When it comes to bedroom rugs, I’m a big fan of Capel braided rugs. I have two braided rugs from Capel, which I originally purchased about 15 years ago. I’ve been in three houses…and was always able to find a perfect spot for them. You can get them on sale for great prices, in all sizes, in a gazillion colorways, they last forever, and because they are multicolored they can fit with many different color schemes — they give you flexibility…these things have legs, you will be handing them down to your kids. You can get them in all-wool, in chenille, and in blends that would work well in a basement where it may be damp. They are also totally authentic retro, and it seems, made in America. These things are nearly perfect. One thing I will add is that, even with all the color, they read kind of “neutral” once you get them onto the floor. Once they are loaded up with furniture, lamps and all, they kind of blend right into the floor. They also hide dirt exceedingly well. See all the Capel braided rugs here.
Rugs for a mid-century bedroom: Braided rugs from Capel
Posted by: • October 24, 2009
Capel braided rugs suit 50s and 60s style perfectly – a Retro Renovation re-run 
Braided rugs from Thorndike Mills 
Rya rugs — 15 designs from 1964, plus a great video on the history of rya rugs and how to make them 
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Hello
Warning!! Don’t go to See all the Capel braided rugs here if you need to go to bed or have somewhere you need to be shortly or plan to get off the computer in just a matter of minuites.
Rugs Rugs and more rugs—-plan to spend some time there.
Regards,
Robert
Too country? I live in the south, so I tend to reject out-of-hand anything that reads “country.” But neutral, you say. Hmmm. How big of a pain are they to clean?
This is why I enjoy your blog. My vision of retro, no matter how much independent research I do, always has a tendency to be a bit narrow.
When we moved into our house a year ago, the owners left two 5 x 8 size red braided rugs in our upstairs (bungalow-attic) bedroom. I almost was going to throw them out in my purge-frenzy from getting rid of stuff from my old (much bigger) house. I’m SO glad I didn’t. They’ve grown on me and look really great on the hardwood floors in the knotty pine room. Plus they didn’t cost me anything.
They really do hold up well and are very durable.
I’ve always loved those rugs…but wondered if they were retro. So, I guess they are–hmmm….now I’ll be on the search for 2 matching rugs (my dining room & living room are one big room). I know they’d definatly go with the lodgy themed brick fireplace I have & the hardwood floors.
Guess I just needed someone to tell me it’s ok to buy them!
Thanks for spending my money
There are 2 types of braided rugs…the authentic ones are strips of wool cloth about 4 inches wide folded in on themeselves and then braided in strips of three. They are then laced together in the shape desired. They are still available, but cost a bit more.
The 20th Century version consists of cotton cord covered in yarn and then braided.
If I were to purchase one…or MAKE one (as many families did….Google it) I would go with the fabric. Thorndyke Mills, in Massachusetts still makes them in both styles. They have a great website which shows each type.
Genuine 1950′s would be one of these…a room full of Cushman Colonial…and those great big “ruffle” calico lampshades. Do I like it? .Yup; Do I want it? Nope! Shirley Maclaine and Jerry Mathers had a whole house of it in Hitchcock’s ” The Trouble With Harry” 1956.
I can confirm the braided rug as authentically retro as we lived with a huge one underneath our family’s knotty pine dining set back in the real deal years. Artsy-craftsy Aunt Ruth braided the magnificent thing herself. It must’ve weighed a couple hundred pounds!