Give an Old Rug New Life by Painting It!

Biscuits & Burlap
by Biscuits & Burlap
5 Materials
My old jute rug was on its last leg... Do I toss it and buy a new one? Or make it into a statement piece for my screened porch?
First, I cleaned the rug as best I could... it was on the porch for so many bonfires and cookouts, though, it was pretty much a lost cause.
Ew... gross right? Then, I decided on a pattern I wanted to use... I love bright colors and already had yellow adirondack chairs and a royal blue love seat so I knew I wanted a bright pattern that would coordinate with those pieces. I chose an Aztec-inspired design that was funky but also not too complicated. It was basically just 3 different sized triangles!
I cut the triangles bout of posterboard and got to work, using a colored pencil to draw the lines and triangles.
Now it was time to start painting! I used latex paint for this project. I wanted to start with the lightest colors first so any mistakes I made could be covered up by the darker colors. Int his case, I started with the mint.
After I was done with the mint, I went back and added the next lightest color, the grey.
The rug really started to come to life with the addition of the darker, bolder colors.
Finally, it was done! What an improvement on not only the rug, but on the whole space!
It was nearly put out with the trash a few days earlier, but now its a statement piece I get complimented on whenever I have guests! Check out the blog for the full tutorial.
Biscuits & Burlap
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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Frequently asked questions
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3 of 8 questions
  • Think I could paint a rug that's already got a design on it? I've got one I've been planning on painting, but I've been putting it off because I was worried it would all be in vain. Did your rug absorb the color? Or does it sit on top? I painted a toddler couch, but with all the wear it's original color is peeking through now and I know a rug would receive more of a beating than this couch has. I'm hoping 🤞it's because it's synthetic fibers whereas the rug is not and would be more absorbent. Sorry, I know I'm long winded 😃 anybody else wanna weigh in here?

  • Holy guacamole! I just realized how old this post is 😆 how well has it held up?

  • Mary Lou Mary Lou on Oct 17, 2018

    Any special type of latex paint?

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