Carmen NesbittSalt Lake City’s first-ever rug tufting studio opens its doors Saturday.
That means, yes, you too, can create your own custom Pikachu rug — or any rug design you can dream up.
Founded by husband and wife duo Linda and Davis Matson, Rug Lounge SLC offers beginner-friendly rug tufting workshops located in Salt Lake City’s 9th and 9th neighborhood.
“Tufting” is a textile-making method that dates back to ancient times. Patterns are created by feeding thread or yarn into a backing fabric.
Mechanized tufting emerged in Dalton, Georgia around the 1930’s with the invention of the “tufting machine.” That remains the primary method of commercial rug production today.
Rug tufting became more of a personal hobby, though, when affordable, handheld “tufting guns” hit the mainstream market around the time of the pandemic, according to Metropolis, an architecture and design magazine. Now, the craft has taken hobbyists and social media by storm.
Linda Matson said she and her husband were inspired to try rug tufting after seeing several videos on YouTube.
“We just really enjoyed it,” Matson said. “We were just really struck by how simple it was for people without that much experience.”
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Linda Matson and her husband Davis talk about opening up their rug tufting shop called Rug Lounge in the 9th and 9th neighborhood on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, during their soft-open phase.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Maddie Hassinger tries out rug tufting for the first time.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Linda Matson shows off a simple and sweet rug tufting project.
For the couple, quality materials are a nonnegotiable, which is why they source premium wool from New Zealand. The goal, Matson said, is for people to be able to take home a lasting art piece.
Saturday’s grand opening celebration will include a raffle with prizes donated by local businesses, Matson said. People can also stop by and tuft a small fabric square for free.
“That’s going to end up being a piece of art that we display in the studio,” Matson said.
How it works
The studio is located at 955 E. 900 South, Suite B, in between Protein Foundry and Essential Photo Supply.
Workshops cost $150 per rug and last about three hours, Matson said.
Two people can work on the same rug together, she added, because tufting can get a bit “intensive.”
Also, anyone who books a workshop this Saturday will get 25% of their booking. That applies to any future date.
Reservations can be made online on Rug Lounge’s website.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Maddie Hassinger, left, tries out rug tufting for the first time with the help of Linda Matson at the Rug Lounge.
