How to Choose the Right Kitchen Rug

Have you hesitated about placing a rug in your kitchen? You are not alone. A few years ago I did not plan to put a rug in our kitchen. My husband convinced me to get one. He is a chef and his reasoning to buy a kitchen rug made a lot of sense. If you love spending time in your kitchen, get a rug for that space. Rugs add more cushion to hard floors. A kitchen rug will bring more comfort to your feet. It will add more warmth and character to your kitchen space.

I understand if you are hesitant to put a rug in your kitchen because of culinary disasters. Given your concerns, the right construction will help you choose a good kitchen rug. A low pile rug is great for a high-traffic area with culinary mishaps. But there is more to choosing the right kitchen rug than construction. 

Below I share a couple of simple criteria to help you choose the right rug for your kitchen. 

Since keeping your rug clean is important in the kitchen, let’s start with construction. As we’ve shared in How to Choose the Right Area Rug, construction is all about how you plan to use the rug and whether you’d place it in a high-traffic or low-traffic area.

• Since your kitchen is a high-traffic area with lots of opportunities for spills, I recommend you select highly durable rugs that are also easy to clean. 

• To overcome all the culinary disasters, I suggest low-pile rugs or runners made of polypropylene. Indoor outdoor rugs are another excellent option for your kitchen.

Kitchen layouts vary. Depending on your layout, you have a couple of options:

• For kitchens with narrow spaces traditional runners (2.5 x 8 or 12 feet), 2x3, 4x6 and 5x8 work pretty well.

• Runners are good options if you have an island in your kitchen. They make your kitchen look longer.

• For open space kitchen layouts, larger rugs are a good choice - 4x6 sizes and up usually work well but it is best to measure your kitchen.

• When you do your measurements, make sure you leave around 6 inches of space between the edge of your rug and your kitchen wall or cabinet edges. 

When it comes to colors and patterns, the same rule applies to your kitchen rug as it does to rugs you choose for other rooms in your home. 

• The general rule of thumb is to choose a pop of color and a fun design for kitchens with muted, neutral colors and no patterns on the walls, floors or furniture. 

• If your kitchen already has patterned tiles or bright colors, then you might want to tone it down a bit with a more neutral or solid rug. 

You don’t want a kitchen that looks too plain or too busy. The right rug colors and patterns can balance your kitchen decor.

If you are still concerned about spills, consider a machine washable rug.  

Use this checklist to help you get the right kitchen rug for your home. 

We got our kitchen runner a couple of years ago and it is still in a pretty good shape. 

How long have you had your kitchen rug?