The following is another wonderful article from Azerbaijan Rugs on selecting the proper size of an Oriental Rug for your dining room – enjoy!
“The following illustrations show a dining room rug, dining table, and six chairs. The dining table measures a standard 42″ x 64″.
Note that if the rug measures 8′ x 10′, there is room to pull the chairs out from the table with the back legs of the chairs remaining on the rug.
Choose the right size rug for any room with help from Julie Risman
Once the chair’s rear legs go off the rug, it’s difficult to sit down and scootch the chair in to the table while simultaneously lifting the back legs.
A rug measuring 8′ x 10′ is usually the size to start with in a dining room, but note that other considerations can effect the proper dimensions.
Don’t forget about the extra leaves in the table
If you frequently use the table with extra leaves inserted, the 10′ length can be too short, since the back legs of the chairs at the end of the table leave the rug when the chairs are pulled out.
Keep servers, sideboards, and corner cupboards on the level
It’s usually best to size the dining room rug so that it doesn’t go under the front of the server, sideboard, or corner cupboard. If only the front of one of these pieces sits on the rug, then you’ll probably need some sort of wooden or hard rubber shim under the rear legs to make the piece sit straight and level.
Try a 6′ x 9′ rug for a dining room that’s rarely used
If all the mealtime activity in your home takes place in an eat-in kitchen, you can probably live happily with a smaller rug under the table in the dining room.
A 6′ x 9′ rug will usually hold a table and chairs comfortably, and will look well when the chairs are pushed in to the table; it’s only when you pull the chairs out and partially off the rug that the problem surfaces…
Consider a less expensive rug for the dining room
We experience rugs in different ways in different rooms. A good rug is a real plus in the room where you spend lots of time. When you’re there alone, there will come contemplative moments when you find yourself pondering the rug. When you are entertaining, there is the inevitable lull in the conversation during which everyone admires the carpet.
A rug in the dining room is experienced much more peripherally than in other areas of the house. Most of the time in the dining room is spent eating and conversing, not paying special attention to the design of the wallpaper or carpet. Think about buying a less expensive rug for this room.
Dining Room carpets tend towards all-over patters
Rugs destined for use in dining rooms often seem to end up with all-over designs. It makes some sense that this is so. With the table and chairs covering the center of the carpet, there can be a little psychological mystery about what lies in the center of the rug.
Is that a central medallion in the design under the table, a forgotten napkin, or a sleeping cat? A rug with an all-over pattern eliminates the mystery.” (Azerbaijan Rugs)
Oriental Rug References:
- Oriental Carpets: A Complete Guide – The Classic Reference
by Murray L. Eiland Jr./Murray Eiland III
- Oriental Carpet Design: A Guide to Traditional Motifs, Patterns and Symbols
by P. R. J. Ford
- Tribal and Village Rugs: The Definitive Guide to Design, Pattern & Motif
by Peter F. Stone
