Making a Faux Cow Hide Area Rug

Have you always wanted that cow hide look for your area rug, but the price has been out of your reach? Thankfully, there is a way to quickly and easily make your own faux cow hide rug that will rival the ones in stores. Although it does not take a lot of different materials to make one, it does take some time. Follow the steps below to create your own faux cow hide area rug and make your room come alive.

Materials
Before you get going, you need to make sure that you have gathered everything you need. For this project you will need a low-pile white carpet piece large enough to resemble a cow hide, a cutting tool to cut the carpet, black acrylic paint, a permanent marker, and a heavy-duty paint brush with a sharp edge. You may also want to keep a roll of paper towels and a paint rag handy.

The Rug
In order to get the desired look, it is important to cut the white carpet piece into a shape that resembles such a rug. Flip the carpet over and, on the reverse side, draw the outline of a hide using the permanent marker. You may want to look online for pictures of cow hide rugs to get an idea of the shape that you want to create. Once the shape is to your liking, cut it out using your carpet cutting tool. Always use caution as carpets can be very difficult to cut.

The Pattern
Once you have created the shape of the rug that you want, turn the piece back over. The next step is to use paint to add the black pattern that is commonly found on cow hides. Again, it may be helpful to study cow hide rugs online or in catalogues before drawing the pattern. Use the permanent marker to draw the areas where you will be painting. By outlining first, it makes it much easier to paint and get the look that you want.

Painting
Painting the rug is the last step. Use the heavy-duty brush and black, acrylic paint to fill in the shape outlines that you created with the marker. Take your time and make sure that each strand of carpeting, as well as the carpet base, is completely covered. If there are gaps or the fibers are not completely painted, it can quickly deter from the look of the cow hide pattern and look.

Let your carpet dry completely before attempting to use it. A faux cow hide rug is great to place under a glass coffee table in a living room or other modern room. When cleaning it, it is best to shake it out outside instead of vacuuming it. The suction from the vacuum could dislodge some of the paint and ruin the hard work that you put into the piece. When taken care of, a handmade faux cow hide rug can last for many years and be a wonderful conversation piece in any room.

About the Author:
This article is written by Alyssa Davis, who writes for Metal Wall Art.

Article Source: Making a Faux Cow Hide Area Rug