Are Dining Rooms a Place Suitable for Rugs?

Let’s have a look at using rugs under dining tables.

With floorboards so popular these days (and why not with so many incredible choices and finishes available like the one’s at DecoRug – Woodline Parquetry Timber Flooring, Hybrid or even Laminate and Vinyl options that look amazing) you can use a rug under a dining table to add warmth, comfort, and a sense of occasion. For open space living it really helps create a separation of purpose where your living and dining area share the same space.

For us, there are a few things we like to keep in mind when choosing a rug for your dining area.

The number one consideration is function. For example, if it is a dining area, and the chance of spillage is high, we need to make sure the rug is designed to put up with this kind of traffic. Our range of machine washable rugs from the Rajah collection, are the idea rug for every room in your home.

Thinking about the rug pile is important also for the style of chairs you have at the dining table. Sliding chairs in and out from under the table means you won’t want the pile to high that it will make this difficult, requiring a gym-fit body to simply move the chair.

With foot traffic going to and from your dining table you also want to ensure the rug you choose will sit flat. You really don’t want to create any ‘trip hazards’ in your home.

Then we think colour. Again, for us, we think function first. Spillages are likely and they are going to show up on lighter colours. Think about patterns as they are great for hiding stains so have a look at options in your colour scheme. Also, you are going to need to clean the rug so it’s important to look for material that will withstand cleaning. Think about natural fibres like wool or cotton, and finer textures are easier to clean.

The question of size is also important. If your space allows it, err on the side of too big rather than too small.

Here are a few tips when considering the size of the rug.

1. Have a look at the shape of your dining table. Round tables are popular and look amazing on a round rug, however you can still play with a square rug to make a great statement. An oval table can look amazing on the right rectangular rug.
2. The rug you place under the table should be long enough and wide enough for your dining chairs to fit comfortably on the rug when they are pushed back from the table. Allow around 50 cm either side and length of the table enabling your guests to easily sit at the table and still have all chair legs on the rug.
3. Before you go shopping measure the dimensions of the table,
4. It’s a great idea to use painters’ tape to mark out the placement of the rug on the floor. This will let you see what it’s going to look like, and let you do some internet shopping for the size of the rug before you hit the stores.

You also need to think about the space between the edge of the rug and the wall and try to keep around 30cm of bare floor showing. In some spaces this might not work so try and keep as much bare floor as possible to ensure the room doesn’t look crowded. Some bare floor is better than none.

Using rugs can create luxury and a sense of occasion, so go for it. Think of them as a great foundation to your room because the colours in your rug can be picked up throughout your styling and décor.