The Athena rug is even more beautiful in person. In the last few years, I have purchased 4 rugs ranging from 8'x10' to 12'x15'. Each rug was Surya brand wool rug. The coloring on my mac matched each rug perfectly and the "see it in your room" tool was very helpful. I have never had any of the rugs shed and all have held up well with foot traffic. Do yourself a favor and don't skimp on the rug pad. They really do make a difference in the life of the rug.