Take a ripped vintage rug and learn how to make a DIY Framed Rug Wall Art piece in just a few steps. Framed textile art pieces add the perfect touch of interest to your walls. This tutorial is great for showing you how to frame a small rug but would also work for other textiles, pillows, etc.

Over the last two weeks, I’ve noticed that we desperately needed another virtual learning desk setup in our house. The guest bedroom seemed like a logical space so I set out to tidy up the space first (it was a HOT MESS), install baseboards (that never got done when we had the flooring done two years ago), and make the space calming and workable. I was hoping that the space would end up feeling like an extension of our home style when I was done but, honestly, I thought that hope was a bit too high.

The first thing I did was to install baseboards. If you want to see more details about the baseboard install, I recorded a video on how to do scarf joints. Don’t forget to “subscribe” so you get each of the new weekly videos that go live.

After I finished the baseboard installation, I started playing with furniture and decor. Honestly, I wasn’t looking to “makeover” the space, I didn’t want to spend any money at all, I was just aiming for a space that felt more cohesive in our home. And, one where one of us could work and feel like it wasn’t just a hodgepodge of junk.

The DIY Framed Rug Wall Art was born out of not having any art pieces that I loved for the space. I had thought of doing this project last year but then was concerned that the frames that I had would not be big enough for the rug that I already owned.

When you are trying to be creative and not spend money, sometimes you just go for things though and try it out and sometimes (in this case), that results in a huge win.

If you are specifically looking to buy a vintage Persian rug for this project, I’d recommend looking on eBay using adjectives such as “old worn antique rug“. Or, I have a blog post on how to find affordable vintage rugs.

When I shared about the idea of this project on IG, I received this question a few times…

Can you frame a rug?

Yes! To make sure your rug isn’t too thick for your frame, the key is buying a float mount frame! If you buy a regular frame, the depth of the frame won’t accommodate the rug. A float mat means that the art piece “floats” on the mat board. When you attach the rug to the mat board it also, will “float”.

Apparently, a few people had tried to do frame rugs and had not had a successful project. I knew, from trying to frame heavier textiles, that the float frame was key to making this project work.

If you are wanting to frame a vintage cloth or textile, check out my Korhogo textile art. It’s another way to frame or display a textile in a cool way.

Now that you have all your supplies to use rugs as art, let’s get started! If you want printable instructions, find those at the bottom of this post.

How to Make a DIY Framed Rug Art

1. Grab a floating frame and take it apart.
2. Pull out the staples with pliers.
3. Take off the art piece that was originally in the frame.
4. Lay out your rug on the mat to decide where to cut.
5. Think about the pattern of the rug and then cut the rug based on your frame.
6. Using hot glue, attach the rug.
7. Put the frame back together.

I think this project is definitely more geared to learning how to frame a small rug. If you had a larger rug, I would recommend using hot glue but hand-stitching the rug in place or maybe even using construction adhesive?! Just think about the size/weight of the rug you are working with and upgrade the adhesive if you want a larger framed rug on the wall.

This same concept would work and look great with Indian block print fabrics as well. Or really, any type of unique textile piece.

Anyways, I’m totally smitten with how the framed rug looks in our space! Greyson (our little guy) loves his desk setup so much that I didn’t even have time to photograph it completely before he started to move his stuff in. =) Makes me feel great because our homes are supposed to be in use, be loved on and be enjoyed!