Are Pottery Barn’s 3-D Rugs Worth It? Here’s What I Think After Buying Three!

When I saw Pottery Barn’s 3D rugs, I was sold. They promised imaginative play and cute, cozy vibes.

So I went all in and bought three—one for each of my kids’ rooms!

They’re absolutely stunning and very well made. But there are a few things I didn’t expect that you might want to know before hitting “add to cart.”

Designs We Bought (and Loved!)

The rugs come in five different sizes—4×6, 5×8, 6×9, 8×10, and a 5′ round—so it’s easy to find one that fits your play space.

The three designs I bought were:

Play in the Park Rug – An aerial view of a neighborhood with cars, streets, and trees. My 3-year-old, who’s obsessed with cars, still uses it as a racetrack. The older two lost interest pretty quickly.
Unicorn Castle Rug – My daughter basically screamed with excitement when she saw the unicorns and castles. Enough said.
Dino Play Rug – Also very cute. A prehistoric playground with rivers, forests, and a volcano.

They also have 2 other designs in their 3-D line:

Activity Town Rug – Perfect for little explorers. It has a plane, a roller coaster, a Ferris wheel, and even some water with sailboats.
World Map Rug – Adds an educational touch with colorful details of Earth’s seven continents. Kids can “travel” across mountains, oceans, and explore different creatures, making it a fun way to introduce geography.

The Bottom Line

I won’t gatekeep the pros and cons in case you don’t want to read through all the details below:

Pros:

Incredibly High Quality
Encourages Imaginative Play
Visually Stunning
Slip-Resistant

Cons:

Pricey (but Worth It)
Difficult to Vacuum
Not Spill-Proof
Uneven Surface/Not Suitable for Furniture

What We Love About These Rugs

Incredibly High Quality

The first thing I noticed when we unrolled these rugs is that they feel so luxurious. Not surprising because I’ve never been disappointed by anything from Pottery Barn.

They’re handtufted from 100% polyester and made in a Fair Trade Certified factory.

The texture is thick and plush, with a mixture of cut and looped pile that adds this cool, dimensional feel.

The edges are self-bound, which means they’re built to last (and not unravel after a few months of kids running all over them).

Encourages Imaginative Play

I was drawn to these rugs because I loved the idea of my kids getting a tangible, textured setting for imaginative play.

And at first, they totally did. They used cars, figurines, and their little imaginations to bring the scenes to life.

While the older two have mostly moved on from playing directly with the rug, my youngest (3yo) still loves using his rug as a racetrack and playground.

Visually Stunning

These rugs are gorgeous. The colors are vibrant without being loud.

They’re not your typical bright, cartoonish play rugs. These add a playful touch without screaming “kid zone,” which is a win in my book.

They’re yarn-dyed, which means each strand is dyed individually before being woven into the rug. This makes the colors more vibrant and helps the design stay sharp over time.

Slip-Resistant

The backing is made from recycled canvas with an odorless synthetic latex adhesive, which makes it non-slip and durable.

Pottery Barn also recommends buying a rug pad to go underneath it, which is sold separately. I bought those and am glad I did. These rugs don’t move!

A Few Trade-Offs

Pricey (but Built to Last)

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room—the price.

These rugs range from $349 to $849 depending on the size, so they’re definitely an investment. But I was willing to splurge for something high-quality that would last.

We’ve been through our fair share of cheap rugs, and well, you get what you pay for.

Difficult to Vacuum

The care instructions for these rugs say to vacuum regularly and/or shake to remove dust. But the 3-D design, while gorgeous, makes it harder to vacuum.

Tiny bits of debris get stuck around the grooves, and the vacuum doesn’t always pick them up easily.

Not Spill-Proof (Despite the Photos)

I have to call this out because it was a bit misleading—there’s a photo on the unicorn rug’s product listing that shows spilled milk just sitting on top of the rug.

I don’t know what kind of magic milk that was, but these rugs are not spill-proof or waterproof.

The care instructions even say to “blot spills immediately with a white cloth,” which tells you that liquids will soak in fast.

If your kids sneak snacks or drinks into their rooms (like mine do) and something spills, it soaks in fast. If you don’t catch it right away and blot it up, you’re in for a tough time getting it clean.

Uneven Surface

I know that’s kind of the whole point of a 3D rug, so maybe I shouldn’t call it a con, but I feel like it’s worth mentioning that you can definitely feel the dips and raised areas when walking across them.

And on that note, if you’re thinking about placing furniture on these rugs… don’t. The raised design makes it impossible for furniture to stay level.

These rugs work best in a wide, open space where they can stand out on their own.

Caring for Your Pottery Barn 3-D Rugs

Most of the concerns I mentioned are actually addressed in the care instructions.

And after investing in these beautiful 3D rugs, it’s worth taking a little extra care to keep them looking fresh:

Do not pull any loose threads. Use scissors to simply cut the ends.
Vacuum regularly and/or shake to remove dust.
Avoid prolonged moisture.
Blot spills immediately with a white cloth.
Professional rug cleaning is recommended as needed.
Harsh chemicals may damage or fade rug.
Use rug protectors under heavy furniture.
Shedding of loose fibers is normal during initial month of use.

Other Things to Consider When Buying

These rugs are big and heavy, so shipping costs can get pricey for some of the bigger rugs.

If you’re near a Pottery Barn, you can check if “Buy Online, Ship to Store” is available to save on shipping.

As for returns, Pottery Barn offers a 30-day return policy. Just keep in mind that shipping fees might be deducted from your refund. If you’d rather avoid that, you can return it directly to a store.

Pottery Barn 3-D Rugs vs. Amazon Dupe

Before committing to the Pottery Barn 3D rugs, I did a little digging to see if there were any comparable options on Amazon.

I found the IVI 3-D Play Carpets on Amazon, which looked very similar and were significantly cheaper, ranging from $100 to $250 depending on the size.

IVI offers five designs: Traffic Green or Blue (road-themed layouts), Mini City (like a mini neighborhood), Beach House, Farm, and Playhouse (which seems perfect for Barbie or small dolls). However, they only offer three sizes compared to Pottery Barn’s five.

Their rugs meet European Child Protection standards and are hypoallergenic, anti-static, and stain-resistant (though I’m skeptical about the stain resistance).

But after comparing them, I found that Pottery Barn checked more of the boxes I cared about.

	Material	Price	Size Options	Thickness	Texture	Weave type	Aesthetic	Non-Slip Backing	Dye
Pottery Barn 3-D Rugs	100% polyester	$349 – $849	4×6, 5×8, 6×9, 8×10, 5′ Round	.5 inches	Plush and consistent throughout	Hand-Tufted	Vibrant yet neutral	Yes, with recycled canvas and latex	Yarn-dyed with environmentally safe dyes
IVI 3-D Play Carpets	Polypropylene	$100 – $250	M, L, XL	1 inch	High areas plush, low areas firm	Flat-Woven	Coloful and bright	No mention of non-slip backing	Dyed with non-toxic dyes

Disclaimer: I didn’t buy these Amazon IVI Rugs, but I gathered some info from the product descriptions and read through the reviews so you don’t have to!

Texture and Comfort: The biggest difference seems to be texture and comfort. IVI’s 3-D elements, like roads and pathways, look thin and more like the back side of a rug or an outdoor mat. Even though Pottery Barn’s rugs have raised and lowered areas, the difference isn’t as drastic, so in my opinion, they’d be more comfortable to lie down on or play with.

Durability and Bunching: The IVI rugs looked like they were bunching and wrinkling in a lot of the review photos, making it hard to keep the rug flat. Pottery Barn’s rugs are thick and heavy, so they lie flat from day one and stay put no matter how hard my kids drive their cars on them.
Color and Aesthetic: IVI’s colors are brighter and have more of a traditional playroom vibe, which could feel a little loud if you prefer a more neutral, modern look. Pottery Barn’s designs are coloful without being overwhelming.

At the end of the day, I went with Pottery Barn because I knew I’d be getting something that would last—and I haven’t regretted it.