The “Cozy” $5 Five Below Decor Gem That Instantly Elevated My Kitchen (Guests Always Ask About It!)

After spending nearly a year subletting month to month, I almost cried when I signed a lease for my very first 400-square-foot apartment earlier this year. One of my goals when furnishing my apartment was to make it feel as homey as possible for as little as possible. Plus, I had to factor in that I was working with such a small space. I always wanted a rug in my kitchen to help make it feel chic and cozy — after all, there’s only a certain amount of decorating you can do in a kitchenette. 

In the apartment I was subletting last winter, my roommate had furnished her kitchen with an incredibly expensive-looking tufted rug, and I immediately had to know where she got it from. So imagine my surprise when she revealed that she got it from Five Below!

The tufted rug adds a ton of depth and texture to my space, and the handwoven finish certainly gives it some character. Although it’s a mostly white rug, I love that each section is a slightly different color; from cream to beige to baby pink. There are also subtle metallic flecks dotted around that complete the look. 

Every time I’ve had guests over, they’ve complimented the rug and I’ve always given the same response: “Thanks, guess how much it cost!” When I tell them it was only $5.55, the look of shock is one of my favorite things. It makes me so happy that I managed to find an impressive item for just over five bucks — that looks just as good as rugs at a much higher price point. If I’d purchased a similar rug elsewhere, I expect I would’ve paid at least five times as much. A similar style from Rugs.com sells for $29 (down from $98!), while a pretty close match from Wayfair retails at $68.99.

I’ve had my Five Below rug for three months and, so far, the quality is showing to be well beyond its price. Considering my rug is in a high traffic area, and I’ve even had people walk on it with their outdoor shoes on (ick!), there’s still no sign of any wear or tear.