Summer Entertaining: Entryway and Kitchen Floors
When people come to the house in summer, they see the front door and the kitchen floor. Not the living room. A 30 x 18 in. outdoor mat is $21.99 to $39.99, a kitchen runner is $29.99, and a weighted door stop that holds the back door open in a breeze is $32.99. That is the whole summer entertaining list that actually gets used.
Which outdoor mat should I buy for summer?
Rubber or PVC for an unsheltered doorway; coir only under cover. Coir scrapes better but breaks down if it sits in standing water, and summer storms are what kill it.
| Mat | Size | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pixie artificial grass | 24 x 16 in. | $27.99 | Our best-selling doormat overall |
| Drew checkerboard rubber | 24 x 16 in. | $22.99 | Full exposure, rain and sun |
| Wilson half round | 30 x 18 in. | $34.99 | A wider front door |
| Welcome Home coir | 48 x 18 in. | $49.99 | Double doors, covered porch |
| Heavy-duty rubber | 48 x 32 in. | $69.99 | High traffic, garden mud |
Size rule: measure the door width and buy a mat about 80% of it. A 24 x 16 in. mat under a 6-foot double door looks like an oversight. Full range in outdoor door mats: 40 in stock.
How do I keep garden dirt out of the house?
Two mats, not one: a scraper outside and something absorbent inside. A single mat cannot both remove grit and dry a wet shoe, which is why one mat never seems to work.
Outside, use a raised-profile rubber mat. The shoeprint rubber mat, 30 x 18 in. ($24.99) or the dirt-trapping mat with a raised leaf pattern ($33.99). Inside, a flat washable mat. If you have a wide opening to cover, the interlocking mat connectors ($8.99 for two) let you join rubber mats into a custom width.
What holds a door open in a summer breeze?
A 2.3 lb weighted door stop. Enough for an interior door, not enough for an exterior door in wind.
Ours are $29.99 to $32.99 and come as a plain natural cotton bag, a jungle print bag ($29.99), or as animals. dog, cat, mouse or sheep. See door stops.
What about the kitchen, where everyone ends up?
A runner in front of the sink or the island is the one floor change guests notice. Kitchen mats are longer and denser than bath rugs and tolerate grease and traffic; a bath rug in a kitchen will not last.
- Wool-effect Wildflowers runner, 48 x 20 in.: $29.99, in tan/black or red/black.
- Jungle print runner, 47 x 20 in.: $46.99.
- Speckled black and white mat: $49.99. Ultra absorbent, anti-slip.
- Mat and runner set, 20 x 32 in. + 20 x 48 in.: $84.99. Cheaper than the two bought separately.
- Anti-fatigue mat: $94.99. High-density foam, for standing and cooking for an hour.
Full range in kitchen mats: 54 in stock.
What keeps a kitchen window usable in summer?
A café rod dresses the bottom half of the window and leaves the top clear for light. It is the standard answer for a kitchen window over a sink.
Sets are $13.99 to $22.99 depending on width. 24–32 in. set of 2 is $18.99, and a bundle with 4 self-adhesive hooks is $21.99 with no drilling at all. See kitchen and café rods.
Common questions
Do you sell patriotic or party decorations? No. No flags, bunting or tableware. The catalog is bath, kitchen and entryway accessories that stay up year-round.
Can an outdoor mat go in the washing machine? No. Rubber and PVC mats are hosed and left to dry; coir is shaken out. Kitchen mats are the washable ones.
Will artificial grass fade in the sun? The Pixie mat is made for outdoor use, but any colored mat in full southern sun will lighten over a season. Black and gray hold up best.
What is the best-value single purchase here? The $22.99 checkerboard rubber mat. It is the cheapest thing that changes the first impression of a house.
