Whenever I need a new rug for a room, FLOR is one of the first places I look — and with good reason. I can always trust that their products are eco-friendly in a variety of ways, and that there will always be new designs for me to peruse. This summer is no exception. I am loving the bold, graphic new designs from FLOR’s summer collection.

Lasting Grateness

My personal favorite is the beautiful Lasting Grateness. It is the kind of rug that can either make a room, or work well with the statement pieces you already own. The black and white color palette leaves endless room for bold accent colors, and it’s really hard to “mess up” black and white.

Filligreed

A close second is Filigreed. The black and white color palette continues, this time with a black background and bold white flourishes on top.

Line by Line

If you’re feeling ultra-modern, you’ll love Line by Line, and striped work of art that resembles the graphics you’ll see when there’s a “test” on your favorite TV station. How great would this be under a bright white, vintage tulip table surrounded by Eames chairs? I can see it now!

Of course, there are options with less contrast as well, with names to match. If you want something more neutral, you’ll like the next three designs:

Soft Spoken

Lacebark

Suit Yourself

Reoriented

And if you have a thing for oriental rugs, FLOR has something for you, too. Reoriented is their modern take on a traditional concept. Like most FLOR designs, the finished look is more of a patchwork than a seamless design, but the edges of the tiles are less obvious with this design because of the overdyed colors. Available in lavender, teal and pink, it is definitely not your grandmother’s oriental rug.

Surprise Giveaway!

As always, FLOR has something for everyone — me included. While none of these designs work in my new apartment, I did find something in their catalog that I loved, and FLOR was kind enough to send me a rug from one of their previous collections. I’ll give you a couple of hints:

• It is bold and graphic.
• It is a 2-color design, including a a color I’ve been saying I wanted to use.
• If you search my site for “FLOR,” you’re bound to find it!

Can you guess which FLOR design it is? I have a special prize from my own pocket for one reader who correctly identifies the FLOR rug design I chose! Leave your guess in the comments below, and I’ll choose a winner randomly from all those who guess the correct design. You have until 11:59 p.m. Monday, July 11, 2011 to enter, and you can guess as many times as you’d like. Just leave a separate comment for each guess. U.S. mailing addresses only! I won’t say what the prize is, but I will say that it’s something special!

I’ll reveal my pick and the giveaway winner next week, and I’ll show you how this rug inspired my new dining room design!

Why It’s Green:

• FLOR products are made with renewable and recycled content
• Fully recyclable via FLOR’s Return & Recycle program
• Products are low-VOC
• More than 90 percent of FLOR’s product line is made in the U.S.

Price: $10.99-14.99/tile; Starting at about $200 for a premade rug

Disclosure: FLOR provided me with a rug.

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

I can’t be the only one who looks forward to West Elm’s announcements that they’ve released new products. My excitement is doubled, however, because of the fact that West elm is one of the mainstream retailers of home goods that seems to be truly committed to providing greener product options for their customers. To be sure, this doesn’t apply to their entire product selection, but they consistently include products that are sustainable in some way.

Here are some of my favorite green products from their latest release:

1. Stria Bed and Storage Collection, $299-999. Made in India of  reclaimed solid saal wood drawer fronts, solid mango and acacia wood frame. The wood was reclaimed from railway trestles, and the irregular, stacked wood look is fabulous!

2. Organic Reflections Duvet Cover + Shams, $24.00 – $109.00. Made of organic cotton. Thankfully, you can also snag organic cotton comforter and pillow inserts from WE.

3. Poppy Seeds Pillow Cover, $29.00. Made of hemp.

4. Dexter Outdoor Dining Collection, $199-1295. Warmer weather means more time spent outside, and this collection of patio furniture is a beautiful incentive to do so. Made of solid FSC-certified wood.

5. Stray Dog Designs Side Table and Chandelier, $149. Handmade of papier-mâché made of recycled newpaper.

6. Organic Lily Pad Duvet + Shams, $24–$109. Made of organic cotton.

7. Recycled-Glass Stacking Vases and Votive Holders, $4-19. Made in Spain of recycled glass.

Beautiful, though not as green as I’d like

1. Jaipur Printed Dhurrie Rug, $29-199. Handwoven in India of 80% wool, 20% cotton.

2. Rainbow Napkins, $16. These are eco-friendly if they replace paper napkins, but I wish they were made of organic cotton or some other sustainable material.

There are more, but those are my picks. What do you think of West Elm’s sustainable product line? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

A longtime fan of FLOR, I am always excited when they debut new designs. Their Spring 2011 products do not disappoint.

Haute Stuff

This is my favorite of the new designs. Each carpet square combines two very different textures, and each set contains two FLOR squares. One square features an area of soft shag in the center, which is bordered by a frame of smooth felt. The other carpet square is the reverse, with felt in the center, framed by shag. The result is a beautiful, textured effect that must be heavenly under your feet. And even better, it is available in 8 different color combinations.

The other designs:

Fine Feathers

Feed Your Sole

Xstatic

Rake Me Over

Why It’s Green:

• FLOR products are made with renewable and recycled content
• Fully recyclable via FLOR’s Return & Recycle program
• Products are low-VOC
• More than 90 percent of FLOR’s product line is made in the U.S.

Price: $11.99-26.99/tile; Starting at about $200 for a premade rug

Win a Haute Stuff rug!

FLOR has generously offered my readers a chance to win a 5′ x 7′ Haute Stuff rug in the color of your choice. Keep in mind that this particular design comes in 8 different color combinations, so you’re bound to find something that works in your home. Want to win?

There are several ways to enter:

MANDATORY ENTRY: Leave a comment here telling me what color Haute Stuff rug you’d choose if you won. (NOTE: None of your other entries will count if you don’t do this first)

BONUS ENTRIES!

1. Like FLOR AND Green Your Decor on Facebook. Then come back here and leave a comment with your Facebook name.
2. Follow @FLOR_ AND @greenyourdecor on Twitter. Then come back here and leave a comment letting me know.
3. Vote for my daughter in the Small Moments photo contest. You can vote once a day, and you can enter EACH TIME you vote. So please vote daily, then leave a comment letting me know that you voted. You’ll receive an entry for each vote.
4. If you haven’t already, sign up for Green Your Decor’s email updates by 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, February 21, 2010. You must verify your email subscription to be eligible. Current subscribers must leave a comment saying that you are a subscriber to be entered.
5. If you’d prefer to receive your updates via RSS, sign up for the GYD feed. Then please leave a comment letting me know that you’ve done so, and be sure to include your email address. RSS-only subscribers are anonymous otherwise.

You have 6 ways to enter, with up to 20 possible entries per person, and the giveaway entry period ends at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, February 21, 2010. U.S. mailing addresses only! A winner will be chosen via Random.org and contacted via email. Good luck everyone!

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

I fell in love with Flor’s gorgeous carpet tiles way back when they were making mostly solid colors. I loved the idea that I could build geometric patterns that looked exactly the way I wanted, and that the carpet tiles came with the ease of being able to wash individual ones as needed. So when I saw these new patterns, I fell in love all over again. They WILL defy your idea of what carpet tiles look like.

Lest you think I can’t spell, my favorite of the new designs is Sophistikat (hence the headline). I’ve mentioned on more than one occasion how infatuated I am with Ikat. From the 5 bold color schemes (cobalt, hazel, palm, barley & pewter) to the huge scale of the pattern, Flor really got this one right. Even more beautiful is the fact that you can vary the pattern to make it look however you’d like, illustrated by the two images above.

More of the new designs:

Makin Waves

Posh Croc

Mag-Neat-O

Road to Damaskus

More Rockin

Why It’s Green:

• FLOR products are made with renewable and recycled content
• Fully recyclable via FLOR’s Return & Recycle program
• Products are low-VOC
• More than 90 percent of FLOR’s product line is made in the U.S.

Price: $13.99-24.99/tile; Starting at about $200 for a premade rug

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

One of the things I’ve been thinking a lot about lately is child labor. It is easy to turn a blind eye to the conditions that children in the poorest countries must live with on a daily basis because we are so accustomed to living comfortably in the U.S. But the fact is that many children work for little or no money in horrible work environments that I can’t even imagine a dog working in, much less my own child. Even if you don’t have children of your own, it’s hard not to empathize with that.

That is why I love third-party certification programs like GoodWeave. From their website:

GoodWeave™ works through its certification program to end illegal child labor in the carpet industry and to offer educational opportunities to children in South Asia. GoodWeave was founded on a simple premise: If enough people demand certified child-labor-free rugs, manufacturers will employ only skilled, adult artisans, and children will no longer be exploited in the carpet industry.

GoodWeave is raffling a beautiful rug donated by Florence Broadhurst Handmade Rugs — Japanese Floral in Saffron (yellow, shown above), measuring 8’ x 10’ and retailing at $9,000 and certified child-labor-free. It is hand-woven in Nepal from Tibetan wool, silk, and natural fibers. The image below shows the rug in two other colorways so you can get an idea of how it would look in a room. Each raffle ticket you purchase supports GoodWeave’s campaign to end child labor in the handmade rug industry and school scholarships for these children.

Raffle tickets cost $25 apiece and are available through October 9. The more tickets you buy, the more you get for free. Ie. You can get 5 tickets for $100 (instead of 4), 12 for $200, and 30 for $500. The drawing will be held at the GoodWeave USA offices on October 13. You need not be present to win.

You can also use the GoodWeave website to find certified rugs available for purchase.

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

A few weeks ago, I sent out a tweet about one of my favorite catalogs:

I know that many design enthusiasts eagerly anticipate when stores like IKEA and Pottery Barn release their catalogs and new products. And while I like to ogle these catalogs and can appreciate the fabulous design, I’m much more excited when companies like Viva Terra debut new products. Why? Because I know they have been sustainably made and I can feel good about buying anything I discover that I can’t live without

I ventured over to the Viva Terra site today, and I found LOTS that I am really excited about. Here are some of my favorites:

Eco Sectional Sleeper: Made with a certified sustainable wood frame, water-based wood finishes, recycled fiber filling in the pillows, soy-based filling in the cushions, and organic cotton ticking with tufted buttons framed by linen. $4950. (aff)

Etched Silver Armoire: LOVE this! It’s not quite as green as I would like, given that it’s made with German silver, but it is also made with reclaimed wood. $995. (aff)

Flowing Script Chair: Made of recycled metal and upholstered in linen. $349. (aff)

Vintage Kantha Upholstered Chair: The patchwork fabric is handmade by Indian artisans from vintage cotton saris. The chair also features organic linen upholstery fabric, recycled fibers, down pillow fill, and certified kiln-dried hardwood frames. $2595-2695. (aff)

Meadowflower Rug: I can remember watching my mother crochet blankets and Christmas ornaments as a little girl, and this rug reminds me of that. The flowers are delicately handmade, but the color scheme and randomly shaped edges give the rug a modern look. Hand-crocheted of wool. $395-795. (aff)

Moroccan Hanging Lamps: Do I even need to explain why these caught my eye? Handmade of recycled aluminum. $149-449. (aff)

Ikat Dinnerware: I had to save the best for last. I LOVE this dinnerware! This is the type of setting I could easily see passing down to my kids. Handmade by an artisan ceramicist. $98-349. (aff)

There are many more new items that I’d like to share, but you can check them out for yourself at the Find natural home décor, unique women’s accessories, elegant dinnerware, organic gifts and more at VivaTerra site. Seriously, I think this is one of my favorite product debuts in a while.

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Some people are against using area rugs on top of wall-to-wall carpet, but if you’re a renter like me and have no choice about your flooring, you can likely appreciate the power of an area rug to transform an otherwise boring space. Not to mention that it is covering up carpet that may not have been changed through several tenants. These maize rugs from World Market are both stylish and affordable, currently on sale for just $20.

I have never felt a rug made of maize, but from the looks of it, the texture is probably similar to jute. In other words, it probably won’t be the most comfortable surface. However, it looks like it would be great in a high-traffic area, or maybe under a round dinner table where you may not want to put an expensive rug anyway — especially if you have spill-prone kids. At this price point for a 5-foot round rug, it wouldn’t be expensive to find out.

There are four colors to choose from (red, green, brown and blue).

Why It’s Green:

• Made of woven maize

Price: $19.99 (on sale from $29.99)

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Dark blue has been on my “must have” list lately. Although I’d originally planned to find something to paint, I may have to reconsider. The Organic Indigo Collection from Zen Deluxe is like something from a green dream. Finding gorgeous, eco-friendly linens in indigo isn’t impossible, but it’s definitely a challenge. This collection single-handedly changed that.

Each piece is available separately, so you can go subtle with a pillow cover, rug or lamp shade, or combine several of these elements for a look that is both cohesive and eclectic, as seen in the first photo. Personally, I think having all of them in one space would be overkill, but the ability to mix and match to your desired saturation is awesome.

Available pieces: Duvet cover (king, queen or twin), 4 different pillowcase styles, rug (small or large), accent pillow cover, kimono robe, curtain panels, beehive lamp shade, and Euro pillow cover.

Why It’s Green:

• All textiles made of organic cotton
• Dyed with natural Indigo
• Fair Trade

Price: $22-272

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Am I the only one who is frustrated by the idea that so many home builders and apartment communities insist on installing wall-to-wall carpeting? I understand that it is the most cost-effective flooring option, but I’d rather have stained concrete than carpet. In fact, I’d prefer to have almost ANY flooring surface. If, like me, you’re stuck with carpet, at least for the meantime, you’ll be happy to know that it is completely acceptable to put an area rug on top of a carpet. It will help to define your sitting area and, as a bonus, cover up any unsightly stains on the carpet below. I’m always inspired by decor that is brilliantly colorful, but still subtle enough to work with lots of decorating styles. This beautiful recycled felt rug from Urban Outfitters is one of those pieces.

From afar, it looks like a brilliant piece of abstract art, with colors mixed seamlessly together. Up close, it is just as flawless, though I imagine it will be a little fuzzy to the touch in person. It is available in three colorways, all equally beautiful, though I’m partial to Quarry Sunset (red) and Quarry Turquoise. The process used to create the design is called Lamontage. The fibers are locked together and compacted so they become tightly woven, and no two rugs will be exactly alike.

The rugs are made of recycled acrylic felt, as opposed to natural wool felt, so I wouldn’t recommend them if you have chemical sensitivities. And much like all the other housewares at Urban Outfitters, it would work best in a smaller space, since it’s only 3.5′ x 5.5′. But if those conditions work for you, this is a great option for a unique rug that will make your room shine, even if it is covered in carpet.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of recycled acrylic felt

Price: $148

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

This is the last hint I’ll give before I finally reveal the patio makeover you’ve all been waiting for so patiently. One of the very last things on my shopping list was a doormat.  Yes, it is completely functional, but there was no reason I couldn’t hold out for one that is also beautiful and green as well. I did a lot of searching on the internet for sustainably-made doormats.

For the most part, that will either mean they are made of coir, which is made from discarded coconut shells, or recycled rubber. I wasn’t fond of the idea of recycled rubber, so I’d been looking for coir. These mats caught my eye early on, but it turns out that none of them worked with the final color scheme of the patio decor. Still, they are so beautiful that I had to share my find.

Available in 3 colors schemes with 3 patterns for each colorway, these heavy duty coir doormats are definitely something special. And the best part is the price. At just $17 apiece, it would be reasonable to buy more than one to switch out your mat as your mood or outdoor decor changes. It’s really hard to say which colorway is my favorite, what with the graphic floral and damask patterns and elements on each, but I think I’m leaning toward the blue series. Some of the patterns are currently sold out, but there are enough others to go around.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of coir

Price: $16.99 per doormat in the red, black & white and blue colorways

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

I’ve always loved the look and idea of a bamboo rug, but I’ve always been cautious about whether it would be practical in an active home environment and whether it would be comfortable to walk on. I’m not talking about bamboo that has been chemically processed down to a soft, cushy fiber, but rugs made of bamboo slats that are much closer to their natural state. Thanks to BambooandTikis.com, I got a chance to test out whether this type of rug is really practical, and whether it would really work with my decor or make it look like a sad attempt at an Asian theme.

I’m happy to report that I had no problems integrating the rug with the rest of my decor. In fact, it is so neutral that I could literally put it in any room and it would be happily at home there. For now, it resides in my bedroom, partially to add style to our somewhat boring space, but also to hide some stains on the carpet underneath it. That’s what I call working double time While the rug does add a distinctly Asian flair to our room, it does so with subtlety, so it doesn’t reek of a themed design.

And in terms of comfort, I love it. It makes me feel like, just for a few steps, I’m living with a beautiful bamboo floor instead of a dingy old carpet that needs to be torn out. So until we’re able to replace all the carpet with luxurious bamboo or sustainable hardwood flooring, I wouldn’t mind having a couple more of these around to give me the same sense of luxury without the price.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of 100% organic Moso bamboo. (Note: Bamboo naturally grows without pesticides, but as the material becomes more popular, many growers are beginning to use pesticides to increase profitability. These rugs use organic bamboo that is allowed to reach maturity before it is harvested)

Price: $15.99-94.99

(review)

WANT TO WIN?

One reader has a chance to win their own 36″ x 48″ (or 3′ x 4′) bamboo rug. So how do you win? Visit BambooandTikis.com, then come back here and leave a comment about something you liked or learned. It could be a product or something you learned about the company. Do this by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, June 5, 2009, to enter.

Want to enter more than once? Boost your chances of winning by completing one or more of the tasks on this list. Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

1. If you haven’t already, sign up for Green Your Decor’s email updates by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, June 5, 2009. You must verify your email subscription to be eligible. After you sign up, FeedBurner will send you a verification email. Please do not ignore it — your entry will be invalid if you do not verify. From now on, subscribers will no longer be entered automatically. This will help me avoid choosing a winner who is a subscriber, but who doesn’t necessarily want a specific prize. If you are an email subscriber and you want to be entered, please leave a comment saying that you are an email subscriber and interested in this giveaway. Subscribers will not be entered automatically. You must leave a comment saying that you are a subscriber in order to enter.
2. If you’d prefer to receive your updates via RSS, sign up for the GYD feed. Then please leave a comment letting me know that you’ve done so, and be sure to include your email address. RSS subscribers are anonymous otherwise. This will let me know that you want to be entered in this giveaway.
3. Blog about GreenYourDecor.com and post a link to your blog entry here.
4. Stumble or give a thumbs up to any page at GreenYourDecor.com via StumbleUpon and post a link to your SU profile to verify your thumbs up.
5. Fave Green Your Decor on Technorati. Then come back here and leave a comment with your Technorati user name so I can verify it.
6. Follow Green Your Decor on Twitter. Then tweet about GYD or this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

You have until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, June 5, 2009, to enter. U.S. mailing addresses only! A winner will be chosen via Random.org and contacted via email. Good luck everyone!

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

I am getting restless about finishing up the patio makeover that began a few weeks ago with a Green Room in a Box plan. I’d been searching high and low for a couple of key accessories to finish the look that were both affordable and eco-friendly. The two that had eluded me most successfully? An outdoor rug and sustainable accent pillows. Thanks to some late-night searching, I think I finally may have found a rug that works.

The Melange Recycled Outdoor Floor Mats are made of recycled plastic, which means that they are durable. They are also made by a company I know of and respect, Koko Company, which also makes beautiful eco-friendly pillows. At less than $50, the price is certainly right, as is the size. The only thing that gives me pause is the color. I wanted to purchase the accent pillows before buying a rug to make sure they coordinated. But at this rate, I may be better off buying the rug first.

Does anyone have suggestions on a color that would work in this space? I have a choice of red, green and blue, and I’m leaning toward the red or the blue. We put down red mulch last weekend to replace the black recycled rubber mulch that is there now.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of recycled plastic
• Made by Koko Company, which is committed to sustainability

Price: $49.50/ea. (aff)

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

As idealistic as I was when I started Green Your Decor, I always had a nagging question in the back of my head. Would I eventually run out of products and designers to write about? Would the trend toward greener living eventually fade into the past? Would everyone just go back to doing things the “conventional” way, chemicals and all?

It is product designers like Jenny Lee-Katz who give me renewed hope that the future — for me and everyone else — is indeed a greener one.

According to her site, Katz always had a love for textiles and design, but was appalled at the amount of waste created by the manufacturing process. She soon discovered that instead of the traditional dyeing process, textiles could printed digitally with eco-friendly pigment dyes that are printed directly onto the surface of the fabric, leaving almost no waste.

Jenny has taken care to make sure that every conceivable aspect of her products are eco-friendly and easy on the Earth. And on top of the great respect I have for this attitude toward the environment, her textiles are absolutely, drop-dead gorgeous. Her collection includes beautiful printed fabrics made of hemp, organic cotton and linen, and a variety of housewares utilizing these fabrics, including throw pillows and eco-friendly floor cloths, a great alternative to an area rug. Also in the works is a line of kid-friendly prints and matching products, along with a collection of beautifully designed handbags.

Is there anything Jenny Lee-Katz can’t do? That remains to be seen, but I’ll definitely be keeping my eye on her site.

Why It’s Green:

• Textiles printed with pigment inks on organic cotton canvas, hemp and linen
• Non-slip rug pads are plant-based
• Floor cloths finished with an ultra-low VOC, soy-based protective coating
• Bags finished with a water-based sealant

Pricing

• Fabrics: $90/yard
• Floor Cloths: $170-470
  
• Pillows/Pillow Covers: $126-160
  

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

I love a beautiful area rug as much as the next guy. In fact, I have been known to hate a home because it comes with wall-to-wall carpeting, one of the least eco-friendly floor coverings you can possibly have, no matter what it’s made of. Still, with area rugs, I want to make sure it is made of a sustainable material like bamboo, jute or, ideally, wool. Of course, nearly all of the beautiful wool rugs that have captured my attention come attached to prohibitively high price tags. Since I’m not very hopeful that I’ll find a used wool rug that fits both my taste and my budget, I’m always on the lookout for a good rug sale.

If there’s one designer whose name is at the very top of my wool rug list, it’s Angela Adams, whose rugs are all Rugmark certified, meaning that no illegal child labor was used in the manufacture process. And right now, ALL Angela Adams rugs are on sale for 35% off at Unica home. That 35% is a pretty penny when taken off a 8′ x 10′ rug that originally cost $995. The rugs come in a variety of sizes, including. 2.5′ x 8′ runners, 5 ‘ x8′ and the smaller, more affordable 2′ x 3′ and 3′ x 5′ rugs. And when it comes to style, these rugs can’t be beat. They are vibrant, colorful, modern and undeniably beautiful. With names like Lulu, Spike and Pooky, what’s not to love?

Warning! The supply of rugs is running low, with only 3 or 4 of some of the rugs left. So if you want them, get them now.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of wool
• Rugmark certified

Price: $50-647 (prices reflect 30% off sale) (aff)

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

I absolutely hate wall-to-wall carpeting. It gets dirty easily, is hard to clean effectively and is expensive to replace. And yet, I have had carpet in every home I’ve ever lived in except for my childhood home in the Virgin Islands. Clearly, it is the preferred choice of home builders because it is cost-effective, but it is not a healthy floor covering at all, no matter what it’s made of. That said, I do love rugs, because they can be picked up, deep cleaned and although they are not disposable, they can be replaced easily if need be. This is just one of the reasons I’ve always been impressed by FLOR, a company that makes beautiful carpet tiles in a wide variety of styles and colors. I recently had an opportunity to review a rug of my choosing from FLOR’s product line, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

I loved the idea of carpet tiles for several reasons. You are able to make a rug as large or small as you’d like, and if you so choose, you could even do wall to wall carpeting with them. Also, if one tile is stained or dirty, you can pick up that one tile and have it cleaned or replaced if need be. But why I love FLOR is that a lot of their tiles are made of recycled materials. The company also has a tile recycling program. You can send tiles back to FLOR at the end of their life cycle for proper recycling.

When I received the tiles, I was really excited! I selected a rug made up of 20 Toy Poodle tiles in Fluffy Fuschia and Fifi Orange to match the newly painted color scheme in my daughter’s room. Each tile is 19.7″ x 19.7″. Even knowing that, I was still a little surprised at how large they are. The 20 tiles were split between two boxes, but each box was pretty heavy.

When I sat down to put the rug together, I realized I had a problem. It would be much easier to put the rug together with the furniture taken out of the room. Otherwise, it was going to be pretty tough to get under the bed to attach tiles at the corners. My husband helped me push the furniture into the corners and against the wall so I’d have a decent work space, but it was still pretty tight in a small room. So my first observation is that laying carpet tiles down would be much easier in an empty room than in one that is filled with furniture, particularly if you plan on putting the furniture on top of the rug.

I pulled out the tiles and started attaching the corners together with the FLOR Dots, adhesive backed strips that were included with the rugs. But I became really indecisive about how I wanted to lay out the tiles. Before I ordered, I had created a design using FLOR’s rug design tool, but I couldn’t remember what it looked like. So I wound up going back to the computer to try to recreate the design I had originally built. What this made me realize it how versatile the tiles are. I literally went through at least 10 different designs with the tile colors I had received before settling on one.

I went back to the room with a new design in mind about 30 minutes later. I had to move some of the tiles I had already placed to create the new design I had decided on. That turned out to be really easy. The dots are designed to be easily moved when you first attach them to the tiles. Then with use of the rug, the adhesive seals and becomes more secure over time. They can still be disassembled, but the tiles are not supposed to shift with use. What I didn’t realize however, is that FLOR tiles are not designed to be used on top of carpet. I put together the entire rug, then got frustrated because the tiles kept shifting and moving and the seams were coming apart.

I went back to the FLOR site and read that the tiles should be used only on bare floor. I really wished I had read that before putting the rug together, but I was happy to have an explanation about why the tiles weren’t staying put. There is literally no room in the house without carpet, so I couldn’t test it on bare floors to see if they would hold better. I definitely believe that they would.

I loved the versatility of the tiles and the ability to easily change the design of the rug, and I loved the fact that the tiles felt durable and were easy to work with. So although my initial impression was great, I can’t completely evaluate them because I don’t have a bare floor on which to put them. I will definitely try again when I have a bare floor. Because so many homes have wall-to-wall carpet, I think it would be in FLOR’s best interest to put a note on each product page that says their tiles should not be used on top of existing carpet. This would prevent other customers from overlooking that like I did.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of recycled materials
• Recyclable at the end of their life cycle

Price: $13.99 per tile. Other styles are available for $4.99-$29.99 per tile.

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