Flokati Rugs: A sign I may be turning into a Hippie

Ok, what gives? Your self-proclaimed, "Queen of Darkness" is pulling away from the crisp, geometric prints and moving into gauzy territory. Just today, I purchased a white, gauzy sundress with bell sleeves. Really!?!?

I think it started with seeing this at IKEA this weekend:

Yep, that's right. $80 bucks for 4x6.

I've even started pinning Flokati rugs! What?

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Courtney @bigbeigebox on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Courtney @bigbeigebox on Pinterest

Source: timothywhealon.com via Courtney @bigbeigebox on Pinterest

Who am I?

I know absolutely nothing about these rugs so here's what I found, according to good old Wikipedia:

"A flokati rug is a handmade shag wool rug. Making flokatis is a long-time tradition of the Vlachs in the Pindus mountains. The natural color of a flokati rug is off-white, but they may be dyed different colors. The entire rug is wool, including the backing from which the tapered shag emerges. After the rug is woven, it is placed in the cold water of a river to fluff the shag. They continue to be handmade in the mountains of Greece and are regarded as desirable in American modern decor and children's rooms." 

Interesting. Weave the rug, submerge in river.

Aside from the logistical, pragmatics, these rugs are a great way to introduce texture (lots of it!) into a room. They're reasonably affordable without having to sacrifice quality on the lower end of the spectrum (as seen at IKEA). Since I have a very hairy dog with black hair, this may not be an option for me...but I'm DYING to use this in a space that's a bit cold and modern. Can you imagine what a great tactile oasis this would be for the toes in a bungalow with concrete floors?

Do you have a flokati rug? Please share links in the comments below. I'd love to see how you style it!