A couple of years ago, I bought an area rug for my bedroom for the first time ever. I acquired a 5-foot-by-8-foot rug in a trendy black-and-white marble pattern for roughly $80 from Overstock before the online retailer became Bed Bath & Beyond. That was a pretty good deal, but I quickly grew tired of the style. Since the rug was thin, too, it served more as decoration than functional cushioning. Not to mention, the sizing was off in relation to my bed, although I didn’t fully realize that until recently.

Ready for a bedroom rug upgrade, I turned to the custom rug company Ernesta. Founded in 2022 by John Foley, Hisao Kushi, and Yony Feng (who also co-founded Peloton), Ernesta promises designer-quality rugs in custom sizes down to the inch. This way, no floor plan needs to be determined by standard rug sizing, nor a home fall victim to “rug islands” that hold nothing but a coffee table. After scrolling through the brand’s rug styles and reading up on the materials, I was eager to get my hands on one and test out the experience. Luckily, I was able to, so here’s how the process of upgrading my bedroom rug went.

Step 1: Choosing the Samples

In the first part of Ernesta's process, you're encouraged to pick five 12-inch-by-12-inch samples so that you can feel the rug styles and get a sense for how they’d look in your space. As you browse through the styles, you can search by material, room, color, style, construction, or by pile height. Currently, there are 361 rugs in total to choose from. While you look through the rugs, you can easily add samples to your cart with the click of a button. Once you narrow down your selection to five styles you’d like to see in person, Ernesta will send you the samples for $25, and give you $50 off to use for your future purchase. (Currently, the sample boxes are on sale for $10!)

In my search for the perfect bedroom rug, I had many requirements. I wanted a textured style to amplify the room’s visual interest. Since the rug was destined for under-bed placement, it had to be soft on bare feet. As my interior design style evolves, I wanted something with versatility. For me, that meant picking a neutral color with slight warmth to it. Above all, I sought timelessness—a quality rug in a style I could, hopefully, keep forever. For my five samples, I landed on Eleanor (ivory), Lissie (cream), Celeste (chocolate), Theodore (ivory), and Nora (ivory). Eleanor, Theodore, and Nora are all 100 percent wool styles. Lissie is a wool blend with polysilk, and Celeste is made of nylon.

samples on rug

It was incredibly worth it to actually touch these options (yes, step on them!) and imagine what they’d look like in my space. After all, you want to be sure the style you choose is right, considering returning the custom rug is not an option. You can only cancel an order within the first 24 hours of placing it. After that, it’s yours. (Note: There is a limited warranty!)

Step 2: Setting Up a Design Consultation

After receiving the samples, you have the option to set up a free design consultation with one of Ernesta’s designers to help you determine the best material, style, and size for your space. This part of the process was extremely helpful for me as I, admittedly, wasn’t confident in the proper rug size for under a bed, let alone my constrained space. Over Zoom, design expert Natasha Rivera helped me determine that the rug should go up to my side tables. To make the room feel bigger, we also decided to stretch the rug under my nearby dresser. “Our best rule of thumb is trying to include all or most of the furniture in a space on the rug, so it feels like an anchor to the room's design,” Rivera explained.

With the general size settled, I went through each of the samples and shared how I felt about the styles. I asked questions, like, does the square pattern of the Eleanor style lean too trendy? Is the shaggy Nora style a pain to clean? Then, my homework was to make a final decision on the rug style and take measurements.

Step 3: Selecting the Rug

For my space, Rivera recommended the Eleanor style—a plush wool rug with a hand-carved square pattern—as it achieves the “classic” look I was going for. Initially, I thought this style was my front runner as it was the softest option with a texture that seemed like the easiest to clean. Even so, I was concerned I’d tire of the square pattern one day. So, I went with another textured, ivory option: Nora, a hand-knotted rug made of 100 percent wool in a shag cut inspired by Moroccan design.

We went with slightly bigger measurements than what I calculated, just to be safe in case I was off. The final size was 91 inches by 116 inches. I also got a detached rug pad to increase the cushioning.

Step 4: Scheduling the Delivery

wrapped up rug

Ernesta uses the third-party delivery service Ryder to coordinate delivery. So once the order was placed and the rug was ready to ship, I chose a time for the rug to be delivered through Ryder. From when the rug order was placed to the time the rug was available to ship, it took roughly one month. Based on my schedule and delivery options, I had the rug in my apartment within six weeks. This is in line with the company’s FAQ section, which states it takes three to five weeks, from order placement to delivery, for custom rugs in the Moroccan-inspired rug collection.

The delivery process was smooth. If I could go back in time, I’d choose the “room of choice” delivery option over the “inside entryway” one, as it would’ve been nice to have the delivery experts help unwrap and place the rug. But all ended well because I took this delivery method as an opportunity to throw an interior decorating party.

Pros and Cons

My Final Thoughts on Quality and Custom Sizing

Five weeks have passed since I installed the rug, so here are my final thoughts:

The rug size instantly made my space feel bigger, and I felt that the moment I put it in place.
The shag style makes the space feel extra cozy. Paired with the rug pad, the wool material also provides a nice, soft landing. Plus, there hasn't been any shedding, so that's a win.

rug texture

Because the rug sits under my dresser, I am concerned the weight will leave indents in the rug that I’ll never be able to reverse if I move. I will find out one day!
As far as cleaning goes, I’ve used a vacuum without the brush roller to try to pick up particles, but that hasn’t been very effective. I do wish there were more care guide specifics for each style directly on every Ernesta product page. But really, the care is up to me, so I need to dive more into the brand’s care guide.
Some of the corners have curled, but that's nothing a little rug tape can't fix. Ernesta also recommends other methods, like using an ice cube, to flatten the corners.

bedroom

I'd definitely recommend this rug experience to anyone looking for a quality, custom option to fit in their home just right. I really appreciated the opportunity to consult with a design expert to help drive my decisions, especially on the sizing. Plus, there are so many rug options to satisfy any interior design style preference—and that'll work for any part of the home, indoors and out.