This one is always a biggie. Chairs on the rug or off the rug and in fact, do we even need a rug? Some do’s and don’ts for purchasing a rug because buying for the dining room is no easy feat!
As a Westchester County interior decorator and designer, I’d say that my clients come in one of the two flavors – 50% yes and 50% a resounding NO! But, for the ones who want a dining room to look finished and complete and want to give this not frequently used room a look of elegance – buying something that is both practical and beautiful is not so easy.
The most frequently asked question is of course, how big should I buy it? I believe that a dining room rug should have about 24″ of extra room surrounding the table so that guests can easily pull out a chair without tripping. While an even border is clearly ideal, but if it can’t be so, I say err on the side of bigger is better!
The second question I often hear relates to ease of cleaning. Because let’s face it – spills and messes will definitely happen. Natural fibers like wool and cotton are the easiest to clean and synthetic rugs are the most difficult.
I always advise my clients to buy a rug with a flat weave as well because these too are easiest to clean AND they have the added benefit of making it easy to move chairs in and out easily, without a chair leg catching as a hazzard.
And, like I do in every room, the rug is definitely my jumping off point for the room’s decor. Color, mood, and style of the rug will help us develop the narrative for our room and will often make the greatest statement. But I also like the idea of carpet tiles for under the dining table. These interlocking squares can be configured in whatever shape works best for both the room and the table AND can be easily replaced if there are spills that can’t easily be removed.
Naturally, I advise my clients to avoid light rugs because this is a working space, but again, I’m the coach and they are the final decision makers. Yet, it is my job to advise but I often do this with lots of conviction because this is no question
