We Tested (and Rated!) Every Rug at Crate & Barrel

Going shopping for a rug might not feel as intimidating as, say, shopping for a couch, but it still involves plenty of decision-making. Aside from style and color, you also have to figure out the right size, room layout, and texture — all while considering which material and price point is best for your needs.

To make the shopping process a bit easier, we launched our Personal Shopper series, where our editors visit the showrooms of our favorite home retailers to touch and use their products in person. In this installment, we visited one of Crate & Barrel’s New York City storefronts, where we tested rugs. While we weren’t able to thoroughly examine every rug (there are over 700!), we did focus our attention on five of the brand’s biggest bestsellers. Read on for our thoughts on Crate & Barrel’s rugs as well as our tips on how to style them in your own home.

Crate & Barrel is tried-and-true when it comes to furniture and decor. It’s known for its neutral colorways and “clean” aesthetic, and focuses more on timeless, unfussy designs rather than trends. See our guide to shopping at Crate & Barrel to find some of our other picks from the retailer.

While it’s probably best known for its seating and kitchenware, Crate & Barrel also has an excellent rug selection. The majority of its rugs are made of natural materials like wool, jute, and sisal, but there’s also a good variety of performance rugs. Unsurprisingly, you’ll find tons of neutral options in gray, beige, and white, but there are some colorful patterned rugs in there, too.

We’ve already done one Personal Shopper trip to Crate & Barrel (beds!) and have written about our favorite C&B products over the years, including couches, beds, and dishware. Crate & Barrel falls in the middle price-wise. It’s more affordable than luxury brands, but more expensive than the big-box budget retailers. 

We judged every rug from Crate & Barrel based on the following criteria:

• In-Store Placement: Where was the rug positioned in the store? Does the area get lots of foot traffic, like in the front or along major walkways? Is it in an area with low foot traffic, such as back corners or hanging on the wall?
• Aesthetic: What decor scheme or mood does it best suit? Does it have bold lines, patterns, or colors? Does it play nice with other decor elements or does it steal the show?
• Feel: Is the surface soft to the touch? Or is it roughly textured?
• Fluff Factor: What is the rug’s pile height? Is it tufted with long threads or otherwise voluminous? Is the rug flat or thin — in other words, tightly woven with minimal volume?
• Versatility: Does it work indoors and outdoors? Can it be layered? Is it reversible? Does it come in a wide range of colors and sizes?

Keep in mind: We’ve focused our testing on the rugs’ visual and tangible elements, serving as your eyes and hands in-store rather than simply providing specifications that can be found online. Although we’ve supplemented our criteria with a few of these distinguishing details, such as materials (Is it easy to clean? Is it known to last?) and dimensions, we are primarily reporting which rugs from Crate & Barrel are worth it — for whom, where, and why — with interior design and lifestyle functionality as our priorities.

Each Crate & Barrel rug in this article was tested by Emma Dangel and Cullen Ormond, two Apartment Therapy editors. Emma is the style editor and is passionate about design, vintage furniture, and DIY. She first started working at Apartment Therapy in 2022. Cullen is the associate home editor and covers House Tours, Before & Afters, and smart shopping. She has been with Apartment Therapy since 2023, and previously worked at Vox Media and Dwell. 

Emma & Cullen’s notes: This rug was definitely the softest of the bunch, and felt surprisingly plush despite the low pile height. It felt super smooth to the touch and even a bit bouncy, which can be attributed to the viscose construction. Viscose is derived from wood pulp and has a silklike texture, making it pretty luxe in appearance (but at a lower price than actual silk). 

The down side of viscose, though, is that it’s not very durable and is prone to water damage. So, this rug is only recommended for low-traffic areas, and is a bit fussy when it comes to care. Crate & Barrel recommends professional cleaning only (no household stain removers) and vacuuming with suction only (no bristles). For that reason, plus the cozy plush feel, we think this rug would work best in a bedroom.

The Laval rug comes in six solid colors, as well as a bordered style if you want a little something extra. We saw both in the store and think either one is a great option — it just depends on your personal style. We really liked that both rugs had some visual texture despite the solid colorways, especially the darker options. We do think dirt and debris would be well hidden, even though it shouldn’t be placed in a high-traffic area.  

• Styles: Also available with border
• Material: Viscose
• Sizes: 6’x9’, 8’x10’, 9’x12’, 10’x14’, 12’x15’
• Pile Height: Low
• Colors: 6

Emma & Cullen’s notes: If you’re looking for a thick, fluffy rug, you’ll love the Agen. It’s made of wool, so it’s not as soft as synthetic rugs, but still plush and cozy — and it’s super durable, too. We think this rug would work really well in a living room, although it’s versatile enough to fit in a variety of spaces. Plus, there’s enough variation in the wool and the way it’s woven that we think it could hide stains or dirt well.

This rug comes in four colors, most of which are light and neutral. There is a darker blue color if you want something a little bolder, but we didn’t get to see it in person. Even though the design itself is pretty simple and organic, the natural texture of the wool and the irregular grid pattern make it more eye-catching.

While wool is more durable than viscose, it still requires some extra care — especially because there will be some shedding at first. Regular vacuuming, particularly at the beginning, will help with that, but take note that Crate & Barrel recommends vacuuming with suction only (although it’s not essential).    

• Material: Wool
• Sizes: 6’x9’, 8’x10’, 9’x12’, 10’x14’, 12’x15’
• Pile Height: Medium
• Colors: 4

Emma & Cullen’s notes: The most affordable rug we saw was the Sisal, which is also the best option for high-traffic areas like entryways or kitchens. Sisal is similar to jute — both are derived from plants and are known for their incredible durability. Sisal, though, has a rougher feel and sheds less than jute. After touching this rug ourselves, we can confirm that it’s definitely not soft. It feels coarse and hard, and has a flatweave design that is super thin, not plush.

Still, it’s undeniably durable. Sisal is known for its pet-friendliness (honestly, it kind of looks and feels like a cat scratcher), and this rug definitely seems dirt-resistant. Busy areas like kitchens and entryways would benefit from a rug like this, but we don’t think we’d put it in a living room, bedroom, or anywhere we’d prefer a cozy vibe.

We also think this rug would be a good option if you’re going for a layered look, since the neutral, even-toned coloring plus the thin design would be a good base. Again, Crate & Barrel recommends professional cleaning, but you can vacuum with suction (no bristles) and use warm to blot stains.

• Material: Sisal
• Sizes: 2’10”x9’, 6’x9’, 8’x10’, 9’x12’, 10’x14’, 12’x15’
• Pile Height: Low
• Colors: 4

Emma & Cullen’s notes: We didn’t love the feel of this wool rug — we found it to be pretty scratchy and not as soft as most of the other Crate & Barrel rugs we saw. Maybe we’re just not fans of wool! On the other hand though, we liked that this rug has a nice pattern, and comes with the most options out of all the rugs. It’s one of only two we tested that comes in a runner size (the other is the Sisal), plus has seven different color/pattern options.

No matter which one you choose, this rug’s busy pattern will definitely hide dirt well — even if you opt for a lighter shade like ivory. That’s good news, since this rug is durable enough for high-traffic rooms where dirt might easily be tracked. The medium pile isn’t as plush as what you’d find on a high pile rug, but it’s still comfy underfoot (minus the scratchiness).

This is the second most affordable rug we saw at Crate & Barrel, and it’s definitely the best option for busy areas like living rooms. There is a nice variety of colors available, so you can go as bold or as muted as you like. The Garden Multicolor option is the most eye-catching, with a combination of ocher, terracotta, light blue, and white, but the more neutral options are really pretty, too.

• Material: Wool
• Sizes: 2’10”x9’, 6’x9’, 8’x10’, 9’x12’, 10’x14’, 12’x15’
• Pile Height: Medium
• Colors: 7

Emma & Cullen’s notes: This rug is made of wool that’s enhanced with viscose, and it’s a good choice if you’re looking for added texture — although the texture itself isn’t exactly soft. We think that’s partially due to the low pile, which prevents it from feeling plush. Still, it’s definitely interesting to look at, with a broken grid motif that’s extra tufted. 

The pattern makes this a busier rug compared with the others we saw today, and we think it would work best in a contemporary space. It’s recommended for medium-traffic rooms (wool is durable, but viscose isn’t). We don’t think it’s soft enough for a bedroom, but we think it would add plenty of style to a dining room or home office. Plus, the busy pattern looks like it would hide stains and dirt easily.

Again, Crate & Barrel recommends professionally cleaning this rug and vacuuming with suction rather than bristles. It’s also the most expensive rug we saw, most likely because of the materials and the fact that it’s handwoven and -tufted. It’s probably not a good option for a house with kids or pets, but it has a unique look that will certainly make a statement.

• Material: 75% wool, 25% viscose pile
• Sizes: 6’x9’, 8’x10’, 9’x12’, 10’x14’, 12’x15’
• Pile Height: Low
• Colors: 4