Benefits of a Dining Room Area Rug

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When we worked on our dining room, one of the less straightforward decisions that I ultimately made was to add an area rug under the table.  Although rugs and eating spaces aren't typically a practical union in my mind, I do think rugs help "anchor" a space.

Here's a look at our dining room without an area rug (PRE-makeover):

CAD Interiors mid-century farmhouse transitional dining room makeover before photo

CAD Interiors mid-century farmhouse transitional dining room makeover before photo

Here's the dining room POST-makeover:

CAD Interiors mid-century farmhouse transitional dining room makeover one room challenge interior design decorating modern floral wallpaper black white blue green

CAD Interiors mid-century farmhouse transitional dining room makeover one room challenge interior design decorating modern floral wallpaper black white blue green

Here's the PRESENT state of the room:

CAD Interiors dining room summer home tour interior design home decorating mid-century modern farmhouse transitional sisal natural fiber area rug


CAD Interiors dining room summer home tour interior design home decorating mid-century modern farmhouse transitional

The rug that was debuted in the initial room makeover reveal was a last-minute replacement (due to a snafu with the original rug order).  I had used two 5' x 8' rugs to "create" one larger 8' x 10' area rug.  While the color and material (jute) was great, I thought the pattern competed too much with the bold wallpaper.  So, I sourced a simpler natural fiber (sisal) rug, and upsized to a 9' x 12'.  The larger size better accommodates the dining chairs when pulled out.

So why did I ultimately decide to add an area rug under the dining room table?
  • It protects the hardwood floors from sunlight/fading.  The area gets a lot of afternoon sun.
  • It protects the hardwood floors from daily wear or scratches.
  • It defines the area within our open-concept great room, and helps "ground" the space.
  • It provides a welcomed layer of dimension and texture.

CAD Design Tip:  If you are considering placing a rug in a dining area or high-traffic space, I would recommend durable material rugs such as jute, sisal, or seagrass, a rug with a busy pattern, or indoor/outdoor rugs.

While the benefits I listed for having an area rug are specific to our home, they can also be commonly applied across households.  What do you think?  Are you on "team rug" or do you prefer going rug-less in the dining room?!

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Shared with: Inspire Me Tuesday