12.01.2011

The Rug I Bought Online, and a Kitten Story (Surprise)

I feel silly writing a post about a rug. So how about I say instead that this post is about A) buying a rug online, B) saving money on a rug that you buy online, and C) kittens. (What else is new in a day in the life of Erin, right?)

I mentioned in this post that we were shopping for an area rug for our bedroom, and we ended up buying the 8x10 Sierra Paddle rug in ivory from Rugs USA.

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While I really liked some of the other rugs with more of a pattern, this one ultimately won because:

1. This one was in our budget. At the time of purchase, it was 30% off with free shipping, putting it right into our range. Two days after I bought it, though, it went on sale for 50% off with free shipping. I decided, in my indignation, to be a squeaky wheel and contact them for a price adjustment. Happily, a kind manager decided to honor it. (As a side note, Rick did the same squeaky wheel-ish thing when we bought our sink at Overstock.com and then shortly after saw that the price had gone down. They also honored our request for a price adjustment.) Basically, we’ve learned that it never hurts to ask for a price adjustment, because the worst they can say is “No you gave us your money once and we are keeping every last cent, bahaha too bad for you, suckers” only in a nicer way, maybe.

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2. I’ve learned the following about myself since owning a house: I love LOOKING at rooms full of color and pattern and boldness, but I don’t like LIVING in rooms full of color and pattern and boldness. (Which is why our living room has evolved back to black and white with cool blues and grays.) I just get tired of the bright and bold things so easily, so I wanted something neutral. A solid-colored rug was out, though, because I did want some texture. This choice of rug seems to lean more toward “timeless” instead of toward the killer “I-love-its-trendiness-for-a-year-center-of-attention” side of area rugs. This way, I can rotate other colors and patterns in and out of the room via small, inexpensive accents. Again, just my preference.

3. It’s a flattering backdrop for deceptively innocent kitten portraits.

DSC_0444Trust me, I’m cute.

The verdict on my online rug purchase? This time, it was a win. The rug arrived 3 business days after I ordered it, which was a pleasant surprise. I’m happy with the quality and foot-friendliness of the rug, and the color and texture are both exactly as pictured online. 

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As you can see in the above photo, we’re having some trouble getting the one edge to lay flat, but that’s partly because a resident small feline keeps stashing beheaded mousies under there and then digging them out like a madwoman, usually sometime around 4 AM. Rick’s old pharmacy textbooks are attempting to correct this curling edge problem.

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That book could kill someone. By having them read it OR by having it hurled at them. A versatile weapon, I’d say.

Speaking of resident small felines, though, Zoe has also been up to some other tricks lately in addition to her mouse-stashing-at-dawn antics. Take this hole, for example:

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What is it and why is it covered in cat hair, you ask? Well. It seems she has taken it upon herself to personally turn the bottom of our box spring into Swiss cheese.

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One minute, it’s a relaxing place to lounge, sort of like a hammock for the small and furry…

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…and the next minute it’s a critical element in quasi-successful sneak attacks on sisters.

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See? This is why I love having my kitties around. They never fail to make me smile. Except at 4 AM, of course. At that hour, I can only muster a sort of foggy grimace at best. But my mom says that’s just getting me ready to be a REAL mommy to a REAL baby that has neither tail nor claws nor a propensity for carrying around packing peanuts in their mouth, but will still probably wake me up at 4 AM at least once…or twice…

Have you ever bought a rug online? What was your verdict on the “experience”? Has your pet destroyed anything lately in the name of fun and games?

23 comments :

  1. Love the pattern and texture of your rug. The pics of your kitty are hilarious! My kitty is also a mischief maker at 4 am. It's a good thing they're so cute.

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  2. oh i am with you and learned the same about myself- love looking not living! :) though i like little splashes of color here and there. :)

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  3. I'm a fellow love the look of bold colors but don't like living with them. They make me all nervous.

    I love how naughty kittens are. At least most of them start sleeping their lives away after about a year.

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  4. I love that rug. I need to check out Rugs USA - sounds like they have great deal.

    And yes, my pets are up to no good. A certain little 11 month old kitten in my house seems to think the Christmas tree was put up to be her own personal playground. Sigh...the poor tree has no chance at making it to Christmas. There are some pics on the blog.

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  5. I have purchased many items online but never a rug. One reason is that I don't trust the coloring you see on a computer. I would be worried that it would arrive and be some hideous shade that would not work in my house. But your choice and what you received looks great in your bedroom so I shouldn't be so negative.
    We have 3 mischievious furry creatures that made swiss cheese of our box springs. I was worried we would hurt them unintentionally when we got in bed. We ended up putting a board between the bed frame and the box springs to keep them out.

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  6. Fievel has discovered the Christmas tree and the glories of both climbing to the top to get a people's-eye-view of the living room and of hiding in the lower branches to spring attacks on an unsuspecting passersby.

    He chooses to do the climbing bit around 3 am. This causes puppy (in her crate by my bed) to think someone is breaking into the house and bark like mad. This causes me to hide under the covers until I fall back asleep because what if someone is breaking into the house?

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  7. The kitties! I die. I love how mischievious they are!

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  8. The kitten in box springs story is so familiar! We recently heard our kitty meowing, but couldn't find her. We did eventually find her, in the box springs! Oh curious cats!

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  9. The rug looks great! We bought our living room rug from Overstock and it was a win, but I'm still nervous to do it again. I can't believe your diabolical kitty hides IN the box spring!

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  10. Sadly, I've never found a rug company that would deliver to Canada. Awesome score!! OMG, your cat is hysterical. I would never of thought of hiding in a boxspring but I just might now.

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  11. 2 things.
    1. every time you post about your kitties I want one.

    2. Your whole point about love looking at bright rooms but don't like living in them...I think that is ME and I didn't even know it until I read that!! I am totally going to think about that now more as I go forward with this house!

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  12. Your kitty is too funny.. and super cute as well :) Love the new rug!

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  13. It would never occur to me to contact a company for a price adjustment. Great tip!

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  14. I love that rug, it's so interesting yet not loud!

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  15. Oh, your little kitty is too cute :)
    I'm the exact opposite of you. I drool over monochromatic rooms in blogs and magazines, but try as I might, I just can't make it happen in my own house. I get anxious, run out to the nearest store, and buy the first decorative object I find in bright red or yellow. Never fails.

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  16. Ha! I love your kitty...how funny is that?! Your rug is super cute, and I am going to keep the price matching thing in mind. Thanks for sharing!

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  17. I'm debating purchasing the same rug and when I searched for it I came across your blog! Now I'll be following your blog : )
    I can't really tell if the background color in the rug is black? Does the rug read as black and ivory when you look at it or does the darker color just show the depth of the design? Does that make sense, lol! Thanks!

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    1. Looks black to me, however I'd like to hear it from the "horses mouth" as well!

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    2. Hey jwilli; I'll tell you the same thing I sent Teresa:

      The background color of the rug is black, but isn’t at the same “pile” height as the ivory, so it basically just shows the depth of the design. When I look at it, I see the texture, not ivory and black. IF that makes sense. :) Hope this helps!

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    3. Yep, perfect description! Thank you!

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    4. No problem! Glad I could help! :)

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  18. Thanks for the comment on my blog! I am new at blogging--really just want to show my family (which is all over the US) my first house! I also love your cats!

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