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You’re cooking in your kitchen, and you accidentally spill some water from a pan. It’s no big deal; the floor is waterproof. Unfortunately, you slip on the spill before you manage to clean it up, and that’s a problem. Adding rugs to your kitchen is a logical way to keep from slipping on and wearing out the floors, but which ones will work in a kitchen? Check out these kitchen rug ideas for inspiration.

1) ​Kitchen-Themed Rugs

One neat design trend in kitchens is to use kitchen tools as part of your decoration. For example, you could hang plates as decorations or craft decorations made from spoons. To continue this theme with your kitchen rugs, you can get rugs like these with pictures of bowls, potholders, kitchen utensils, and more on them. This choice also makes your kitchen feel warm and inviting, and the rugs are anti-slip, machine washable, and stain-resistant to make your kitchen safer.

2) ​Non-Skid

2 Piece Non-Slip Kitchen Rug Set 15"x23", 15"x47.2" Soft Runner Mat Rubber Backing Doormat for Entryway Bedroom Bathroom Machine Washable (Dark Blue)

One important reason to have rugs in your kitchen is that a tile floor can be slippery. You don’t want to be working with something messy and have your feet slide out from under you, so you’ll need a non-skid or non-slip rug like this one from Amazon. The latex back means it won’t slide against the floor, and this particular one comes with a wine-themed design that’s great for a wine lover’s kitchen. Many kitchen mats have this backing, so make sure to check for it when purchasing one.

3) ​Separate Dining Area

If your kitchen and dining area are the same room, you’ll have an entirely different set of concerns when adding rugs. You’ll need mats for the kitchen floor but also area rugs for the dining room. You can add area rugs over your dining room floor, as suggested in this video, to visually complement your decorating scheme and visually separate the kitchen and dining areas. This way, you can tell when you’re in the dining space and when you’re in the kitchen. Make sure they’re easy to clean, since dining rooms have their share of spills, too!

4) ​Is It Right For You?

Should your kitchen have a rug? After all, they can be hard to clean, and tile is easy to mop up any time there’s a spill. While rugs can have downsides, they’re beneficial for cushioning the floor, in case you drop loud pots and pans, or even keeping dropped glassware from breaking. That said, is it worth it? Read this article by Joseph from Plush Rugs to help decide what’s right for your kitchen. You can choose your rug placement based on why you’re adding the rugs, and end up with the result that works best for your needs.

5) ​Runner

Runner rugs are a useful way of keeping walkways clean and stopping heavy foot traffic from damaging your floors. While your kitchen floor might be durable, you might have a linoleum floor that will need more protection. Add runner rugs like the one in this picture to keep your floor in good shape and designate walkways. These will keep people out of areas that tend to get overcrowded and make a smaller kitchen more functional.

6) ​Latte

Are you one of those people who need coffee first thing in the morning, and your family and friends had better not talk to you until you get your morning coffee? If that’s the case, then the kitchen is likely the soul of your home first thing in the morning. When you pick your rug, look for something coffee-themed like this “latte” rug. This is a great way to show people how you feel about your morning cup of coffee, and subtly let them know not to talk to you until you’ve had that first sip.

7) ​Washable

Kitchens are dirty and wet places. Water spills from the sink, food is dropped off plates and counters, and overall the area can get to be a mess. Generally, a hard kitchen floor will be easy to clean, but if you have rugs for other reasons, or to keep water off a floor that’s hard to clean, they can stain and are hard to keep clean. Make sure to find ones like these that are machine washable, so you can just toss them in the laundry anytime you need to.

8) ​Size and Shape

You know you want a rug, and maybe you even have an idea of the theme you want, but now you have to find the actual rugs you’re putting in your kitchen. Since they will be both practical and decorative, you need something that looks right in the space, but also something that covers key areas like in front of the sink. You can use this article from Pottery Barn to figure out what size and shape rug is right for your kitchen.

9) ​Flat Rug

When you pick your rug, don’t just look at size, shape, and appearance. You also need to consider the design of the rug, since you won’t want thick, plush rugs in a kitchen. Look for flat rugs like the one in this picture; they’ll be easier to clean because any food spills won’t get caught in the fibers of the rug. Also, look at whether a rug is stain-resistant and washable since that will help you keep it looking clean for longer.

10) ​Checkered or Plaid

Checkers are often used in kitchen decor, and even more so for country kitchens. This makes checkered-patterned ideal rug choices for a country kitchen and for any rustic or eclectic kitchen theme. Similarly, plaid patterns like this Buffalo plaid one work well for a Western or country style. Make sure to get something non-slip and absorbent like this, and decide whether you want checkers or plaid; consider red instead of black, if the black doesn’t look right for your room.

11) ​Welcome Mat

If your kitchen is a welcoming place, or somewhere that people tend to gather, you’ll want to have at least one welcome sign. While you can hang these up, they take up a lot of wall space that you could use for other things. Instead, use your rug to convey any message you like, such as “Welcome to my Kitchen.” This welcoming mat from The Home Depot would be a great way to welcome guests, and the stain-resistant material makes it ideal for kitchens.

12) ​Retro

If you have a vintage themed kitchen, you might want to continue that theme with your rugs, but vintage things can be expensive. As a general rule, you don’t want to have to replace vintage rugs often as they’re worn down by treading feet, so consider getting retro rugs like this instead. This mat is designed for kitchens, so it’s durable and easier to clean than most rugs. The best thing is, you don’t have to worry about damaging an expensive vintage rug and having to replace it often!

13) ​Match Colors

What color is most common in your kitchen? Is it wine red or purple? Maybe you have a modern white theme or many red roosters around. In this image, you can see that the kitchen rugs match the white of the walls, with a few brown stripes that match the pieces of wood you see around the kitchen. Try getting floor coverings that match your kitchen’s color scheme to create a cohesive and attractive look.

14) ​Southwestern Stone

If your kitchen has a Southwestern or Western theme, try to match that theme with your rugs. This could mean getting a patterned Navajo rug from a local shop or online, or it could mean trying to imitate a Southwestern home. Try getting a rug like this one with a faded Southwestern stone look that will look like something you might see in a real Southwestern home. It also works for any rustic kitchen, if you have other faded or tarnished decorations.

15) ​DIY It

While there are many rugs and mats you can buy for your kitchen, you want a unique idea. Maybe the exact design you like isn’t available, or perhaps you want something more impressive than what the stores offer. Instead of relying on other people’s designs, consider making your own rug, as Katie did in this article for The Crafty Blog Stalker. With this method, you can take any design you like and turn it into an unusual kitchen mat.

16) ​Indoor/Outdoor Polypropylene Rugs

Have you ever tried those neat little life hacks you can find on the internet? Well, this is a kitchen rug hack. Instead of looking for indoor kitchen rugs, try getting a rug that’s designed for the outdoors, and a polypropylene one in particular. This way, you have a waterproof and easy to clean rug. You can watch this video by Apartment Therapy to learn more about the benefits of getting a rug designed for outdoors.

17) ​Farmhouse Style

If you have a farmhouse kitchen, you can always go with classic throwbacks like red checkers, buffalo plaid, and similar designs, but if you want something unique, try a rug like this one from Amazon. This rug has a wood design, so it matches a rustic or farmhouse theme, but the words “love sweet love,” make it a beautiful and welcoming piece of farmhouse decor. The unusual take on the classic “home, sweet, home” saying makes it all the more welcoming.

18) ​DIY Vinyl?

Making your own kitchen rug may seem like a daunting task, but it’s doable with a tutorial like this one from Diane Henkler with In My Own Style. The key to making your own kitchen rug is to make sure you use waterproof materials like the vinyl Diena Henkler salvages in this project. While it may not seem like the best material for a rug, it’s waterproof, and with a little work, it can be an attractive and extremely durable way to keep water off your kitchen floor. Make sure you have waterproofing and a non-skid backing.

19) ​Location

When you get your new kitchen rug, you’ll want to be careful about where you choose to place it. You can put it somewhere that will look nice, but if you don’t have a rug under the sink, you’ll end up with spills, and there won’t be much point in having the rug. Make sure to place your rugs carefully both for a beautiful kitchen and to keep water off the floor in strategic locations, like the locations shown in the picture.

20) ​Coffee Color

If you like coffee, but don’t want to put a rug that says “coffee” in your kitchen, try something more subtle, like this mat from Amazon. The rug is coffee-colored, so it brings to mind your favorite morning beverage, but in a way that isn’t overt or tacky. The pattern is attractive, and the brown color fits well in a rustic kitchen or any kitchen with wood panels or cabinets, provided the wood panels are a similar shade of brown.

What do you need a kitchen rug for? Where would you put it? Tell us about it in the comments below!


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