They say inspiration can come from anywhere, and Sheena’s story certainly brought a smile. Here’s her note:
Hey John and Sherry (and Clara and Burger too!) I wanted to thank you for the accidental inspiration. After reading about Clara’s dollhouse, I fell in love with the pattern on the fabric-sample-turned-rug and had to reproduce it. I did it with a plain rug, foam insulation, paint, and a sponge brush. Think “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” in reverse and decor style! 🙂
I made a stamp from 3/4-inch insulation foam and used it to stamp the design across the rug. A thick piece of cardboard or packing foam would work, too. To hold the stamp firmly, I glued a wood block to the back and folded two pieces of cardboard onto the outer square for a comfortable grip.
I began with the outer square of the pattern, brushing paint (Valspar’s Secluded Garden) onto the foam with a small foam brush, then stamped the measured center of the rug first.
From the center I worked outward, stamping to form a lattice across the rug until the pattern was complete.
Next I stamped the inner motif inside each square of the lattice, repeating the process to fill the entire surface.
After stamping, I filled in the shapes by sponging paint with the foam brush for smoother coverage where needed.
I let the painted side cure for 24 hours so I wouldn’t track paint around the house.
But there’s more — the rug is reversible.
To make the striped side, I applied two-inch masking tape to define the stripes, then took the rug outside and sprayed a couple of coats of spray paint. I found that spray paint preserved the texture better than sponged-on latex paint.
Costs for the project:
- Rug: $20
- Paint: $6 (two sample jars)
- Foam: already had
- Foam brush: already had
- Tape: $4 (used roughly 1/8 of the roll)
- Spray paint: $4 (used one leftover can and half of another)
- Total: $34
$34 for a reversible, washable rug that adds pattern and color to our kitchen and gives tired dish-washin’ feet a soft spot to land — not bad at all! – Sheena
It’s fun to see a tiny dollhouse fabric swatch turned into a full-size rug. The reversible feature is a bonus — the yellow stripes are a favorite. If you want more detail on Sheena’s technique, she documents the stamped side and the striped side in her full how-tos. Thanks to Sheena for sharing this clever and budget-friendly project!