For months we’ve been kicking around ideas for an area rug in Tyson’s Studio. The man really wanted a vintage style oriental rug (something a little rock and roll), but we still needed it to be durable and we were hoping it wouldn’t break the bank.
A friend had recommended FLOR and so we started there. We picked out a couple of contenders and then sent away for samples.
There were a lot of good ones, but we thought we’d ultimately wait until we got the bookcase built and painted before we made any final decisions.
Now that the bookcase is in, we revisited the topic. A few months have passed and some new options have become available so we ordered more samples.
Tyson really liked several of these but we still weren’t sure.
Luckily, FLOR’s website has a rug generator so that you can mix and match patterns and come up with a design you like. This proved to be a huge benefit for Tyson. A designer being able to play around with the cut and arrangement before making a purchase… score one for FLOR!
The site also allows you to upload a photo of the space the rug is going into so you can see your options even better.
Here are a couple of ideas for your amusement:
Choice 1 – Has some fun Union Jack (yay!) and a lot of grey (not so yay!)
I should mention for those that have been following this process from the beginning… we haven’t added doors to the base cabinet yet. Tyson got a little creative with Photoshop so that we could get a good idea of the final look.
Choice 2 – A lot more patchworky (it’s a word) and Tyson really liked the pop of the center square.
Choice 3 – A little more oriental rug pattern mixed with the Union Jack. Still too grey.
Tyson did about 15 comps so in the interest of time I’ll jump to:
The Crazy Choice – We went from Crazy AMAZING to Crazy NO!
The Final Choice – It has a little bit of everything and picks up the colors we’ve used throughout the studio… blue, green, gold and black. Subtle, but still fun.
With our options locked in, Tyson sent away for the rugs. We had decided to do rugs for both the lounge and office areas of the studio. Tyson picked out similar/complimenting designs for both.
It felt like Christmas when they arrived!
For those (like us) who haven’t used FLOR, it was SUPER easy!
We laid out the squares using the design Tyson had created.
Once we got the carpet tiles set out, we were then able to start playing a bit more with the design. We realized that the rug in the office was too large for the space, so we peeled off a row.
The most challenging part of the process was working with our “helpers” who wanted to test drive the FLOR before we got everything laid out.
Some of the squares, even though they come from the same overall design, have more pattern on them than others. We mixed and matched our squares to get them the way we wanted them and then we used the FLOR tabs to stick them all together.
The completed look is exactly what Tyson had imagined for the space.
The pups like it too.
So that’s pretty much it for the studio right now. We still have a few things left to do… like add the cabinet doors and a booth for meeting with clients on the opposite wall from the bookcase.
However, it’s time to move along to some other items. I have a summer project on deck as well as a few other stories to share.
But before I do, I thought it’d be fun to share one last before:
And after:
Thanks for following along through the process. I still can’t get over how much this space has transformed!
It should be noted that we were in no way compensated by FLOR. We just loved the flexibility of their system for this project and wanted to share the experience with you.
Cameron {The Stimson Chronicles} said:
I love the final rugs! Great choices! I am so impressed with the before and after!!!
Storypiece said:
Thanks, Cameron! It was so fun getting to customize our own rugs… and have it turn out the way we hoped it would.
Stacey said:
Oh YES! You guys did great on this. I used Flor down my hallway and in the dining room and let me just say… I went for BORING! You guys went for FUN and unique and super cool… which is much better than BORING. I absolutely love it. The pattern and color mixture are super hip and really ground the space and keep it special. They are pretty fun, but also maddening because there’s so many options. Yay for photoshop and the rug generator. 🙂 Perfect!
Storypiece said:
Did you use FLOR down the hall on the post you did about the autographed doors? I meant to ask you, but then I got distracted by something shiny and forgot. Those aren’t boring… they are PERFECT for the space!! I love the stripe!
Thank you for your kind words… we were really considering oriental rugs, but we were afraid they might come off as too stuffy. I think this ended up being a good compromise.
Stacey said:
Stuffy? Oh no Danielle, they’re so perfect. That studio is really coming together and looking absolutely amazing. What a wonderful place for Tyson to bring clients. A space like that makes such a good impression when people walk in. Kudos!
And yes, those were flor down the hall. It was an easy solution. It’s great to be able to make your own size.
Stacey said:
Oh, you meant the oriental rug might be too stuffy…
sorry I mixed that up. The Flor definitely isn’t. 🙂
Katie Newcomb said:
The studio looks amazing! The before and after pics really show how much its changed. And love your rug choice too, you have me wondering if I need a new rug in our office 🙂
Storypiece said:
Thanks! Did you find new curtains for your family room? It’s just so fun when you land on the right thing… and sometimes so frustrating until you get there. Can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Kristen said:
Danielle, I love the look of the FLOR tiles you guys picked out! So glad I know someone firsthand to give a personal recommendation because I’ve heard mixed reviews of FLOR tiles and had hesitated to use them in the past. Great work! (sidenote: unfortunately I found out our place in Boston is carpeted so I will have to put off using FLOR tiles until the next place…but at least I know they’re good and can recommend them to clients and friends)
-Kristen
-Kristen
Storypiece said:
Hey Kristen! We really liked them and we’re happy with the quality. If you ever find yourself (or someone you know) considering them, feel free to shoot me an email. I’d be glad to share info. Good luck on the move and looking forward to hearing all about it!