Making Do Part 2 {A Series}: Rug Rehab

Maybe I should have saved the hutch rehab for my final post in the series. It's certainly the biggest transformation and the most involved of the rehabs.

This one, however, is certainly the most unexpected. And the simplest. And by far the most comical. When my mom realized what I'd done, she literally doubled over in hysterics.

So here's the scoop. I inherited this giant room-size rug from my parents.

It's enormous and perfect for my great room which really needs a few key touches like rugs to set apart the living area from the eating / crafting / schooling / writing area {aka my kitchen table.}

I am all about free stuff. So even though the rug needed a bit of touch-up cleaning, I took it home. I'm glad I never bothered with the touch-up because seriously, I have 3 kids and the rug is cream and in about 2 days it was beige. As I'm writing this, it's tan with chocolate brown accents.

This rug was so gross, I wanted to throw up every time I walked past it....and honestly, it looked as if I had done just that.

{This shot does not do its nastiness true justice.}

And because it's huge and the cost of cleaning it would buy me a brand new rug, I was forced to take resourcefulness to new heights.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Don't you love this faux organic-ish look? I bet Pier One sells them for $400. Whatever is my secret?

I flipped it. That's right, I did the unthinkable. The unsightly underbelly of the rug, the part that was never intended for eyes to gaze upon, is now a key element of my living room design.

And while I realize that 90% of you would probably never try this at home, I'm writing this for the remaining 10%. The 10% of you who have nasty rugs, no shame, and are broke.

So, how do you make do? {The dirtier your secrets, the better.}

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And by the way, The Nester did a great post last week that I can't stop thinking about, Simple Solutions for Everyday Issues. Seriously great stuff that I can't wait to get started on. Unfortunately she did not provide a solution for the incurable disease of L.A.D. {Laundry Avoidance Disorder.} It's going to be the death of me.