Dining Room Rugs: How To Choose The Right Size

Dining room rugs are a great addition because they can bring warmth, color and visual interest to your space. When considering the best rug styles for your dining room, you'll also need to determine the right size. Here are some tips and good rules of thumb to keep in mind. 

• To get an accurate picture of how much floor space you have to work with, arrange furniture first. 
• Measure your dining table, then add about 24 to 36 inches to each side. This will provide room for you to pull out chairs without damaging your hardwood floor.  To help visualize this, a good rule of thumb is that you want all of the chair legs to be on the rug (not binding) when they are pulled out as if someone is sitting in the chair. 
• For most dining tables, an 8x10' or 9x12' rug will work. A 5x8' rug is often too small.
• To create a nice frame for your table and to make your room appear larger, leave about 18 inches of flooring uncovered on each side. 
• Match the shape of your rug to the shape of the table. A circular rug would go well with a round-shaped table, while a rectangular table would look much better paired with a rectangular rug. 
• If you have an unconventional setup or dining room, consider a custom-sized rug to make it work. 

Once you've determined the right size rug for your dining room, use tape or string to create a "rug" around the table. This way, you'll know that the size is actually correct when making your purchase later.  We recommend having our Sisal Life Protector applied to any dining room rug to help resist spills and soiling common with eating areas.