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How to Choose the Perfect Dining Room Rug

Are looking for a dining room rug? Then keep reading for tips to find the perfect dining room rug for your home!

Disclaimer: This post is brought to you by Well Woven. Thanks for supporting the brands that support this blog.

I’ve lived in my home for 12 years and guess how long it’s been since I’ve had a dining room rug?

12 years!

Yup, can you believe it?

I’ve never had a rug in our dining room!

Honestly, I didn’t think too much about it until I started blogging and taking photos of my home a few years ago.

And let me tell you then I really noticed how much I needed a rug to warm up the space.

dining room with wood floors table in middle of room with 6 chairs around table china cabinet behind table chandelier above table

Am I right? The room needs a rug doesn’t it?

I really like my dining room. It’s a pretty large space and super fun to decorate for different seasons.

Unfortunately, we don’t use it all that often.

Once a year we have dinner in here when we host Thanksgiving.

dining room table with chairs to left with china hutch behind table against wall and windows to right of photo

And Anne and I sometimes work in the dining room because it’s out of the way of traffic in the kitchen.

But other than that the dining room table is used as a holding zone for things that come into the house (aka…shopping trips) that haven’t found a home yet.

How to Choose the Right Size Dining Room Rug

photo of dining room chairs on rug

In a dining room you want to be sure that all of your furniture legs fit on the rug.

So you should choose a size that is big enough that even when your chairs are pulled out from the table the legs of the chair are still on the rug.

A general rule of thumb is to have 24 inches on all sides of the dining room table to allow the chairs to be pulled out without getting caught on the rug.

Get the perfect size by measuring your table and adding 24″ on all sides to that measurement.

Marking the floor with some masking tape can help you visualize and to make sure you are buying the perfect size.

I chose an 8×10′ rug for our dining room.

What Is Pile Height or Weave

close up of dining room rug

Pile height or weave is basically the thickness of your rug.

In a dining room you should choose a low pile or flat weave rug.

Chairs are able to slide out from the table easily on a low pile rug.

And because where there are foods and drinks, spills are bound to happen so a low pile rug can easily be cleaned.

Indoor/outdoor rugs are also a great option for an eating area.

The pile height of the rug I chose for our space was 0.4 inches.

What Material is Best for a Dining Room Rug

close up of dining room rug pattern

Having a low pile does help with maintence but choosing a rug with a super easy to clean material is best for dining rooms.

The Well Woven rug I chose is made of stain resistant synthetic fibers (100% polypropylene).

Polypropylene is a highly durable material that makes it perfect for rugs.

Not only is it a durable material but is surprisingly soft.

I seriously just keep walking into the dining room now to feel the rug whenever I’m barefooted.

It’s incredibly soft!

How to Find the Perfect Style and Color Rug

close up of rug under dining room table and chairs with windows behind

Is your dining room closed off to other rooms or can you see into other areas of your home?

The rug is the anchor piece in the room so you want the style of your new rug to flow with the style of the space and your entire home.

Pick a color and pattern that complements other elements in the room.

Bold colors and patterns are a good choice in an eating area because they can hid stains more easily than light colored rugs.

The bold colors of the Julita Vintage Bohemian Aztec Tribal Black Rug complement both the wall and our furniture colors in my dining room.

And the dark colors and pattern of the rug will also hide any accidents that may happen.

Review of My New Well Woven Rug

I honestly couldn’t be happier with my new Well Woven rug.

It pulls the existing colors of our dining room together and makes the space feel so much cozier.

The pattern and vintage style of the Julita is a perfect complement to the modern farmhouse vibe of the room.

I love the look of tassels on a rug but thought that could be too tempting for our dogs…kinda looks like their string pull toys.

The subtle fringe on the ends of this rug is a great detail and good compromise for tassels.

Oh and did I mention just how darn soft and cozy this rug is?

If you’re in the market for an area rug I would highly recommend you check out Well Woven rugs.

Now one more before & after because they are just too fun!

Before

horizontal image of dining room table on hardwood floors in room with wainscot walls

After

dining room with rug under table

I’ve got to go find a few more rugs…I have a few places in our home I need to cozy up!

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