A Guide to the Best of Southern California : HANDMADE : Art Underfoot

One afternoon while watching “This Old House,” the PBS series that profiles home make-overs, Jessie MacMillan stumbled onto a segment about colorful canvas floor cloths. Soon after, the Fountain Valley artist began designing her own hand-painted, varnished “rugs.” They’re ideal for brick, tile and wooden surfaces, especially kitchens and entryways, she says. Although best known for her floral images, be they irises, violets or geraniums, MacMillan also does geometric patterns. And she accepts challenges to match the colors in a client’s wallpaper, draperies and shades, tablecloths and napkins. The rugs come in two basic sizes--3-by-4 (about $150) and 4-by-6 (about $270)--and clean up easily with soap and water.

Jessie MacMillan’s Art Underfoot is available at Room With a View, 1413 Montana Ave., Santa Monica, (213) 394-5224; A Summer Place, 1401 Highland Ave., Manhattan Beach, (213) 545-7080; Hiatt and Peek, 6445 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach, (213) 594-6255; The Grey Goose, 369 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa, (714) 642-7803; Two Doors Down, 17350 E. 17th St., Tustin, (714) 544-5232.