I got this rug for my spare room--I don't know if it would be as good for a more highly trafficked area.  It does shed a lot.  It's beautiful, though, and very comfortable to stand on.  It came earlier than I was anticipating, too, which was nice.  The stripes are a very dark brown, but you can only tell that if you're really staring at them.  They would go with black furniture as well as brown.

Pros: Good value for the money, beautiful rug
Cons: Sheds