Trying to Hide

Cowhide Rug inside Carolina Herrera's Dressing Room as seen in Domino

I'm almost ashamed to admit my current decorating obsession. After all, I am a vegetarian. (Technically, I'm a pescetarian, but, either way, I definitely don't eat beef.)

However, my heart can't lie. I sincerely adore cowhide rugs.

Zebra Rug from Animal Print Essentials

I seem to be noticing these beauties more and more lately. In bathrooms, dining rooms, living rooms...draped over sofas, banisters, wherever! Personally, I prefer them laying gently on a beautiful hardwood or crisp epoxy floor. Not only does it protect the precious floor, but it also adds personality that you can't get from your every day area rug. These natural (or hopefully synthetic, if I may be so humane) beauties add an eclectic element to all types of decorating styles along with a bit of warmth.

As featured in Southern Living

Originally, I was in love with the zebra print rugs. Something about the graphic print of the black stripes contrasted with stark white seemed fun, youthful and interesting. Then one day I saw several cowhide rugs in Wilmington's most fabulous interior decorating store, Hewitt. I admired them from afar and convinced myself that my two crazy dogs would have the rug covered with mud and general filth in mere moments. But genius decorator (and personal friend) Beth Robinson Bromley explained that cowhide rugs are some of the easiest to maintain and clean. Since it's an animal skin, the rugs simply need to be brushed once in while, as you would a horse or cow, and spot cleaned when and if necessary.

REALLY??

The store had at least five rugs on the floor for customers to freely trample across at their leisure. The owner and salespeople never batted an eye! In fact, Beth told me that at one point they thought a rug was ruined from too much foot traffic. To their pleasant surprise, the dirt came right off with a brush and a shake. How easy is that!

From Britain's House To Home

As you can see, cowhide rugs offer versatility, texture, color and interest. Their shape keeps a room full of corners and straight lines from appearing too harsh. They work everywhere from the bathroom to the dining room. No two rugs are ever the exact same. They can lay gracefully beneath a table or sit alone in a hallway.

Featured in Decor Pad

Perhaps the best news of all about these fun and fabulous rugs is that they come at all price points. Online, I've seen them listed anywhere from almost $900 to around $150. While I'm sure you get what you pay for in this instance especially, wouldn't it be fun to see what such an interesting piece could do to even the most basic house.

Another Interest-Creating Rug from Decor Pad

Bottom line: Just try to hide it.