Do you get annoyed when area rugs and runners slide out of place? Here’s how to keep those small area rugs and runners in place.
If I’m not oodling over lamps, I am over rugs. I love them because they bring so much warmth and added color to a room. I even like to shop those rug runners that have the color scheme that I’m looking for, but place them in an area that is unexpected. I gravitate to this plan mainly because I am a firm believer in just following your decorative instinct. Everyone’s got one, and in interior design, there really is no wrong answer. Design and follow what you like and enjoy.
Let me start in the kitchen. A highly trafficked area where the floors get quite a bit of wear and tear. For our family, we prep meals and spend a lot of time between the stove and the prep table. That narrow spot also leads to the kitchen sink, and if I were to put a step counter right there, the numbers would certainly be high. A little cushioning under foot is needed, so naturally I went for a vegetable dyed, Oriental rug design, and one that was priced moderately, which is this rug. This design of rug isn’t necessarily expected in a kitchen, but it works so well here, and I think it looks great, which is most important.
However, with all of this rug design, high traffic and all that, this pretty rug was all over the place. It seemed to move with every step and if a dog plopped down on it for a snoozie, then I was often left with a portion of the rug under the stove.
This kind of thing Drives. Me. Bananas.
I can’t seem to handle a cattywampus anything, especially a rug. Every two seconds I was bending over, straightening out the rug runner. And, for that matter, every other area rug we have in the 1820. Enough already, I needed to come up with a solution.
How To Keep Small Area Rugs And Runners In Place
Well, y’all know I turn to carpet tape for my rug solutions. I even made a custom area rug using placemats for my garden house using carpet tape. Check out this popular post here. So, it only made sense to apply this tape to all of the area rugs around here. But, here’s the caveat: I needed to find a tape that was removable and at the same time, one that didn’t leave any residue behind.
And it works perfectly.
I applied this tape to all 4 corners of the runner in front of the stove. Easy peasy. Just cut a desired length, and apply the strip to the rug. Because this tape is double-sided, once all of the strips are applied, remove the white lining and then press the rug down on the floor.
Once I applied the carpet tape to the runner in the kitchen, I moved on to the runner upstairs and then to the area rug in the guest bedroom. Finally, I have a solution where I’m not straightening rugs a gazillion times every hour in our house. (And I say this laughing because y’all know me well enough to know that this girl right here likes straight rugs throughout.)
Finally a solution where I can relax and not worry about a rug out of place. And, when I need to vacuum and mop, then it’s pretty easy to just mop around the rugs, and then vacuum over top. Not everyone may be so rug placement specific, but just the same, I’m willing to bet if a rug is askew, then you’re straightening it to get it back in place.
This rug tape is a best bet. It certainly keeps area rugs and runners in place, and is good to have on hand. A task that only takes minutes to do, and keeps everything underfoot looking orderly.
I applied this tape to our rugs about a month ago, and tested out the efficacy of the tape. I have nothing bad to say. Each and every rug stayed in place. This is all this girl hoped for.
My kind of tip!
I know I will get asked for links for the rugs. And too, y’all know me well enough to know I don’t splurge on things that get walked on. Still, I prefer our budget friendly rugs to look high end. I’ve scored highly on ours.
Here is the rug runner we have in our kitchen. I love it and feel it blends in perfectly to our kitchen design.
sAnd the rug runner in our upstair hallway, its one that I found and love to this day. It’s amazing! And, it’s on sale for $40.98!! It’s 2’3″x8′ all in its blue and white glory. You can buy it here.
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Patricia Gibbs says
My problem is with keeping throw rugs in place on a carpeted room to keep heavy traffic areas cleaner. I’ve tried the usual sources of tape, etc. but they don’t keep them in place. My carpet color turned out much lighter than we expected; consequently, traffic areas look terrible and rugs won’t stay in place. Any suggestions?
Brooke Fedigan says
Hi Patricia, that is a challenge for sure. I layer rugs in a couple of our rooms. In one, the double sided carpet tape is doing the trick. In the other, I used a heat activated carpet tape and that has been working as well. Two downfalls to that is I cannot move the rug so I have to spend more time vacuuming the edges where the carpets meet. Second, is it took a little longer for my regular iron to activate the sticky because there was a towel, then the rug, that the heat had to travel through. But I did get it to adhere and so far, so good. I hope this helps.
Susan Hall Cannon says
I must tell you everything looks absolutely beautiful as it is right now! You have such good taste and your using the different types of colors and textures in the rugs so honestly draw a person’s eyes into the room with great expectations of knowing you have something special there for them.
I can’t think of thing I would do different than you have already done.
Brooke Fedigan says
Susan, thank you so much! What a wonderful compliment and I am so honored to receive it!!
xo,
B
elly says
I have the same addiction! Things just have to be aligned/straight/stay in place/et al. The problem is that I put area rugs on top of carpet and, to date, I have found nothing that will keep rugs in place on top of carpet. Believe me, I’ve spent many dollars buyng whatever “they” say is “foolproof,” which it isn’t, of course. So, have you tried this tape on rugs on carpet? Have you found anything at all that will do the job? I sure would appreciate some help cuz my back is hurting already – ;>)
Brooke Fedigan says
Hi Elly! I did have that problem but then I turned to the heat activated tape that the pros use to seam carpets together. I got it at a carpet center and so far, it’s doing the trick!
Gail Sandish says
Hello,
I don’t have any carpeting in my house and am constantly straightening rugs. After having a mess with rug pads that ruined the hardwood under the rugs, I don’t use any rug pads now. As a few of my rugs are reversible, would you know if this tape be easily removed and reapplied?
Thank you!
Brooke Fedigan says
Hi Gail! Yes, the tape that I linked in the post is easily removable!
Elizabeth says
I am in awe of anyone who can put a rug in their kitchen with no concern for spills!