A Nod to the ‘70s: Shag Rug Renaissance

Once upon a time, in the Hollywood of the late 1960s and early 1970s, there lived a magical TV family known as the Brady Bunch.

The matriarch of the Brady Bunch, Carole Brady, had a shag hairstyle, and carpeting to match.

At that time, shag wall-to-wall carpeting-especially in shades of avocado, burnt orange, or harvest gold-was one of the most popular floor coverings in America. It added depth and texture to a décor; it felt good to walk on; and it did a great job, between rakings and vacuumings, of hiding dirt and debris.

Then, alas, in the 1980’s and 1990’s, the dawn of health awareness descended on the American homeowner's consciousness, and the same shag carpeting which had hidden so much began to be seen as the realm of dust-mites and other allergens.

So today, while shag carpeting is still available, many who like its depth, texture, and retro look are opting for, instead of full-room carpeting, shag rugs. Because of their definite “presence”, shag area rugs, unless used as accents, can overwhelm the other elements of a room. But when used sparingly, they will provide warmth, color, and a pleasing contrast to stone or wood flooring, or low-pile carpet.

Shag rugs more effectively define a particular area than standard pile area rugs or carpeting, and they have “weight” which adds to the solidity of both furniture groupings and entire rooms. They will also, on hardwood floors and regular carpeting, protect high-traffic areas.

Contemporary shag rugs, woven with abstract or geometric designs, can add both color and visual interest; if your room has a neutral decorating scheme; tie it together by echoing the colors in the shag rug with pillows, artwork, or window treatments

Shag rugs will be a welcome addition to the bedroom, when placed where your feet will hit them when you step out of bed in the morning. And they work well in except in colonial, Victorian, or traditional settings.

Even, and especially, the bathroom will benefit from the
shag rugs which contain fibers brushed for extra softness. They offer warmth and comfort to feet wet from a shower or a soak in the tub, and they do great things for the “feel” of a room which is usually full of hard, smooth surfaces.

If you're a survivor of the Brady Bunch era, remembering the shag rug “rake” needed to keep its pile under control, relax. Today you can find “ultra” shag rugs of nylon which, with fibers at about 1 ¼ inches log, give you the look and feel of shag, but are a breeze to vacuum.

If you decide to go with a shag rug, don’t forget the rug pad. It will both decrease the wear on your rug, and increase the ease of vacuuming. Some shag rug manufacturers, in fact, will not honor their warranties of rugs used without pads.

Wall-to-wall shag carpeting may have gone the way of Carol Brady’s shag haircut. But the shag rug, in new materials and exciting textures, colors, and designs, appears to be here to stay.

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