I think the rule of thumb is 2 feet past the table on all sides.

Decorators always tell you to get a rug big enough to be able to push away from the table without the chair legs sliding off the edges of the rug.

Anonymous wrote:Did you buy the rug big enough for all the chairs to be on the rug or do your chairs sit off the rug?

I didn't think about it much. They are on the rug when tucked in, but come off when some people are sitting.

All on the rug.

Anonymous wrote:Big enough for on the rug. Whatever you do, don't go for the middle. Nothing worse than trying to move your chair in and out over a rug border, and tripping it up or rolling up the rug constantly. You and guests should be able to move the chairs smoothly, whether on or off the rug.

+1. All chairs on for us. Speaking of rugs under the dining room table, I had my house cleaned last week (not a regular thing), and I don't think they vacuumed under the dining room table because when I got home I found a barrette there that surely would have been sucked up by the vacuum. That's not normal, right?

Big enough for on the rug. Whatever you do, don't go for the middle. Nothing worse than trying to move your chair in and out over a rug border, and tripping it up or rolling up the rug constantly. You and guests should be able to move the chairs smoothly, whether on or off the rug.

Did you buy the rug big enough for all the chairs to be on the rug or do your chairs sit off the rug?