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You may think it sounds a bit crazy to put a rug outside, especially in the UK when the weather is so mixed. But that’s where so called indoor/outdoor rugs come in! Any tired old patio, deck or lawn can instantly benefit from the addition of a fun, synthetic rug designed for indoor and outdoor use.
If you haven’t come across them before, read on for the low down on these stylish and hard working home accents – I’ve also rounded up some of my current favourites and where you can buy them.
What is an indoor/outdoor rug?
Exactly as the name suggests, an indoor/outdoor rug can be used inside the home or out in the garden. These flatweave rugs look just like regular rugs, until you get up close to them and realise they are specifically designed to endure changeable weather.
The majority are made from tightly woven polypropylene, meaning they are hardwearing and water resistant. Some will be a mix of polypropylene and polyester and these should be brought in at night. Whilst some rugs state they are non-slip or UV resistant, others may not guarantee this. Make sure you check the small print when browsing and ordering.
The most hardy options can be cleaned with a hose and as they are lightweight and not porous they dry out quickly, too. Plus there is an ever increasing choice when it comes to colour, shape, pattern and size. There is a rug for everyone!
What are the advantages of having an outdoor rug?
An outdoor rug is a perfect accessory for the garden or patio for a number of reasons. If you want to make the most of your outdoor space, a rug is a great way to help create the sense of an outdoor living room. As the UK gradually starts to come out of lockdown and with holidays uncertain, we will focus on our outdoor spaces more than ever, so why not use one of these rugs to help define and dress up your seating area. Let it add colour and pattern to make your garden stand out – especially useful if you have a drab patio or patchy lawn you’d quite like to cover up!
You can place your rug on a deck, a balcony, underneath a picnic table, or use it inside a gazebo or tipi tent. In a larger garden you can punctuate certain areas with different rugs to create ‘zones’ and if you add some lanterns and solar lights along with your planters, these stylish and affordable rugs can totally enhance and liven up any area.
Dunelm
This circular black and white rug is the outdoor rug I bought for our garden recently.
It is from Dunelm and is called the Monochrome Round Indoor Outdoor Rug. With a large 200cm diameter it features a folky, boho design. It ‘s a really good buy for £45 – great for adding interest to a flat, boring area and perfect if you like a monochrome look and nothing too bright and colourful.
Another great rug from Dunelm is the Ochre Honeycomb Indoor/Outdoor rug for £30. Could this cosy setting be any more inviting? With the black fencing and pretty festoon lights, this is a great rug to add a sunny pop of yellow.
Wayfair
There’s a huge range of outdoor rugs available online at Wayfair. How about this lovely Longweave Julianna Palm Leaf design for a tropical look:
Or the cheerful Howa blue/beige rug which has a nomadic design, ideal for adding a funky focal point to the floor.
La Redoute
The Eyden Aged-Effect Indoor/Outdoor Rug in grey and black is quite deceptive – at first glance it looks more like an indoor rug, but it’s 100% polypropelene and suitable for outdoor use. Starting at £56 (in the sale, currently reduced from £80) in size 120 x 170cm, there are other sizes too. See how at home it looks inside a house in this picture:
Also from La Redoute is this great Iswik flat-weave rug with cement tile motif; featuring a very popular tile design of the moment. It’s in the sale, too!
Rug Love
Rug Love has a huge and impressive range of rugs and I have a discount code you can use for 10% off – just add ANTONIA at the checkout.
I like the tiled look of this Varano Casablanca Monochrome Rug which is £59 for a rug measuring 120 x 170cm.
I’m also very smitten by the clever, reversible range of double sided outdoor rugs, so you get two looks for the price of one! The designs are all really on trend with lots of cool boho patterns and in a range of colours. This is just one example and it’s the Twinreversible In & Porto Black Cream Outdoor Rug:
You can check out the full outdoor rug collection at Rug Love here.
Benuta
Benuta.co.uk is yet another site full of gorgeous rugs! It is difficult to narrow down my favourites, but there are many lovely scandi, tropical, tribal designs to choose from. I love the bright pop of citrus colour here in this In & outdoor Cleo orange rug:
And if pink is your colour, how about this beautiful design which is called the In- & Outdoor Rug Cleo Pink:
Maisons du Monde
Maisons du Monde have some quirky and fun designs in their collection. I love the Aztec style below:
And the chic botanical print of this black with white leaf print outdoor rug:
Do you have a favourite design? It’s so hard to choose, isn’t it?!
If you need more garden decor inspiration, why not head to my Tidylife Amazon page to browse a selection of festoon lights, seating, patio heaters and more. You can also follow these 7 Steps to get your garden ready for outdoor picnics and BBQs this spring.
© Copyright 2021 Antonia, All rights Reserved. Written For: Tidylife
