This page includes affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I personally vet.
This post is all about how to make a painted rug. I teach what kind of paint to use, how to make a stencil, and tips for a designer-looking painted rug.
This page includes affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I personally vet.
I have been wanting the Erin Gates Momeni Orchard rug FOREVER, but I just cannot justify paying $389 for a runner rug. I saw it at Home Goods one day and almost purchased it but I put it down (dumb me), and then when I went back for it, it was gone! Learned my lesson that time. Ever since then, I have been thinking about this rug. Does that ever happen to you? That’s how you know you really want something! Still, almost $400 for a runner rug was insane with a dog that will trek all over it.
Recently I learned about a technique to paint rugs using acrylic paint! I thought, hmmm, I could finally make that rug I’ve always wanted. I scouted out jute rugs that use as my base and found this one on sale at Bed Bath and Beyond for $38. With coupons and credits, I think I paid like $20 for this rug. Okay first check point – I can do this affordably! Next, I went to Hobby Lobby to get some supplies for the paint.
I am so excited to share with you how this DIY painted jute rug turned out. This might be my favorite DIY project so far because it looks so much like the actual designer look!
How to Make a Painted Rug
My step-by-step technique to paint a rug using acrylic paint is pretty simple, and you only need just a few supplies and materials. The KEY for turning acrylic paint into fabric paint is mixing it with Textile Medium, which turns it into fabric paint. Many of the acrylic paint brands make a Textile Medium or you can pick up any kind at your local craft store.
Materials
- Jute Rug (this is the exact rug I used from Bed, Bath, & Beyond)
- Acrylic Paint
- Textile Medium
- Stencil
- Stencil Brush
I purchased most of my supplies, except for the rug, at Hobby Lobby since I live right next to them. But I also linked some of the same items from Amazon above.
How to Make a Stencil?
Now, you can buy a stencil and totally skip this part. But I had such a specific design in mind that I wanted to make my own. I used Canva to design the cornflower into a 6 inch wide stencil. I cut the design out with my Cricut and then traced it onto a piece of cardstock to cut out.
I tried using the Cricut stencil paper but realized since it was sticky on the back that it wasn’t going to work over and over again. This is why I traced it onto cardstock. It worked well enough for this project!
If you want to use the design I made to create your stencil, you can download it below!
How to Turn Acrylic Paint into Fabric Paint?
It’s easy to turn acrylic paint into fabric paint! The secret to using acrylic paint on fabric-like surfaces, such as canvas, rugs, and clothing, is to add Textile Medium. Textile Medium turns acrylic paint into a fabric paint instantly! It is a permanent solution that doesn’t make the painted fabric feel stiff like it would with regular paint.
Follow the instructions on the back of the bottle to mix appropriate parts of acrylic paint and Textile Medium. Mix it up and you’re ready to start painting fabric!
For the jute rug I painted, I mixed white acrylic paint with Textile Medium.
How to Paint a Jute Rug?
Once the stencil was made and the paint was mixed, I was ready to start painting my jute rug. I did not put a tarp or sheet down under my rug, and definitely should have! So don’t make the same mistake as me, and add a backing to protect your floors from any paint. Otherwise, you’ll be scraping off paint from your hardwoods…not fun!
Luckily jute rugs have a geometric design that allowed me to easily measure distances between the designs. I started by placing the stencil in the bottom left of my rug and using a stamp brush, painted within the stencil right on the rug. Then I moved to the bottom right of the rug and did the same thing. Then I added the stencil in between the two to get the middle stencil.
Once I painted the first row of flowers, counted up how many squares on the jute rug (it was 4 for my design), and centered two flowers between the three in the bottom row. I continued stamping my design alternating three and two flowers in each row until I got to the top.
I only added 1 coat of paint on my rug, but you can add more to make the design more opaque.
Once you’re done painting, let the rug dry for at least 4 hours before walking on it and then style it where you please within your home. I added our painted rug into our entryway alongside the grasscloth console table I made (check out how to in this post).
Overall, I spent less than $30 on creating this design look-a-like rug and it turned out so cute!! DIY WIN!
If you give this painted rug technique a try, let me know in the comments! I would love to see your painted designs.
This page includes affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I personally vet.
