Dining Rooms… to Rug or Not to Rug?

Does Your Dining Room Really Need a Rug?

As a San Diego interior designer, we hear our clients protest the use of rugs in dining spaces because they are concerned with maintenance, cleaning and functionality, but we always recommend placing a rug in a dining room because it anchors the space when it's done properly. Here are some pointers we recommend for getting it right.

Select Your Dining Room Rug Like a Pro

Size and scale are the most significant factors that differentiate between a professional or amateur space. We like to have all the chairs comfortably sitting on a rug when they are in use, not just when they are pushed in to the table. This is easy to accomplish when the space is rectangular because most rugs are rectangular. We recommend 24" of extra rug along the perimeter of a table, this way all the chairs have plenty of room to be pulled out and still sit on the rug.

Rugs for Round Dining Room Tables

Round tables are more of a challenge because we don't love the look of round rugs, so we recommend square rugs which are harder to find. Usually, if a space calls for a round table, it means it's a smaller space and may not accommodate a large square rug. In this case, we rotate the chairs to sit in the corners of the rug and that will usually solve the issue if you can't fit a large rug in the space.

Rug Construction and Material Matters in a Dining Room

As for materials, whenever possible we try to use indoor/outdoor materials that are low maintenance, but we try to avoid any large bumpy loops that can get stuck or get snagged on chair legs. We recommend low pile rugs under dining tables because they are easier to clean, and avoid woven seagrass, jute or sisal rugs because those get easily destroyed from vacuuming.

Rug Patterns that Work Best in Dining Rooms

For clients with small kids or pets, we try to use a patterned rug rather than a solid color because the pattern is more forgiving and better at concealing messes. Stripes and geometric patterns also have the added benefit of giving the illusion of elongating a space to make it feel bigger and less crowded.

What Next?

If you’re on the fence and not sure if a rug is appropriate in your space, that’s what we’re here for. By working with an interior designer, we can source rugs that suit your needs because we know which materials work best. We’re here to take the guess-work out of the process, so you can confidently make smart furnishing decisions that will comfortably fit your lifestyle.

You can fill out this consultation form to schedule time and chat with us!