DIY {Stenciled} Floor Rug

I had a few people ask me recently where I come up with my ideas for doing projects around the house.  Most projects are a direct result of my being stubborn and cheap. I see something, don't want to pay for it, and swear I can make one just as good. And that's were this ginormous project came from.  It took me about ten hours to finish, but it was ten hours well spent.  I just recently purchased a new entryway table (pictured here) that completely changed the look of my entry.  I thought the space really needed a rug but didn't want to spend the pretty penny that usually comes attached to a rug this size. After scouring the internet and reading tutorial after tutorial, I blended a few methods together and came up with this gorgeous rug! It wasn't difficult at all, and I only ended up spending about $70 not counting the cost of materials I already owned. I also had some materials left over and of course got to keep the stencil I purchased. 

Want to take a whack at a rug of your own?

These are the materials you will need (prices may vary at different stores):

• canvas drop cloth - $12 (Lowes)
• paint (water-based) $9 (Lowes - I used two Valspar sample size paint tubs)
• stencil - $15 (50% off at Hobby Lobby)
• plastic drop cloth - $.99 (Lowes)
• 1 quart clear satin polyurethane - $11 (Lowes)
• natural bristle paint brush - already owned (probably bought at Lowes)
• sponge brush - already owned (Hobby Lobby - a regularly buy packs of various size sponge brushes)
• pencil - already owned (um...the back of my junk drawer)
• non-slip rug pad - $10 (purchased at a very inexpensive discount store Ollies)
• gorilla tape - $14 (Lowes - had A LOT left over)
• light spray adhesive (optional) - (I think I got this at Hobby Lobby)

I did most of my stenciling indoors using a thin plastic drop cloth underneath.  Never having experience with a stencil like this one before, I was surprised to see how simple it was to use.  Other than my back sometimes feeling like it was going to break in two from bending over, this process was a cinch. 

After the stenciling was completed, I dragged my rug out to the garage to put a coat of polyurethane on it for durability.  I would suggest putting a very thin layer of this on your rug.  I put mine on a little too thickly and it darkened the color of my rug considerably.  It also stiffened my rug to the point that I wasn't able to sew up the edges like I had originally planned. 

To keep my rug from sliding around on the floor and to give it a little bit more cushion, I added a rug pad underneath using gorilla tape.  Unconventional, I know, but I wanted it to stay.  I was going to sew it on, but I would have probably snapped any sewing needles that I tried to use on this thing.  

It worked out that the drop cloth I bought ended up almost exactly matching the dimensions I wanted for my rug.  It was, however, about a foot too wide.  So I had to cut this excess length off and figure out how to make that edge look finished.  I finally decided to iron the edge under (the polyurethane made it stiff enough that the ironed edge stayed very well.) and gorilla tape the rug pad over it. 

It is a wonderful and satisfying feeling when a project actually turns out like you envisioned it would.