Have you thought about leaving the dining area floor bare?

You probably already know this, but buy your DR set first before you settle on a rug. You may like the area a lot better without a rug there.

Thanks for the suggestion oakleyok -- I just can't envision the table either :-( We never got a dining room rug at our old house and it always felt unfinished. The old dining table, which I never got around to replacing, is now in the kitchen with a cheap rug and it feels 100x better.

I suppose the blank slate is the heart of the problem. I am reluctant to pull the trigger on any main piece until I have an idea about all of them. Should we start with the items that are likely to be most expensive (rugs?) and go from there? FWIW we had an attempt with a designer but didn't get very far.

Personally I don't mind it so much empty for now (which is why it has remained so), but we are hosting 8 foreign visitors for a week in April and it would really be nice to have furnishings by then! I have the window treatment folks scheduled for next week so at least there is some progress.

Maybe consider a solid color plush, (dare I say shag) for the seating area and then select a coordinated patterned flat rug for the entrance. If you decide on a dining room rug, then it should also coordinate with the other two rugs, but I'm not sure you need one in the dining area. You might want to consider a natural grass rug for the dining area.

What part of the country is this, and do you have an inspirational photo that could give us a jumping off point? The house is wonderful

As this seems to be hard wood flooring so i would prefer something ethnic for it. Any rug which is handmade and has natural views would be the best. If you could get a pure New Zealand wool made rug then it will be prefect. By the way your interiors are looking amazing.

I agree that you should select a dining room table first. What style do you have in mind? I visualize a simple Amish Mission style like the one below but finished with a stain similar to your window and door casings.

I'd get a table before the rug, because the size of your table and chairs will dictate the size of the rug. Yes, I would want a rug in the dining area partly because it will help define the space.

You can definitely mix the weaves/textures of the rugs. A combination like Bev pictured is great, or a patterned flat weave in the dining area combined with a more plush living area rug in a solid or stripe...there are lots of options. I would coordinate the colors of the two rugs so you might start by deciding on what colors you want to bring in.

LOVE the table Juju posted.

Love the house, too.

I'd get a table before the rug, because the size of your table and chairs will dictate the size of the rug. Yes, I would want a rug in the dining area partly because it will help define the space.

You can definitely mix the weaves/textures of the rugs. A combination like Bev pictured is great, or a patterned flat weave in the dining area combined with a more plush living area rug in a solid or stripe...there are lots of options. I would coordinate the colors of the two rugs so you might start by deciding on what colors you want to bring in.

LOVE the table Juju posted.

Love the house, too.

OT, but I love your chandelier.
Do you want to skew a bit "industrial loft"? That might determine a dining table style.

Any of these tables would make a great statement beneath that fabulous light fixture. I'd combine them with a woven chair to pick up the tone of your floors. Could be very dramatic on a dark grey sisal rug.

This post was edited by beverly27 on Fri, Jan 16, 15 at 12:11

Wow, you all are terrific! Thank you so much! I am thinking about all of the comments which are very helpful because I tend to think in numbers and function rather than color, style, materials, etc.

I got as far as: The whole room is just over 18'x28'. Ideally the dining rug would be ~9'x12' and the table ~3.5'x9.5, trestle? seating 8-10, no distressed top. Needs to be comfortable. Would like the lines to be fairly simple but each area probably should have some detail so that our family clutter will fit in -- at least a little bit. DH prefers upholstered dining chairs, I would like Windsors. Could we mix?

Am I hearing that the table should be a bit "chunky"? beverly27, are those tables you show from Restoration Hardware? I like the lines, but standing alone prefer the color/smoother finish of the one jujubean posted. I am a big fan of Amish/shaker style but just don't see much in northern California.

I love ethnic-style rugs but a natural fiber might be nice, too. I just don't want it to look like the beach.

My sister calls my decorating style "confused." I like country/MCM, primitive but not distressed, industrial but no rust or sharp edges. How's that :-) So after going through pages of thumbnail images of dining rooms on houzz for examples, I really like these (though to me the one without rug looks unfinished):

[{{gwi:2138769}}[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/stone-ridge-farmhouse-dining-room-new-york-phvw-vp~18678439)

[Farmhouse Dining Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/farmhouse-dining-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_722~s_2114) by New York Interior Designers & Decorators Kyle Roberts Interior Design

[{{gwi:2138770}}[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/the-new-farmhouse-farmhouse-dining-room-new-york-phvw-vp~7832306)

[Farmhouse Dining Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/farmhouse-dining-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_722~s_2114) by Sharon Architects & Building Designers Rafe Churchill: Traditional Houses

But the designer suggested something like this, which admittedly might function better for us:

[{{gwi:2138771}}[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/santa-monica-beach-house-beach-style-dining-room-los-angeles-phvw-vp~5484117)

[Beach Style Dining Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/beach-style-dining-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_722~s_2110) by Los Angeles Architects & Building Designers Evens Architects

This is our existing kitchen furniture. It is falling apart and will get replaced but unlikely that the replacements will look much different (probably something from Room and Board). I'm planning to swap out the kitchen rug seasonally for thorough cleaning and a change of pace.

If you all wouldn't mind, over the weekend I might put together some images and maybe you can let me know whether you think the items could work together?

I was searching around for dining table images for you and noticed many that would look good, but have stretchers or trestles or other structures that would make sitting at the head or foot of the table miserable. Just something to watch for. Of those you posted at 13:13, I like the first.

Is this one too "rustic" for you?
{{gwi:2138772}}

This post was edited by kitchendetective on Fri, Jan 16, 15 at 14:13

kitchendetective, thanks, I just saw this. Unfortunately I do think that table is probably a bit too rustic for us -- I spent a bunch of time looking online this weekend and will post some options shortly, hopefully one of those will be ok....

As you have light coloured hardwood flooring therefore any teal rug would be the best for it. You can also try beige coloured traditional rug with intricate floral patterns. In the windows which are seen at the front they can be covered with roman blinds.

Oaktown Oh how I feel your pain! I too am trying to get a whole first floor outfitted with décor by spring. You are farther along than you think.
I think a mix of Windsor chairs on the sides with upholstered for the ends would look best. I am not a fan of the beach style dining room your designer suggested as the chairs look too heavy and closed off in your room and don't do a thing for that great light fixture.
I do like the dark tables Beverly posted especially the last two, for your dining space. They probably come in a couple different stain options.
Are you sure you want to focus on the dining area first? Since the Living area is part of this really gorgeous house you might have to start there?
I know nothing about design rules but if you are getting a new sofa and LR upholstered furniture that should come prior to rugs? That's my dilemma for my house so just thinking out loud.
However I have been looking at this rug and it might be good for your dining area and light fixture.

kidrowlam, I was thinking maybe a tribal rug in teal and red? I saw one from Room and Board that I thought I liked, but in the store it was too pinkish.

Thanks missymoo12, I do like that style of rug, but I will see whether I still like it in a couple of months before buying. We're basically doing the whole first floor too, except that I decided the bedroom furniture is fine and can stay (until I get around to it). The dining room and office are going first -- DH really wants shelves so we can get the books out of boxes. Want to race? :-)

The dining room is going first because we will have 15+ people to feed for a week in April. Over the holidays when folks came over we put kids at a play table but they're really too big for that now. We are 7 most of the time, so I'd like to be able to seat 10 at the dining table.

I would like to do the living area, but we do have enough furniture to make do for now, even if the furniture is the wrong size/style.