The painted chevron rug was a bit daunting, though feasible with a steady hand and patience. It took me a few days to complete; I would suggest breaking the tasks up over the course of a weekend.
{Pssst…If you are looking for the DIY guide on a walk-in closet, see here, here, and here.}
I bought the 4’7” x 6’7” Erslev rug from Ikea for under $40. It was the perfect fit for my space, but you can always buy a larger rug for a bigger room, or a smaller rug for an accent piece. Since it was rolled up, I unrolled the rug and let it lay for a few days to loosen any kinks. Before I began taping the rug, I also vacuumed it to remove any lint.
In the meantime, I measured the dimensions of the rug to determine the size of my template. I wanted a large chevron pattern, so I measured the width of the rug then divided that by two (I only wanted two full zig-zags).
Using a cardboard box, I sketched a template based on my measurements. I used a protractor to measure the interior angle, but seeing as I didn’t ace geometry in high school (and typically skipped any problems that involved “math tools”), my cutout was not precise.
I didn’t have a big enough piece of cardboard, so instead, I re-cut two symmetrical parallelograms out and taped them together.
If done correctly, your template should be exactly ½ of the width of the rug, if you want two full zig-zags.
I then began taping the design, “tracing” the template with the tape, and making sure that I had sharp corners where the tape met. I repeated this process until I had covered the entire rug.
To prevent the paint from bleeding and to create sharp lines, I used FrogTape (found in the painting section at any hardware store) to create my pattern. Before painting, I applied pressure to the tape to ensure that it was sticking to the fabric.
I bought a gallon of interior latex flat paint, but you’ll only need a half gallon of paint for this size rug.
After trying a few techniques, I discovered the most effective way to paint it was to alternate between a 1” and 2” paintbrush. I painted the majority of the zig-zag with the larger brush, then used the smaller brush to paint along the edges and to fill in the crevices.
The paint hardens as it dries, so I suggest not leaving any areas unpainted once you begin (it will look streaky if you paint over it after the paint has dried).
Once you have finished painting, let the rug dry in a cool place (preferably out of the sun). Carefully remove the tape when the paint has dried completely.
I am SO impressed. Cute! :)
Oooh la la I love this! Very cute :) and even cooler because it’s DIY!
This is adorable! Great work girl!!!
So, when can we catch your DIY show?! ;)
Hahaha, this made me laugh! When I was in 4th grade, the show Trading Spaces had just premiered and I became obsessed with it. As a 9 year old, I was convinced that I would be on that show sometime and swap houses with my neighbor for the weekend!
Wow. So crafty. I’m all about DIY things. I just blogged about my birthday collages.
Great stuff! Can’t wait to see more of your ideas!
Oh my gosh that is SO cute! You’re amazing!!!
I love this rug. Random question, but does it smell like paint still?
Thanks! Nope, it doesn’t smell at all!
your closet space is so cute and practical! this is a great idea, does the paint hold up when you use carpet cleaner on it?
Thanks!! I actually have no clue about a carpet cleaner–I would guess that it would affect the paint somewhat, but I’m not sure (I’ve been trying to keep it as clean as possible to avoid this problem!).
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The painted sections, are they hard? Or does it eventually soften like the actual white part of the rug?
The painted sections aren’t soft, but they’re not noticeably hard either. I honestly love the way it turned out and am so glad that I chose to do it myself! Feel free to email me at jimmychoosonthetreadmill@gmail.com if you have any more questions!
Using fabric paint instead of wall paint will make it pliable and then cleanable with gentle cleaners
Thanks for the tip!
I just saw this on pinterest and I have been wanting to do one and this is the BEST one and easiest one I’ve seen…great job…
Thank you so much! Feel free to email me at jimmychoosonthetreadmill@gmail.com if you have any questions–I’d be glad to help!
this. is. FANTASTIC! i am so glad i stumbled upon your tutorial. thanks for posting!
Thank you!
This is amazing!! How much paint did you use?
Thanks! I bought a gallon of paint, but barely used half of it! A lighter color may require more paint, though.
The rug came out perfectly! But I CANNOT stop obsessing over that painting.
Who’s the artist and what’s the name of the piece? :-)
You’ll be shocked to know that the artwork is actually a canvas print from Marshall’s! My sister bought it several months ago for me, but they always carry similar prints–you can try T.J.Maxx, too!
How did you create your little closet area in the top photo?
You can see a full DIY guide here: http://jimmychoosonthetreadmill.com/2012/05/30/how-to-create-your-dream-closet/
Feel free to email me at jimmychoosonthetreadmill@gmail.com if you have any other questions!
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It looks great!! I also bought the Erslev rug to do a similar project, but mine is so creased and wrinkled. I draped it over my banister in hopes that it would straighten out but it still looks so ripply. Did you iron yours somehow to get it to lie so flat?
I love your rug! But I would like to know how you organized your closet like that, did you buy the materials? or did you make it yourself?
Thanks, Lesly! I bought a closet organizer that I built myself and installed against a wall in the room. I’ve written a few posts on the process, you can read them here, here, and here.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
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the erslev rug isn’t available anymore, any suggestions for a replacement?
I’ve been trying to locate a similar rug, but unfortunately I’ve only found ones that are much more expensive than the erslev. A flat, woven rug is your best option as it is the easiest to paint. I will follow up if I find one!
What kind of rug is this? I tried to find the rug you used from ikea but they don’t sell it anymore! What kind of rug would you recommend using?
The Ikea erslev is a flat, woven rug–I would recommend something similar as it’s the easiest to paint. I’m trying to track down an alternative (I even called Ikea to ask if they would bring back the erslev rug–no luck!), so I will be sure to let you know if I find another option!
Does the paint chip off? Is it fabric paint?imnew to DYI projects but this looks awesome and easy enough!!
Nope, the paint doesn’t chip at all! I used regular wall paint (interior flat latex) and it worked perfectly. DIY can be fun, but frustrating! Stick with it, and it will turn out for you. Let me know if you have any other questions–I’m happy to help!