Very pleased with this rug after about 1 month in my home. It makes the entryway look modern, bright, and airy. Its quite soft. Of course, jute can never be as soft as a carpet type material but I have no issue walking on this with bare feet and the dog spends just as much time laying on it as the previous carpet type rug that was in the space. It is shedding, but I don't notice it on my floors, only on the bottom of my socks and stuck to the dogs fur. The color is great too, a mix of white, creme, grey, and browns much like a berber carpet. I think the variation will help the rug appear unstained for a long time. The dog already vomited on the white portion and the stain came out completely with the use of *** carpet cleaner and rinsing with water with a towel under the rug. I used the Mohawk Home Premium Felted Non-Slip Dual Surface Rug Pad underneath and its a perfect amount of plushness combined with the rubber backing against the floor to keep the rug firmly in place. The color in the lighter photo is more accurate.