Is your outdoor patio or deck in need of some love? Ours sure is, and we’ve discovered its love language is an area rug. No other design element ties a living space together so well. Area rugs are a great way to define a space, and an indoor/outdoor type provides plenty of versatility. With this in mind, we rolled out the Dash & Albert Geometric Indoor/Outdoor Rug on our front porch under two Adirondack chairs, creating a cozy spot ready for lounging and neighborly conversation. But would it hold up to humidity, spills, and foot traffic? Read on for our thoughts on texture, durability, and more.
Design: Stylish
We were super impressed with the look and feel of this rug when it arrived. The geometric diamond pattern is current and stylish and instantly made the space look so inviting. We went with the Sprout/White option, with its cheerful and bright combination of white and green. Truth be told, when we first unrolled our rug and noticed just how bright and crisp the colors were, the thought crossed our minds that it wouldn’t look that good, for that long. After all, white anything outdoors—even just as an accent color, always seems like a disaster waiting to happen. Right? Wrong.
Material: Outdoor-, pet-, and kid-friendly
What we’ve come to realize after testing this item is that our first impression was “indoor thinking.” As in, expecting all fabrics and materials to behave like indoor materials typically do. Outdoor materials like polypropylene, which makes up 100 percent of this rug, are essentially the superheroes of furnishings, designed to wick water and prevent mildew. Otherwise known by the generic name, olefin, polypropylene will withstand the elements. Rugs of this material are solution-dyed during production instead of after, a process that also makes them resistant to stains and other discoloration including exposure to ultraviolet rays. The result is a rug that can handle almost anything that comes its way, be it muddy paw prints from the dog or snacktime spills from the kids. We were impressed with the resilience of the Dash & Albert rug; it was able to repel potential stains and hold up well to the daily wear and tear of family life.
Texture: Surprisingly soft
Some outdoor rugs feel more like a glorified yoga mat than an actual rug, but this one is surprisingly soft. In fact, we took a second look at the label to make sure it wasn’t some kind of natural fiber or blend based on the feel alone. But no, like most outdoor rugs, it is indeed made from polypropylene fiber. Perhaps the rug’s handmade braided rope flatweave construction is responsible for the great texture. Whatever it is, we like it! It’s quite cushiony underfoot, even without a rug pad. Dash & Albert does recommend using a rug pad to prevent slippage, but we anchored the rug with furniture instead and didn’t have any problems.
Care: Easy-breezy resilience
So how did our rug fare out there? After a few days outdoors, we simply swept the rug to clear it of leaves, and it was good as new. Dash & Albert suggests regular vacuuming and hosing off to keep the rug in good shape, so the next week, we used a cordless vacuum to give it a once over, followed by a rinse with the hose. It cleaned beautifully, dried quickly, and retained the vividness of its colors. Some wet weather offered the chance to see how the rug would respond to a few muddy footprints. Spraying the rug off the following day with the hose nozzle on high power worked like a charm. The polypropylene material the rug is constructed of just doesn’t absorb dirt like a natural fiber rug would. Instead, dust and dirt seem to sit atop the fibers where they can be swept or hosed away with relative ease. Fortunately, for more persistent signs of wear and tear, the rug is designed to hold up to harsher methods of cleaning. We took an all-purpose spray cleaner and a scrub brush to a corner of the rug that had become a little dingy and found it brightened right up, without causing any fray to the rug fibers. The extremely durable construction of the rug gives us confidence that it will hold up in the long term.
Price: Quality, style, and versatility make it worth the higher price point
Dash & Albert is an Annie Selke company, a home goods brand known for its “approachable elegance.” We can attest to the quality, and details like handmade construction with fair labor practices add to its appeal, making it worthy of the higher price tag. The Geometric Diamond Rug we tested is one of the most popular styles and ranges from around $50 for the smallest 2 x 3-foot size and goes up to just over $1,400 for the largest size, measuring 12 x 16 feet. We went with the 4 x 6, which retails for approximately $184. Whenever we make a purchase, we’re always considering the longevity and utility of the piece. The versatility of a polypropylene rug that works as well outside as it does inside makes it a good investment. In addition to using it on the front porch, we can imagine bringing this rug indoors to line the mudroom during the offseason, or putting it in the playroom any time of year.
Dash & Albert Geometric Diamond Indoor/Outdoor Rug vs. Safavieh Courtyard Indoor/Outdoor Rug
In addition to the Dash & Albert Diamond Rug, we tried out another popular outdoor indoor/outdoor rug, from Safavieh’s Courtyard collection. Both rugs are made from 100 percent polypropylene fiber, and both held up well to the outdoor elements. Nonetheless, we found differences between the rugs worth noting. While the Safavieh Courtyard rug is the more affordable option (ranging from $20 to $200 depending on size), the Dash & Albert rug is superior when it comes to quality, style, and feel. Both rugs perform well outdoors and clean up easily, but the Dash & Albert Rug proved to be more durable than the Safavieh, the top fibers of which seemed surprisingly delicate, reacting to disturbance more visibly. Though it’s a bit more of an investment, the Dash & Albert Geometric Diamond Indoor/Outdoor Rug outshines the competition when it comes to quality, style, and durability.
