The Secret to Picking Out the Perfect Dining Room Rug
Is the rug you're eyeing the right size, shape and weave for your dining room? Here's what to keep in mind
Laura Gaskill
1 April 2018
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance checklist. My favorite pieces to write center around the emotional aspects of home and savoring life's simple pleasures. Decluttering course + discount for Houzzers: https://www.lauragaskill.com/welcome-houzzers
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance... More
Finding a dining room rug that is both practical and stylish is no easy feat. Fluffy pile can permanently trap every crumb from the table. Too-small rugs can trip up chairs. But a good rug can bring colour, texture, warmth and style to the dining room – making the hunt well worth the effort. Read on for 10 tips for choosing the just-right rug for this hardworking room.
1. Err on the side of too big
A dining room rug should have at least 24 inches of extra room on all sides of the dining table to allow enough space for guests to pull out chairs without tripping over the rug. An even wider border is ideal. To be sure you are getting the correct size rug, measure your dining table, add 24 inches or more on each side and mark the area directly on the floor with tape. If the marked areas falls well inside your other dining room furniture (buffet, bar cart), consider sizing up.
A dining room rug should have at least 24 inches of extra room on all sides of the dining table to allow enough space for guests to pull out chairs without tripping over the rug. An even wider border is ideal. To be sure you are getting the correct size rug, measure your dining table, add 24 inches or more on each side and mark the area directly on the floor with tape. If the marked areas falls well inside your other dining room furniture (buffet, bar cart), consider sizing up.
2. Pick a flat weave or short pile rug
Because spills are inevitable, and the ease with which you can pull a chair back is important, flat-weave or low-pile rugs are the practical choice in the dining room. Keep the shag rugs, Moroccan carpets and other thick, fluffy rugs in the living room, where they will require less cleaning and maintenance.
3. Use the rug as a jumping-off point for decorating
If the rug is one of your first purchases for the dining room, you can use it to set the tone for the space and develop a colour scheme. Pull the lightest or background colour from the rug to use as a wall colour, and bring in a bolder hue from the rug as an accent in the room, on chair cushions or in artwork.
Because spills are inevitable, and the ease with which you can pull a chair back is important, flat-weave or low-pile rugs are the practical choice in the dining room. Keep the shag rugs, Moroccan carpets and other thick, fluffy rugs in the living room, where they will require less cleaning and maintenance.
3. Use the rug as a jumping-off point for decorating
If the rug is one of your first purchases for the dining room, you can use it to set the tone for the space and develop a colour scheme. Pull the lightest or background colour from the rug to use as a wall colour, and bring in a bolder hue from the rug as an accent in the room, on chair cushions or in artwork.
4. Choose easy-clean materials
Generally, pure natural fibres like cotton and wool are the simplest to clean at home, and synthetic blends are the most difficult. The exception are indoor-outdoor and stain-resistant rugs that are made to withstand scrubbing.
Wondering which upholstery fabric is right for you?
Generally, pure natural fibres like cotton and wool are the simplest to clean at home, and synthetic blends are the most difficult. The exception are indoor-outdoor and stain-resistant rugs that are made to withstand scrubbing.
Wondering which upholstery fabric is right for you?
5. Try carpet tiles
These interlocking carpet squares can be configured in whatever size and shape you need, and come in a wide range of hues, patterns and textures. What makes them a smart choice for the dining room? If a stain sets into one square, you can replace it without buying a whole new rug.
These interlocking carpet squares can be configured in whatever size and shape you need, and come in a wide range of hues, patterns and textures. What makes them a smart choice for the dining room? If a stain sets into one square, you can replace it without buying a whole new rug.
6. Feel before you buy a natural fiber rug
With an affordable price tag, great texture and classic look, natural fibre rugs – including sisal, jute and sea grass – have a lot going for them. But where natural fibres like cotton and wool tend to be easy to clean, these natural materials can prove to be trickier. The key lies in the texture of the rug – the finer and smoother it is, the easier it will be to clean. On the other hand, it can be nearly impossible to remove ground-in food from really nubby natural fibre rugs. Consider yourself warned!
With an affordable price tag, great texture and classic look, natural fibre rugs – including sisal, jute and sea grass – have a lot going for them. But where natural fibres like cotton and wool tend to be easy to clean, these natural materials can prove to be trickier. The key lies in the texture of the rug – the finer and smoother it is, the easier it will be to clean. On the other hand, it can be nearly impossible to remove ground-in food from really nubby natural fibre rugs. Consider yourself warned!
7. Match rug shape to room shape
Have a square dining room? Try a square or round rug. Rectangular room? Use a rectangular rug. Echoing the shape of the room with your rug brings a pleasing feeling of order to a space.
Take a look at 11 rules for area rugs and how to break them
Have a square dining room? Try a square or round rug. Rectangular room? Use a rectangular rug. Echoing the shape of the room with your rug brings a pleasing feeling of order to a space.
Take a look at 11 rules for area rugs and how to break them
8. Match rug shape to table shape
Round dining tables look great with round or square rugs. Rectangular and oval dining tables work well with rectangular rugs. Square dining tables tend to work best with square rugs, though a round rug could work for a more playful feel.
Round dining tables look great with round or square rugs. Rectangular and oval dining tables work well with rectangular rugs. Square dining tables tend to work best with square rugs, though a round rug could work for a more playful feel.
9. Avoid light hues
Unless you use your dining room more as a workspace than for dinner parties, it’s probably best to avoid white and light-coloured rugs in this space (as beautiful as they look). Of course, white is not the only rug colour to watch out for. Any pale hue is going to show dirt and spots sooner than deeper, richer colours.
Here’s how to bring bold, patterned rugs into your home
Unless you use your dining room more as a workspace than for dinner parties, it’s probably best to avoid white and light-coloured rugs in this space (as beautiful as they look). Of course, white is not the only rug colour to watch out for. Any pale hue is going to show dirt and spots sooner than deeper, richer colours.
Here’s how to bring bold, patterned rugs into your home
10. Look at the larger space
When choosing a colour and pattern for your dining room rug, look at it as a piece in the larger puzzle of your space. What colour are your dining chairs and table, light fixtures, flooring, and wall colour? If you have an open floor plan, what other rugs are you already using in the space? The rug you ultimately choose should fit naturally with these other pieces.
Read more:
How to Choose the Right Carpet for Your Home
Tell us:
Do you have a rug in the dining room, or do you prefer bare floors? Tell us in the Comments below.
When choosing a colour and pattern for your dining room rug, look at it as a piece in the larger puzzle of your space. What colour are your dining chairs and table, light fixtures, flooring, and wall colour? If you have an open floor plan, what other rugs are you already using in the space? The rug you ultimately choose should fit naturally with these other pieces.
Read more:
How to Choose the Right Carpet for Your Home
Tell us:
Do you have a rug in the dining room, or do you prefer bare floors? Tell us in the Comments below.
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@cedon I totally agree :)
Question for the houzz hive: my chandelier is off center, table centered under it, can I basically center the rug, so the table ends up being off center on it? Its a rather large dining space, thats open to living. Can’t really center the rug (planning on a 9x11) because then it covers the floor heating register thats close to the window. Is it too weird to have the table off center?
Thank you Sarah, here's the link to the shop I told you https://www.etsy.com/shop/FatimaRugs
They are offering free international delivery and you can customize your own rug with the sizes you want