What a fun pattern for an area rug. It adds just enough of a pop of color so that it's not too much. I always use a pad to protect my hardwood floor I used a 1/4 inch pad but I would recommend a half inch unless of course you are laying this on top of wall to wall carpet. The only thing is that when it was delivered it had be folded over (I bought 13 x 11) to make it easier to ship but it had a crease in it - I'm pretty sure the creases would have relaxed on it's own over time but I pulled out our steam machine and sped up the process. It's a fun pattern and the price for this size was just amazing.In fact I had to wait for it to come back in stock and I'm glad I did.