Yes, this is another rug post. Our old hardwood floors are notorious for giving splinters, so rugs have become a practical and decorative priority in our living room. Rugs are one of the easiest ways to define a space, soften the room, and make it family-friendly, so we usually introduce them early in a room’s design. After moving our 5 x 8′ yellow rug from the guest room to give Clara a play area while we hunted for a larger rug that would suit our oversized sectional (aka Karl), we finally found one we loved and pulled the trigger.
We ordered a large, textured, bright wool rug from Overstock (their playful marketing aside, we’ll call it The O). It’s an 8 x 11′ shag made from hand-felted New Zealand wool with a plush, thick pile—exactly the durable, soft surface we want for a high-traffic family living room. The description’s phrase “Trip out on pure, green hand-spun felted New Zealand wool” made us smile, and the five-star reviews praising the color and plush texture sealed the deal. Reviewers described the tuft thickness in a way that made us picture very substantial pile—ideal for crawling toddlers and lounging adults alike.
The rug cost $424.99 plus $2.95 shipping, bringing our total to $427.95. That’s more than we usually spend, but still less than many comparable large wool rugs, which often fall in the $600–$1,200 range. For comparison, similar offerings from higher-end retailers like West Elm were smaller and significantly pricier. We decided it was worth investing a little more to get something we hoped would last a long time—soft, natural wool that won’t off-gas, and a color bright enough to lift the room without showing every little stain.
Durability and ease of cleaning were big factors in our choice. We’re not fans of high-maintenance rugs, and a friend with a similar shag wool rug swears it stands up to kids and pets. Crumbs and dirt come out with a quick vacuum, and, if a stubborn stain occurs, trimming a few long tufts can often lift the mark without being noticeable. That kind of practical resilience matters when you have a toddler, a dog, and plans for growing the family in the coming years.
To confirm the size would work in our 25 x 15′ living room, we mapped out the 8 x 11′ footprint on the floor with green painter’s tape. That helped visualize how the rug would sit under and around our sectional, and made it clear this larger size would anchor the seating area better than the smaller rug did. The color choice was driven by the room’s existing palette—dark sectional upholstery, pewter walls, and gray ceiling beams—so a bold, warm rug felt like a way to move the room from cold and monochrome to lively and layered, without choosing anything so light it’d show every mishap.
We’ll always love our smaller gray-and-yellow Pottery Barn rug—Old Yeller—and it’s not going anywhere. It’s been reassigned to the guest room where its 5 x 8′ size is more appropriate and it can still shine without battling a massive sectional. But for the main living area we wanted a rug that could handle daily life while giving the room personality and softness underfoot.
We’re excited for the rug’s arrival—Overstock is known for quick shipping—so we should have photos to share soon. Once the rug is in place it will inform the next layer of our living room design: curtains, lamps for the console we plan to build behind Karl, and other accessories. The plan is lots of texture, a balance of light and dark gray, pops of bold color, and mixed patterns to keep the space cozy, durable, and visually interesting.
Have you ordered a large wool shag rug recently? Any tips on maintenance or styling with a big sectional?