We need an entry rug for a certain door (not our front door, hint hint!) in our new beach house, and I don’t just want “the usual” interior door mat! What size? What style to AVOID as well as focus on? What mistakes do most people make with theirs? I’ll walk you through how I make a timeless + smart decision about even these little details! 😉
Today I’m going for a SHORT post! 🙂 (Brevity is not always my strong suit when it comes to writing these posts and the reasons behind WHY and HOW I make these design decisions.)
Also, let me just say that I kinda hate that we have to have things like doormats or entry rugs in our world. Hear me out.😆 I mean, EVERYTIME you go in or out, there are these same-old-same-old rectangles we have to step on and look at, and they’re just blah blah blah! I DID come up with another idea for this particular room to avoid the entry rug but still have the functionality, but alas…there’s a reason this dirty old world needs them.😆 So I’m going to attempt making mine less blah-blah and make it “Ahhhhh!” with a pleasurable sigh.
Ripping out a wall or raising a ceiling so your home looks completely different is one thing, but so often
it’s the little things that can bring just as much joy to you daily!
Matt and I do so many major renovations and design projects that so far, “The Little Things” haven’t gotten quite as much focus. And when people want my help trying to learn how to design and put together their home not just for smart function but the beautiful aesthetic they’re going for, I put together longer, teaching/educational/encouragement posts like
- #1: this one on living room rug sizing, colors and patterns
- #2 & #3: this one on bedroom rug sizes with a King bed vs under a Queen sized bed!
Some people think choosing an entry mat isn’t a big deal, but I disagree. Why?
- You’re going to have it for yeeears so you’d better really like it. I don’t know about you, but I do NOT want to have to redo this decision when a trend goes out; I want to choose something timeless!
- For a successful done-and-done decision, you do actually need to think about what function you want it to serve. (aka do you just want it to be pretty? Or is the material and smart functionality of it something you want?)
- What kind of floor is it going under? Do you need a rug pad?
- What size is best?
- What type of doors do you have? Do they swing inward or outward?
- What other colors are in that room?
- Where are the people coming in coming in from? (such as front door, garage, side door, back door? what’s the flooring out there? are you trying to keep off dust or sand or mud or something else primarily?)
Those are just a few of the things people forget to keep in mind when choosing such an “easy” thing as a floor mat/entryway rug.
CHOOSING AN ENTRY rug
Where’s My Door(mat) In Question?
I was watching my kids go in and out of a new set of French doors we installed (I haven’t shared on that yet, it’s a big reno we’re doing on a certain area in our new home at the beach!) and realized a good entry mat back into the house would make me feel happier/like there’s going to be less cleaning in my future.
(Yes, those two are synonymous. See THIS post about what I do to cheat on house cleaning! 🤣)
indoor ENTRYway door mat
What Am I Looking For?
From this back door, we enter onto a wood-look tile floor, so it has the aesthetic warmth of wood but the hardness of tile right on top of concrete (which is what most of these southern California beach houses are built on).
Honestly, and feel free to laugh at me with me, but I am first and foremost looking for a non-usual entry floor mat. (Not to be confused with “unusual”, non-usual means “non-run-of-the-mill,” people! 😉 )
Maybe it’s because I go into a lot of client homes, clients who appreciate design and often do their own shopping for these “little” things, but I start to feel like I’ve seen everything…and everything is same-old-same-old 97% of the time.
ENTRY RUG FOR BEACH
What Entry Rug Size Do I Like?
For this particular room and doors, I’ve quickly gauged that 2’x3′ would be perfect for this particular space.
Even though these are French doors and usually I’d do something different, the unique layout we’ve created for this room means I only want to do a rug under the main door (normally this would look AWFUL in most situations but in here, trust me, once you see the layout you’ll understand “oooooooh!” That’s a post coming but it’ll be a long one so I haven’t gotten there yet, plus I’d have to create graphics to show you all the layouts and 3d visualizations properly 😉 This is why I need to hire 3 more people…).
Why?
- I don’t want to have it be a huge focal point. It’s a supporting cast member.
- See above explanation in grey. 😉
COASTAL inDOOR MAT
What Am I Seeing?
Now feel free to laugh at me with me again, because I honestly don’t want to spend much time looking at rugs for this. I want amazingness, but I don’t want to invest hours of my time finding something.
(I only do that if the “easy” retailers fail me, which they do…89% of the time! This is why we do so many custom projects either ourselves or through a unique supplier we work with!)
But there is still the temptation to try ordering from those easy-return online retailers (you know who you use!), and so I’m going to check there first.
Let’s see what we can find!
(By the way, I found HUNDREDS more that I’m not showing you/talking through here and why I rejected them — I’m narrowing down to give examples so you can save your time and thank me later.😂)
Mat FOR DOOR entryway
Option #5: Beautiful, Luscious Wool Entry Rug!
I have a thing for wool…especially wool rugs.
Maybe it’s because I lived in New Zealand with all those sheep seeping into my subconscious?
Maybe it’s because they’re not emitting a bunch of toxins into my air?
Maybe it’s simply because they have 1) luscious texture and 2) never, ever smell after I unwrap them? 🥰
However, after watching my kids come in and out yesterday I am not convinced I want to spend a lot on a wool entry rug I love…and watch it get slowly ruined…
I haven’t ruled it out, but I keep going.
indoor COASTAL entryway RUG
Option #4: Patterns To Stay Away From?
I grabbed this entry rug as an example because I see so many people pick patterns for coastal or beachy-style homes that are geometric or have straight lines like this.
Because I’m going for brevity on this post, I’ll have to save giving you all my insights on what patterns to do at a beach house, but…
…my Quickest Beach Rug Tip Ever is:
do not go with that!
For example, I’ve seen a lot of checkered and diamond patterns increasing in people’s homes (such as the below, which is nice but only in certain scenarios)…but for a laid-back California beach house like I’m doing (see my design direction HERE!), and if you want similar, stay away from these sharp patterns.
I’ll clarify more as we narrow down the options, because “no diamonds” is not a hard-and-fast rule, as you’ll see. It’s just certain kinds!
I found this one below and liked it, but my Know-It-All Bespectacled Inner Design Professional says, “Move along, Jess!”
Instead, you want to stick to organic shapes!
I’ll delve with you into the why and how in a future post, don’t you worry. 😉
COASTAL RUG FOR BEACH HOUSE
SIDENOTE: Have I Mentioned I Avoid Tassels On Rugs?
I’m finding so many entryway rugs with tassels on them, and I dislike them for several reasons:
- If you live in your home and it’s not a museum, your tassels will always look messed up.
- It’s a much cleaner and less boho-y vibe.
- YOUR VACUUM WILL NOT GET CAUGHT IN THEM!
No prizes for guessing which of the 3 annoy me most.😂
PS: Get our Interior Design Mini-Guide FREE here and it will teach you more about what you need to focus on! (It’s a free way to join over 300,000+ people who are on our Insider’s List!)
COASTAL RUG FOR entryway
Option #3: Stripes: A Yes-Yes or a No-No?
Speaking of the above and the below, many entry rugs have stripes and I know they’re SO COMMON for a coastal, nautical feel…
…but I have such a strong aversion to the typical coastal, nautical feel (I talk a little bit about that in my post from a couple years ago on modern beach house inspiration) that I just involuntarily gag a little every time I envision stripes for certain objects in this house.
Listen to your body, people. If you gag, step back from the item(s) you’re looking at.😂
(BTW, I’m not gagging at the below, they’re nice and in the top 10% as far as natural woven rugs go, but I’m still holding my standards higher for this room. These feel too easy…like a trap. A design trap. 😉 “Oh, just pick the usual and be done.”)
entry RUG FOR DOOR
Option #2: Reversible + Textured for Beach-y-ness?
This one was still so tempting…even though it’s what I know I need to stay away from for this house/doorway/spot…
…but I’m going to show you my favorite option below.
entryway RUG FOR beach house DOOR
SIDENOTE #2: Have I Mentioned The Material I’m Avoiding?
I am NOT doing a fluffy entry rug.
No shag of any kind.
And no polyester if I can help it.
No “indoor/outdoor” material.
It has to feel like an authentic, natural material.
The beach is outdoorsy, fresh, breezy, salty air…and here in California we have such an indoor/outdoor living ability…
…but even if I lived in North Dakota, I’d still stick with all-natural materials whenever I could help it.
I could write a small book on why, but I’ll give you a one-word summary:
Authentic!
I love, I want, I need authenticity.
Real materials.
Real textures.
Real smells and feels, even when it’s touching nothing but our feet. 🙂
The above is an example of a 100% polyester and just not in the running, although cute if one of you wants to use the idea. 😉 (I told you, I found THOUSANDS that were cute. But I’m going for more than cute here.)
BEACH HOUSE entry MAT
Option #1: A or B…Or Neither?
A is a jute doormat that, although I know I totally told you guys above I don’t want diamonds, I need to clarify: I don’t want unnatural looking diamond patterns. 🙂
When you go to Samoa or Fiji and watch the native basketweaving, they can do the most amazing patterns…but it still looks natural and not like a checkered white-and-black tile floor from the 1950s (like the earlier entry rug).
FINAL RUG OPTION A:
FINAL RUG OPTION B:
B has thrown me for a little loop because I
- realized I didn’t tell you yet that one of my “wishes” was to have a washable rug, but
- today’s “washable” rugs are usually made of polyester or some other plastic-y material!
Argh! So these types of natural-looking-yet-washable rugs (below) almost had me…but now I’m analyzing whether my priority is “all natural material” or “easy to throw in my washer after my kids walk in with muddy feet.”
OK, I’m showing you “C” as a bonus option because I couldn’t leave it out. 😉 It’s pretty but less “usual” with all that texture and variance. Who knows, I might end up ordering this one just to run my hands over it in person…sometimes that’s all you need for a rug. Online photos are hard, but I think traipsing out to 80 stores around L.A. is even harder (so here we are with Señor Internet).
PS: We did traipse all over L.A. (with children in tow, I might add) looking for our stone for THIS! 100% worth it.
Also, while I can return either one of these if they don’t turn out to look like the photos or match the description, the second one is free shipping which I know SO MANY OF US love. I mean, it’s one thing for me to pay an extra 25% in shipping costs for a client project when it’s already budgeted, but when you add $13 shipping for the $47 rug from Pottery Barn, it makes my little math-minded designer brain hesitate because I immediately calculate the percentage and think it’s ridiculous when these other retailers will ship it to you for free. 🙂
Some of you are trying to design on a budget! And I am aware of that because I’ve been there too (and I admittedly still love to stick to a budget because it’s an extra challenge! As if the design challenges aren’t enough for my brain 😂)
interior entry mAT
Final Decision: I Didn’t See This Coming!
I started this post out after having made what I thought was my decision, and walk you through it.
However, write-processing helps me so much (it’s one of the reasons I love writing and started this site years ago!), sometimes more for myself than anyone! 🙂
The thing is, I want a rug that is both (mostly) natural materials (both for health and aesthetic reasons) AND I want it to be washable!
What do the Samoan women do to clean their rugs after the children get them muddy? 🤣 We were JUST there…why didn’t I ask?!
And so now I am on the hunt to find one that has it all! I don’t think you can put jute in your washing machine, though…;) (Well, technically you can put it in…but I’ve never then ran it to see how it comes out!)
GOOD DESIGN TAKES TIME. (EVEN MORE SO IF YOU WANT GREAT DESIGN!)
I used to get frustrated with myself for analyzing design so much until probably this past year or two, when I realized (and accepted gratefully) that I like analyzing design!
I like taking the 7, 17, or 7 dozen necessary factors into account and coming up with a solution that hits everything on someone’s Life Needs list (including mine).
Just a few days ago, a friend came to our new house at the beach for the first time and (keep in mind we’ve just recently moved in and I feel like nothing is actually “done”)…
…literally 3 seconds after she walked in (through our absolute disaster in the entryway, I might add) she took one look at how I set up our living room, sighed with a smile and said, “Your house is refreshing!“
Having spent the most hours on that living room (let’s not mention the others, they’re all in process, like the office), it was a welcome confirmation that to get my unique style AND cater like a boutique designer to the needs of my family,
it truly does take time.
Quality time.
And then it refreshes not only our family but all who come into it!
So even in my 40s, I’m learning more and more how
you’re never gonna please everybody.
As anything you or I do can be criticized by someone, somewhere, I know there are those who love to say, “Don’t analyze so much” and I disagree. Men analyze sports scores and player stats. Teachers analyze student progress. Nurses to pastors to insurance salesmen analyze numbers and information. Designers and artists are going to analyze their own factors such as light, color, pattern, texture…and when it’s in a home we also have the added challenge of all of it being actually liveable! (It’s easier to design things just to be “pretty”; the advanced stuff takes analysis, like any job.)
I also hope this encourages those of you who spend more than 5 minutes choosing some items (like an indoor entry mat for you and your loved ones to use EVERY BLOOMING DAY) that you are not alone.
- That you are absolutely wise to stop and think about a purchase before you make it.
- That you are more than okay to want to like how it looks when you’re going to see it every day.
- That you are super-duper-smart to want to think through its functionality in addition to its look.
These things take time, and that’s okay! You’ll be so glad you did!
entry mat for french doors
My Favorite Option of All: Going Custom?
I have a couple good custom rug suppliers I might be contacting for this, especially as I have another few weird special-shaped spaces that need a custom rug (such as an 11×13 which no, no standard retailer makes in a good wool for interior!).
People mistakenly assume custom means more expensive, and if you’ve followed us for awhile you’ll know that this is SO not true when it comes to how Matt and I manage to do it! 🙂 It might look more expensive but there are many ways around it (we share our tips for budget hacks on kitchens and exteriors HERE and HERE)!
Next…
While you’re waiting to see if I keep the above or where I go custom (and show you how too!), you’ll appreciate my below 3 interior rug sizing guides for living rooms and bedrooms with info on choosing patterns, colors, textures…
…and the #1 thing everyone does for rugs that YOU SHOULD NEVER DO!
- My popular living room rug post is HERE! (I organized into “The Only 7 Types You (Actually) Need to Know About!”, to make it simpler on you, dear reader!)
- Choosing a bedroom rug for under your queen-size bed…
- …OR if you have a king bed, that post is HERE!
- Entryways: You Need a Drop Zone Like This!
- Color: 7 Smart Strategies to Choosing Interior Colors!
PS: To see all our Design Help from our various homes, go to THIS page to browse for free!
