How to Pick an Area Rug Size for Your Dining Room

Author: Carly Daniele

Dining rooms come in all shapes, sizes, and configurations, so it's best not to pick a rug based on the sheer size of your dining room. Rather, finding the right size area rug is mostly dependent on the size of your table.

An area rug too big for your table can swallow the furniture, or even make it look like a carpet rather than a rug. An area rug too small can make it a nuisance; pulling your chairs in and out can cause them to get caught between the rug and floor. A small rug can also cause chairs to be a bit wobbly, as two legs of the chair would be on a slightly raised rug while the back two would be on the floor.

Table of Contents

1. What’s Hot and What’s Not

2. Numbers

3. Illustrations

Deciding on the right size rug for your dining room is really effortless! All you have to do is measure the size of your table and then add 48 inches to both the length and width. The final calculated size you get is the minimum size rug that you need to accommodate comfortable seating at your table.

What's Hot and What's Not

First, let us show you examples of dining room area rugs that work well, and, not so well:

Here is an area rug that is a great fit for the room and table:

As you can see the area rug surrounds the entire table with plenty of extra room to surround the chairs as well. The rug is also a great fit for the dining room itself as it is big enough to highlight the table as the focal point but is not too big where it covers the entire floor.

Here is an area rug that is not such a great fit:

The area rug shown in this picture is too small for this seating arrangement. Functionally, the rug is also too small because the chairs are not fully on the rug when pulled out. Additionally, the smaller rugsize is disproportionate to the furniture in the room.

Numbers

Now that we've shown you some examples, let's get into the numbers!

Standard dining table sizes are as follows:

• To seat four people: 36 inches wide x 48 inches long.
• To seat four to six people: 36 inches wide x 60 inches long.
• To seat six to eight people: 36 inches wide x 78 inches long.

So for example, say your dining table is 36 inches wide x 48 inches long. 36+48= 84, and 48+48=96, so you need a rug that is at least 84 inches by 96 inches, or 7x8 feet.

If your dining table is 36 inches wide x 60 inches long. You will need a rug that is at least 7x9.

If your dining table is 36 inches wide x 78 inches long. You will need a rug that is at least 7 by 10 feet 6 inches.

Next, find the closest larger standard area rug size based on your calculations, and double-check that it will fit in your room. If the larger option won't fit in your room, choose the next smaller standardized size. Keep in mind, however, that all four legs of your chair may not remain on the rug while seated before you decide to choose this smaller option.

The same rules apply for oval, square and circular tables- always remember to add 48 inches all around the table so your chairs remain completely on the rug when you are seated comfortably at the table.

Illustrations

Here are illustrations of area rugs under rectangular, circular, oval, and square tables:

Don't forget to account for table extenders in your measurements. If it is important to you that your area rug can accommodate your table when the extenders are engaged, make sure you use the largest measurements of your table before you decide on a rug size.

As always, our team is here to answer any questions you may have! Feel free to contact us at  contactus@therugtruck.com