DIY Acid Washed Cowhide Rug

Give an old cowhide rug new life or save money on an acid washed cowhide rug with this metallic cowhide rug DIY!

I love beautiful and shiny metallic acid wash cowhide rugs. I’ve always wanted one but they can be pricey. I paid under $200 for my rugs from IKEA. On the flip side, the bold rugs I usually lust over are priced around $400 – $500 because I have expensive taste. I thought it might be fun to try and DIY my own acid washed cowhide at home. I also knew there was a huge chance this DIY could go very wrong, but I took the risk.

This is my plain brown/brindle hide in my home office. You can take a tour and see more photos of my office in this blog post.

 

I started with Rust-Oleum Pearl Metallic Spray Paint in Champagne Pink.

But I quickly realized that it wasn’t dark enough for me so I switched to Rust-Oleum Bright Coat Metallic Finish in Copper.

First I cleaned my rug and brought it outside. I placed it on some tarps and I was ready to go!

Instead of spray painting the rug directly, I sprayed the paint into a plastic container and dripped paint splatters down on my rug. I used two cans of spray paint for this project. I did the project over two days because I want to give it plenty of dry time and allow myself to walk away from the project before adding more paint.

I don’t think there is a magic formula for making the perfect rug, it’s trial and error followed by doing what you like.

I rotated between big and small drops and splatters. The copper looks perfect in my office and I love how it turned out. The project took a little more work and time than I anticipated but I think the end result was worth it!

I’m curious to see how the rug lasts over time. If you have any questions about the process feel free to reach out!