1. THINK ABOUT HOW YOU USE THE SPACE
Dining rooms aren’t just for eating: they can also be spaces to work or unwind. Make sure you’re clear about how you use your space before choosing a dining room rug. “In open plan living, rugs are the most wonderful and simple way to zone larger spaces and create inviting areas to dine, lounge, or play,” says Dylan O’Shea from A Rum Fellow.
2. FIGURE OUT YOUR PROPORTIONS
Proportions are essential when choosing a rug for any room. “You need to be careful with proportions in order to get the rug mathematics right,” says Frida Ramstedt. “You do not want an area rug that is too small, as it might look like a little postal stamp compared to a large dining table and chairs. However you do not want to create the feeling that your rug completely eats the room (or the floor).”
3. DIAL THE ENERGY OF YOUR DINING ROOM UP OR DOWN
Think about the current vibe of your space — is there a lot of color on the dining room walls, or is it rather one-note? “Depending on your interior style, your dining room rug can either ground and simplify, or liven up your room,” says Robert Wright from Beni Rugs. “Choose a simple, elegant shade like sage green to tone down a busier room. Meanwhile, a bolder stripe can be the personality in a mostly tonal space.”
4. SET THE TONE OF YOUR SCHEME
Maybe you haven’t started furnishing your space yet, or are giving it a complete makeover. If this is the case, an area rug can inspire the rest of your dining room color scheme. “Due to its scale and prominence, a rug is a powerful statement,” says Robert Wright. “Oftentimes, it provides the background (in terms of color or pattern) to which a room's elements such as furniture and paint choices are matched. The rug tends to set the tone around which a room is built.”
5. AVOID A SINGLE, PALE COLOR
As with current dining table trends, when it comes to color, it's best to think practically. “There are a lot of ways choosing a rug can go wrong! Mostly with excessive optimism,” says Phoebe Sung, Co-Founder of design brand Cold Picnic.
6. CHOOSE A REPETITIVE PATTERN
It may sound obvious, but it can be easy to forget that unlike dining room wallpaper, only a limited portion of your dining room rug will be on show. “As much of the rug will be covered by the table and chairs, we tend to recommend solid colors, or else repetitive patterns, such as stripes or repeated dots for a dining room rug,” says Robert Wright.
7. BE MINDFUL OF HOW FURNITURE WILL MOVE
Unlike a living room rug, a dining room rug has to withstand furniture being regularly shuffled around on top of it. “Our most popular dining room rugs tend to be our flat woven designs,” says Robert Wright. “They have a lower pile, which means chairs can move more easily across them, and inevitable spills are also easier to deal with.”
8. MAKE A BEELINE FOR HEMP, JUTE OR WOOL
Certain materials are particularly well suited to stain-prone zones. “We see a lot of hemp rugs under tables, which is probably the most practical choice,” says Cold Picnic’s Phoebe Sung. “Hemp and jute rugs look casual and effortless while also pulling the space together. They’re also the most forgiving when it comes to spills and stains.”
9. TAKE NOTE OF CARE INSTRUCTIONS
Just like that dry-clean-only sweater you never bother wearing, you don’t want to end up resenting a rug that’s too high-maintenance.
10. CHOOSE SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY
Whether you have a small dining room or a big space, there are many practical considerations to keep in mind when choosing a rug. The most important thing is to invest in one that brings you joy.