Dining room area rug challenge

last month

What is the best way to handle this situation??

The perimeter of a possible area rug is shown in the attached photos (it’s shown with ribbon and index cards). Also attached is a drawing to scale. The rug is shown centered under the light fixture. This is the size rug we need to have 2’ around all sides of the table. (The table is 3’6” x 8’, the area rug is 9’ x 12’ and the room is 13’4” x 13’8”). My concerns are:

Most guidelines say to leave 12-18” of exposed wood floor around an area rug. As shown here, there would be only about 8” of wood floor showing on the ends of the rug.
The guidelines I’ve seen say to avoid a situation in which a person walking through the room would have one foot on and one foot off the rug. Here, someone walking from the wide entry through the room toward the French door, for example, at some point likely would be half on, half off the rug.
A corner of the area rug slightly overlaps with the opening to the French door. This doesn’t strike me as fatal, just noting it. On the opposite end of the room, the rug nearly reaches the width of the larger passage way.

Had I known all this, I probably would have looked for a smaller dining table. (We’re not going to change the table right now.) Not using an area rug is an option, but we like the idea of dining chairs being on an area rug (quieter, less wear on the floor we just refinished), and the way an area rug can add esthetically to a room.

I would be very thankful for any help with this situation!

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Comments (12)

Lyn Nielson
last month
guidlines are suggestions.

I would center the rug under the dining table, (the table centered on the light fixture) certain that all the chairs are ON the rug when pulled out.
Holly Robinson
Original Author
last month
Thank you. Yes, the table would be centered on the area rug, and both would be centered under the light fixture. There would be two feet of area rug around the sides of the table per guidelines to make sure chairs are on the area rug even when a person pulls a chair out to sit or get up.
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Thank you all! That was great advice! I pulled the chairs out and used my handy-dandy tape measure. Actually, 8' would be fine for the width according to that...but since I have 12' to work with...I am thinking about going with 9'. As far as standard rug sizes go...I think 8' x 10' is the standard size for the 8' width, and I just think that would look too small. And, I occasionally use the leaves in the table, so the extra 2' feet in length would come in handy (9' x 12' size.) I might be able to do a custom size, though, depending on where I get the rug from...would you recommend going a bit longer (9' x 13'?) or sticking with a 9' x 12' if any size were possible? Again, thanks so much!!
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when you get a chance, post more pics showing your entire space. stand in your doorway and shoot from left to right. post those. if the kitchen area isn't included in those, then post some for that area too. Can you paint, yes or no? even if it's white, would they let you paint? or perhaps they will if you tell them you'll paint it back before you leave (if you choose to do another color besides white) here are some options I think would work w/what you have, and some pics to display a type of layout of your furniture. look at a few of these side tables they use, and lamps. instead of the white media cab you have, I think a larger walnut, mcm, type of cabinet, or the more modern white one, larger one, would do the trick. I really like this for your tv, and a strong color for the wall it's on. (your other walls would be white) . your tv is bigger and take the place of the mirror. and this pic has the same rug I picked for you. potted plants, also notice these blinds. much better than those minis.
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THANKS FOR THE PHOTOS, I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND A BIG AREA RUG IN THE CENTER BECAUSE IT WILL UNBALANCE THE DINING CHAIRS EVERY TIME YOU USE. YOU CAN ADD A RUG UNDER THE CHAIRS IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH SPACE A FOOT REST WOULD BE NICE IN FRONT OF IT. SOME INSPIRATIONAL PHOTOS MIGHT HELP
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elcieg
last month
last modified: last month
When you purchase a rug for a dining room, the table drives the bus. You need 3" all around the table so that chairs can be pulled out and all four legs stay on the rug. The 9' x 12' rug is perfect for the table, but not for the room. The table is too big for the room. Do you own it? If so, maybe no rug should be in the room.
PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
last month
We'd like to see 3 ft of space from the edge of the table to the walls. That table is too large for the room. Is the a leaf that can be removed to shorten the table?

IMO the room is better suited for the table to be centered on the large window under the light fixture
marmiegard_z7b
last month
You can live without a rug. Easier to clean a single - material surface anyway! I line the idea of getting your color, interest from art, carefully curated sideboard items, table centerpiece.
BPMBA
last month
I'd skip the rug (especially since it's going to be off-center) and put felt pads on the bottom of the chair legs to help keep your GORGEOUS floors looking new!
Holly Robinson
Original Author
last month
Thank you, elcieg — we will think more about having no area rug. Regarding the table, yes, we own it and probably won’t change it for now. Thank you, BeverlyFLADeziner, for the reorientation suggestion. I will try it! It appears it might resolve some of the half on-half off the rug issue when walking from room to room. Also, there is no leaf in the table to be removed — the tabletop is one, solid piece. Thank you, marmiegard, for your additional thoughts on the no rug option!
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PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last month
I actually don't like rugs in DRs they get gros and honestly 2' is the bare min for a chair to move back and forth and I see a tripping hazard at thet doorway with a rug that will soon be turned up at the corner . Add great art to the space and forget the rug.
Maureen
last month
last modified: last month
If it helps, I’ve never had a 36” clearance in any of my dining rooms and just measured our present rug which has a 26” chair clearance (for the last 15 years). Have never encountered any issues, even with over 6ft sons and the very elderly.
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bjstem
last month
last modified: last month
I'd ignore the 18" from the wall thing, if your table requires a rug that size, and you don't have door issues.

Could you skip a rug and just put sliders on the bottoms of your chairs to protect your floors?
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Design Fan
last month
last modified: last month
Consider centering the sideboard on the window wall which also moves it out of the traffic path.
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Valinta
last month
No rug! You can get glides for chair legs to protect floor and as Patricia noted DR rugs just need one milk spill to get very gross.

Dining room area rug challenge

Comments (12)

Lyn Nielson

Holly Robinson
Original Author

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Dining room area rug challenge

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