We have a textured navy indoor-outdoor rug under our table. It does make the room look more finished. And I paid $80 for it at IKEA so when I have to toss it, I won't be crushed!

I think a rug looks nice in the dining room, but I recommend putting in a dark colored one.

Perhaps a darker brown or mauve-colored one at best.

We don't have a rug under the dining room table and I think it looks better than way in our house (living room/dining room are combined as one big room). It is easy to clean up frequent spills and crumbs and we are careful with pads on dining room chairs so we don't damage hardwoods.

There will be a spill. That has to be ok or don't get a rug.

Anonymous wrote:If you have kids and dogs, don't do it. Dogs will like the carpet until there's nothing left.

You could also do an indoor/outdoor rug that can literally be hosed off in the driveway if necessary and not require professional cleaning.

That should be LICK the carpet. They probably like the carpet a little too much.

If you have kids and dogs, don't do it. Dogs will like the carpet until there's nothing left.

You could also do an indoor/outdoor rug that can literally be hosed off in the driveway if necessary and not require professional cleaning.

I got an outdoor rug with an oriental rug pattern. So it looks nice, but I don't really care if anything gets spilled on it. It's easy enough to clean, and didn't cost that much anyway. We got ours from Ballard.

We were in a rental with wall to wall carpet in the dining room, so I bought this to protect the carpet, but I do like the look.

Anonymous wrote:What's the alternative? A bare wood floor under the dining table?

This is what we have, too. We use the dining room a lot and bare is so much easier with our messy eaters. We might get a rug when the kids are about six or so, but honestly the plain floor didn't bother me.

Yes we have a bare floor in there now. We just moved in though. Old house didn't have a formal dining room.

Even my little kid - age 3-4 in the time we have been in this house - has never really spilled on the dining room rug. We have one that is not much larger than the area covered by the dining room table. It has been a non-issue.

What's the alternative? A bare wood floor under the dining table?

I am pro, my husband is con. He is convinced I will freak out when (not if) one of our guests spills something on the rug. It's true that he comes from a family of messy eaters. If you have a rug under your dining room table, do you find that to be a problem? People accidentally spilling stuff (wine, sauce, food, etc.) on the floor?