There's no place like a good rug

A girl from Kansas, a little dog, a twister and a road of yellow bricks leading to a city of emeralds: The Wizard of Oz has been one of America's favorite stories for more than a century. A Wizard of Oz rug brings that magic home, and the classic design is the road itself, a winding yellow brick road that turns a hallway into the way to Oz. There are also sparkling red shoes on a round rug, a field of scarlet poppies, the glittering green spires of the Emerald City and a Kansas farmhouse spinning in a twister. Every design is printed into soft velvet and goes in the washing machine.

Wizard of Oz designs

Design	The look	Best in
Yellow brick road	A winding road of golden bricks	Hallway runners, playrooms
Sparkling red shoes	Glittery red shoes on a round rug	Girls' rooms, dressing rooms
Poppy field	Scarlet poppies under a blue sky	Bedrooms, living rooms
Emerald City	Green glass spires on the horizon	Kids' rooms, theater rooms
Kansas twister	A farmhouse spinning in a sepia tornado	Playrooms, movie rooms
Little dog	A small terrier peeking from a basket	Nurseries, dog lovers' rooms

The yellow brick road makes a natural hallway runner, leading from one room to the next.

The book

L. Frank Baum published The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900, with colorful illustrations by W. W. Denslow, and it was an instant bestseller, often called the first great American fairy tale. Dorothy Gale, swept from her Kansas farm by a cyclone, lands in the magical land of Oz and follows the yellow brick road to the Emerald City with three new friends: a Scarecrow who wants a brain, a Tin Woodman who wants a heart and a Cowardly Lion who wants courage. Baum went on to write thirteen more Oz books, and the original is long in the public domain, which is why its world inspires so many retellings.

The yellow brick road

The road that leads Dorothy to the Emerald City is one of the most famous paths in literature, and it was made for a long, narrow rug. A custom runner up to 10 ft long, with a winding road of golden bricks running through green fields, turns a hallway into the journey to Oz, and children love following it all the way to bed. Choose Standard, 5 mm crushed velvet on a non-slip faux leather back, about 500 g/m², which stays put as little feet skip past.

Silver shoes, red shoes

In Baum's book, Dorothy's magic shoes are silver. The famous 1939 film turned them red to show off its brilliant new color process, and red sparkling shoes have been an icon ever since; one of the film's original pairs is displayed at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. A round rug with a pair of glittering red shoes of our own design, or silver ones for book purists, is a sweet piece for a girl's room or a dressing room. Our round rugs come from 2.6 to 5.9 ft (80 to 180 cm) across. It's printed velvet, so there's no real glitter to shed.

The poppy field

On the way to the Emerald City, the travelers cross a field of scarlet poppies so beautiful, and so sleepy, that Dorothy and the Lion drift off to sleep. A poppy-field rug, vivid red poppies under a bright blue sky, is a gorgeous design for a bedroom or a living room, whether or not anyone knows the story. For more blooms, see our flower rugs.

The Emerald City

The glittering green city on the horizon, where everyone wears green-tinted spectacles, is the travelers' goal. An Emerald City rug, green glass spires rising beyond a golden road, is a magical design for a child's room or a theater lover's den. For the story of the witches, see our Wicked rugs.

The twister

The story begins with a Kansas cyclone lifting Dorothy's farmhouse into the sky. A twister rug, a little farmhouse spinning in a swirling sepia tornado above flat fields, is a dramatic, fun design for a playroom or a movie room, and a fitting nod for families from tornado country.

The little dog

Dorothy's loyal little dog goes everywhere with her, peeking out of her basket. A small terrier in a wicker basket is a sweet, simple design for a nursery or a dog lover's room. For more dogs, see our dog rugs.

Brains, heart and courage

The Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Lion each set out to get something they think they lack, only to discover they had it all along. A rug inspired by the three friends, a straw scarecrow, a shining tin figure and a gentle lion along the road, is a lovely design for a child's room and a gentle lesson about believing in yourself.

Kansas pride

For Kansans, the story is part of home. The small town of Wamego even has a museum dedicated to Oz, full of memorabilia from the books and films. A Kansas design, golden wheat fields, a red barn, a windmill and a sunflower, the state flower, is a warm, proud rug for a farmhouse kitchen or a family room, with or without a twister on the horizon.

A whole series to read

Many families don't realize that the first book was just the beginning. Baum's Oz series continues with new heroes and stranger places, and reading them aloud makes a wonderful bedtime project. A storybook Oz rug in a reading nook, with a floor cushion and a lamp, sets the scene for chapter after chapter.

Pairing with furniture

These rugs suit cheerful, storybook rooms: white or painted wood furniture, gingham curtains in blue and white, a wicker basket, a few framed vintage book illustrations and a pop of emerald green. For a theater lover, add a lighted mirror and a shelf of playbills.

Nurseries

A soft storybook Oz design, poppies, a rainbow and a little dog in pastel watercolors, is a charming, timeless nursery rug. Choose Premium, 7 mm plush velvet on a bamboo and cotton back, about 700 g/m², for tummy time; switch to Standard once your child is walking. For more ideas, see our kids and nursery rugs.

Kids' rooms and playrooms

A yellow brick road or Emerald City rug is a perfect base for pretend play, with dolls and figures marching to see the Wizard. On a hard floor, choose Standard so the rug stays put. Our kids play rugs page has more ideas.

Theater lovers

The story has been staged countless times, by school drama clubs and on Broadway. For a young performer or a lifelong theater fan, a red-shoes or Emerald City rug is a joyful, meaningful choice. Our bedroom rugs page has more layouts.

Rainbows

A rainbow arching over the Kansas sky is part of the story's magic. A soft rainbow with a little farmhouse beneath it is a hopeful design for a nursery or a calm-down corner. For more, see our rainbow rugs.

Colors

Wizard of Oz designs look best in golden yellow, emerald green, poppy red and sky blue, with sepia and soft brown for Kansas scenes. A yellow brick road on green is the most recognizable and the most cheerful.

Other stories

For more classic stories and films, see our movie and pop culture rugs.

Gifts

A Wizard of Oz rug makes a lovely gift for a young reader, a theater kid or a grandparent who grew up with the story. A custom yellow brick road with a child's name on a signpost is the most personal choice.

Your own design

Want a yellow brick road sized to your hallway, a signpost with your family name or red shoes with your daughter's initials? Our custom rugs can print it in any size up to 5′11″ × 10′, or cut it to shape with our shaped rugs. Please only send artwork you're allowed to use; film stills and photos of the actors belong to their owners. Custom rugs are made just for you and can't be returned.

Sizes, shipping and returns

Rectangles come in 2×3, 2.6×3.9, 3.3×5, 4×6 and 5×7 ft. Round rugs come from 2.6 to 5.9 ft (80 to 180 cm) across, and shaped rugs from 2.6×2.6 up to 5.2×5.9 ft (80×80 to 160×180 cm). Custom sizes go up to 5′11″ × 10′, including long runners. Every rug is printed to order in 1–3 business days and ships from Turkey; US delivery usually takes 2–5 business days after that. Unused rugs can be returned within 30 days on US orders; custom rugs can't be returned.

Care

Machine wash on a gentle, cold cycle and let it air dry flat. Vacuum on a low setting between washes, and blot spills with cold water right away. The design is printed into the fibers, so the bricks stay golden, wash after wash.

The 1939 film

The 1939 film of The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland as Dorothy, is famous for one of cinema's greatest moments: the switch from sepia-toned Kansas to the dazzling Technicolor of Oz when Dorothy opens the farmhouse door. The film's ruby slippers, changed from the book's silver shoes to show off the new color process, became one of the most famous props in Hollywood history.

Over the Rainbow, sung by Garland in the Kansas scenes, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and is still one of the most beloved songs ever written for film. Toto was played by a Cairn terrier named Terry, and Frank Morgan played not only the Wizard but several other characters in the story, from Professor Marvel to the guard at the Emerald City gates.

Those details inspire rugs that capture the film's magic. A split design, sepia farmhouse on one side and a burst of Technicolor flowers on the other, is a clever, cinematic rug for a movie room or a hallway. A rainbow arching over a Kansas field suits a nursery or a child's bedroom, and a small Cairn terrier sitting at the edge of a yellow brick road is a sweet design for a dog lover.

For theater lovers and film fans alike, a rug with a pair of sparkling red shoes on a black-and-white checkered floor makes an elegant, iconic piece for a dressing room or an entryway, with no place like home written in small letters underneath.

Padrift is an independent studio. Our designs are original artwork inspired by L. Frank Baum's public-domain story; we are not affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by Warner Bros. or the makers of any film adaptation.