another one bites the dust

Meet our rug:

Bright, bold, oozing with 70s charm – what’s not to love about this shag carpet? Answer: see below.

This is what I have to deal with every time I vacuum this rug, which is frequently, since it is a total dirt magnet. I actually have to empty the canister 3-4 times while I am vacuuming to keep the vacuum from clogging. (I learned to do this after a very unfortunate incident wherein I had to extract this nasty rug excrement from the vacuum hose with my bare hands, because the dirt got lodged in there when the canister became full.)

A few weeks ago, we discovered that the mess from this rug runs deeper than we could have imagined. After a precious moment involving our cats knocking over not one, but two full glasses of water onto the rug, we pulled it back, and to our horror discovered dirt under the rug! And not just a little bit, but a thick layer of orangey dust which had accumulated underneath. My best guess is that the dirt somehow got forced beneath the rug when I vacuumed it, which does not make much sense, but I can’t explain it any other way.

Unfortunately, we had to leave town immediately after, so it was not until yesterday that we finally rolled up the carpet (and our sleeves) and tackled the mess. I had to sweep 3 times, dry swiffer, and wet swiffer to get all of the dirt up. It was a royal pain in the ass and, as we concluded, totally not worth the hassle. And so it was with a tear in our eyes, that Will and I decided to finally say goodbye to our dear old friend, the orange shag carpet. It has been in my family since before I was born, and so it will be returned to my parents soon, for proper burial in the attic. Farewell, ocherous floor cover. You will be missed.

Now, you must forgive me if you think this next part is hasty. Perhaps you think I should observe a proper grieving period, but I am already scoping out replacement rugs. Here are the current contenders:

Shaw Living 5×8 Area Rug: Blue Berries ($147.99 from Lowe’s)

This rug would change the color palette in the room a bit, but I like that it still picks up some of the neutral colors in the room, and has a really serene nature-y feel to it.

Orian Rugs 5×8 Yotta Area Rug ($120ish from Lowe’s – we looked in person, but the one listed online is the smaller version)

This is a high-pile rug, which you can’t entirely see in the picture. I like that the pattern is abstract, like the old rug, but the colors are a bit more subdued (which could be good or bad?).

So what do you think? Will either rug suit our space? Here are a few more pictures of the living room, so you can get a feel for it to make an informed decision: