Vote:If room not carpeted, should Dining Table be on an area rug?

16 years ago

This is just a question of preference.

All rooms are different, all dining rooms and house styles are different. With that said, if YOU had a dining room table over some sort of hard surface (Hardwoods, tile, linoleum, whatever) Do YOU prefer it to be on an area rug?

Featured Answer

bungalow_house

16 years ago

I tried removing the rug from our dining room, but the chairs scratched the floor. I searched but couldn't find anything that worked that we could put on the bottom of the chairlegs to prevent it, so I say rug on hardwood. We have a 3-year-old and it really hasn't been a problem cleaning-wise (knock on wood!).

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Comments (16)

lynnski
16 years ago
I love the look of a rug under the table, but I'm totally not interested in the cleaning or the worrying. Food and carpet in close proximity? Doesn't work for my casual spaces OR my casual attitude toward housework.
dgmarie
16 years ago
Yes but it depends on if this is formal or casual, and if you have kids (or adults!) who tend to be messy. If formal, yes, I prefer the rugs, but casual I could go either way until the spills cease.
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graywings123
16 years ago
Yes to an area rug in a formal dining room, no to one in a casual area, so that cleaning is easier.
patricianat
16 years ago
How about one of the natural fiber rugs for a casual area, an oriental or traditional for more formal. I personally do not like the look of wood table against wood floors, I think they need a medium to show off their great look. I think any table looks better on the rug as long as that rug works with the space.
daisyadair
16 years ago
I have hardwood in the dining room and kitchen and have never had rugs. It's just easier for me to clean without one. I'm lazy plus my kids are slob = no rugs.
teedup1
16 years ago
A conditional vote here. If the room size is small relative to dining table/chair set size - No. If room size is adequate to support a rug with at least two feet of other floor finish showing - Yes.
redbazel
16 years ago
I'm conditional too, like teedup1. If the room is small, probably not. Also, it depends on the family and the rug. For a family with babies or messy toddlers, if you don't have a rug that forgives all, (like an old persian) you're going to be unhappy and cleaning it all the time.

But a nice rug looks good and helps protect the wood floor.

Red
nhb22
16 years ago
Yes and yes to both areas!!!
teacats
16 years ago
OOOOOOoo -- yes -- indeed -- I think of a dining room as a Jewel Box -- dark, delicious and a bit sexy.

An area rug would simply concentrate all of the pattern and visual power and strength to the table and seating area ..... similar to the chandelier (and ceiling medallion) above the table .....
xamsx
16 years ago
To save my hardwood floors from the marks that result from chairs sliding back & forth (no matter how clean, some dust or grit always gets under the glides), I always use a rug under the dining room table and chairs. I'm just not interested in refinishing the floors that often.
sedeno77
16 years ago
Yes
terezosa / terriks
16 years ago
In my old house I had a rug under our "kitchen" table, which was on a hardwood floor. In our new house I have one dining area, which could be called "semi-formal", and don't have a rug. I actually never even considered one. It is definitely easier to clean without the rug.
Shannon01
16 years ago
Looks like majority has rug under formal if room is large enough and no rug under kitchen table due to messy eaters.

Funny, my old house had wood dining table on wood floor. I had to put felt under all the legs, then moved a few weeks later and had to remove the all because new house had carpet. Now I am removing the carpet and having to put the felt back on. But since I will most likely have a rug under there, I may only do the chairs in case the chairs get taken off rug for some reason. My room is large enough to have rug under table with about 2' of wood around edge of room still showing.

My kitchen has no rug on wood floor. It is amazing how many crumbs my kids drop each week. I almost feel like putting a "splat" mat under there like they do for highchairs.
jerseygirl_1
16 years ago
In my last DR I optioned not to have an area rug. I will probably do the same in my current home. The DR is the next phase of decorating.

I don't know about anyone else, but I have experienced all types of crumbs that get stepped on and have had spills during entertaining.
jimandanne_mi
16 years ago
I hate to clean too, but still have rugs under both formal and informal tables. I don't want the floors to get scratched, I like the look, and most important, rugs help absorb noise. I have rugs with designs/patterns of several different colors, so food spills don't show. Every few years I take them to a professional rug cleaners. Right now, I have a 9x12 and a 6'6x10 being cleaned and protected for $265 total. Our best known oriental rug cleaner has an on-going 2 for the price of 1 cleaning, and by rolling them up them and taking them ourselves we saved money.

Anne