedroom with Purple and Lavender Bedding

Rug | Nightstand Lamp (similar)

5. Eliza’s Playroom Area Rug

This cute nubby rug has been such an incredible surprise. Years of play and it still has zero stains or pulls and trust — it’s even prettier in person. It also comes in multiple color tones and I just have a feeling you’ll see another one of these rugs again somewhere else in our house. For reference, the 6’x9′ size is currently under $245 HERE.

Kids Playroom with Forest Mural & Woodland Decor

Rug | Upholstered Storage Bench

I absolutely LOVE THIS similar textured ivory one, too!

6. Conversation Room Area Rug

In our conversation room since we finished its makeover (see the room’s reveal HERE), this rug has been great. It’s thick (no rug pad needed), has multiple neutral tones that make it easy to incorporate into a room, and the subtle pattern does a good job of concealing imperfections. I can’t believe the value on this one — for reference, the 6’x9′ size is currently $194 HERE. BTW — it comes in 32 (yes, 32!) sizes, including runners and round rugs.

Conversation Room Decor- A Modern Practical Take on a Formal Living Room

Rug | Cane Back Accent Chair

I think I am going to switch to THIS rug in the conversation rug, soon — I love the look, it’s totally unique, and the price is fab.

7. Bedroom Sitting Area Rug

Our bedroom sitting area rug has been there a long time and it’s been especially great for what I’ll call “mixed conditions” — on top of carpet, has a treadmill on top of it, has constant furniture being slid over it. It comes in four colors and 26 size options HERE.

Creating a Sitting Area in the Master Bedroom

Rug | Arm Chair | Floor Lamp

Without a doubt, this rug is one of the easiest to couple with other rugs in adjoining rooms.

Rugs for Bedroom Sitting Area

Rug

More Neutral Budget Friendly Rugs

I’m always (seriously, always) on the hunt for versatile and budget friendly rugs. Here are a few more you can find right now at Wayfair

Favorite Neutral Budget Friendly Rugs

Rug 1. | Rug 2. | Rug 3. | Rug 4. | Rug 5. | Rug 6.

What’s your rug story? Splurge or save? Switch often or hang on them a while? When I was recounting my faves, I was pleasantly surprised by how many I’ve had for years, but unsurprised how frequently our living room sees a new one (haha).

Share this:
Kelley Nan headshot

FOLLOW KN ON SOCIAL

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.