I've always been a big believer that good design should be accessible to everyone—you just have to know where to look. For furniture, I'm all about the Goodwill. For flowers, I like the grocery store. For china, silver, and linens, it's the flea market. For fabric, Calico Corners. And for rugs, one of my favorite sources is Dash & Albert from Annie Selke. Annie I've known for years now, ever since my days at House Beautiful. Not only is she a talented designer and entrepreneur, she's also a longtime friend and mentor. A couple of months back, just before Jaithan and I made the move to greener—well, from the look of it, whiter—pastures, I had the great fortune of catching up with Annie at the Gift Show in New York.

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While I filled her in on everything new with me, including going out on my own after Martha, she brought me up to date on all the exciting things at her companies, especially Dash & Albert. It really is such a great resource for beautiful, well-made rugs in a mix of modern and traditional styles. And what's more, Annie is so involved in the creative process behind them that every one of their designs just feels so authentic to me because I know Annie played such a huge part in creating them. One of my favorites is Gatehouse, a beautiful and durable cotton woven I used for a Weekend Shopper article back at House Beautiful. With an old bamboo furniture set from Brimfield, first we painted it a punchy coral, then covered the cushions in Gatehouse for a casual but elegant look. Now who wouldn't to kick back here with a margarita or two? On the rocks, please. No salt.

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Photo courtesy of Brendan Paul

This one I like because it feels both traditional and modern. The color palette, a mix of pale blues and browns, acts almost like a neutral. Overall patterns like this are especially great for layering because they add depth and drama to a room without overpowering it.

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For a thoroughly more modern look, I love this circle fretwork pattern in a palette of pretty grays and creams. It's inspired by a vintage design from the 20s. And how great is it with the wide-striped paper?

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Their striped runners too are perfect for adding graphic punch to a hallway. Talk about options!  And for a 2 x 3 rug, we're talking 28 dollars! What a great way of bringing color to a bathroom or kitchen that won't break the bank.

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Photos courtesy of Laura Moss

Speaking of, now that Jaithan and I are beginning to settle in to new digs here in the country, we've got some decorating to do! We already tackled the butler's pantry, so for our next project, with all these gorgeous options for the floor, I'm definitely feeling inspired to run a little something fabulous up our own set of stairs. 

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They actually open up onto the dining room, so we're leaning towards a more neutral palette, just so whatever runner we choose doesn't clash with table settings. But that doesn't mean we can't be convinced! Won't you help us choose?

A. Chocolate Ticking Cotton Woven

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B. Caravan Stripe Cotton Woven

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C. Captain Stripe Indoor/Outdoor

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D. Vanilla Sky Cotton Woven

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We need your help, everyone! Which would you choose?