Doormats aren’t the most inspirational of household purchases. Whereas the quest for a great interior rug involves carefully considering several details — size, material, design, durability and so on — shopping for a doormat essentially means asking yourself two questions: Is it not totally hideous? Can I wipe my feet on it?
OK, there may be a couple more considerations: price and design and whether or not the doormat is emblazoned with some cutesy/snarky phrase, e.g., “Oh No! Not You Again” or “Got Beer?” or “Keep Calm and Come In.” But for the sake of argument, we’re sweeping those under the carpet. It’s a pretty basic purchase, after all.
Imagine our excitement then, while recently browsing the Dwell Store (the e-commerce arm of Dwell magazine), to discover a doormat that’s anything but square. The trompe l’oeil Cuboid Doormat by British design company Established and Sons makes an ordinary ‘Welcome’ mat seem, well, flat. A geometric (cuboidal) shape and clever shading give it the appearance of a 3-D object. Unlike a mat featuring one of the aforementioned cutesy/snarky sentiments, the Cuboid is playful but subtle. And the minimal design makes a chic statement.
It’s not just the illusion that floored us. Made of durable coir, or natural coconut fiber, the Cuboid doormat is one you can walk all over and it will stay intact. Available for $145 at store.dwell.com.
Laura Pearson is a freelance writer.