Purchase the right rug for your oval table.
Many round dining tables become oval when extended. This can present a decorating challenge. A round area rug is a conventional shape for a round table, and an oval area rug matches well with an oval table. The least comfortable arrangement in this combination is to use a round rug with an oval table because the round shape of the rug will appear to compress the head and foot of the table.
Oval Tables
An oval table is similar to a rectangular table, with its the sharp curved ends matching at the head and the foot. Because the table has a specific orientation, it looks best when aligned with the lengthwise center line of the room and with the center line of the area rug. A round rug doesn't have a lengthwise center line. This conflict can make a room look awkward and unattractive.
Round Rugs
A round rug can be positioned in most rooms but will look best in a square or rounded room. The rug will tend to look too small when positioned in the center of a rectangular room unless the furniture is grouped on or near the rug so that the furniture pushes the visual line of the rug outward along the length of the room. A round rug is a good choice for a round table and can be used to anchor the table in a larger room.
Balanced Decor
When you are decorating a dining room, it is important to ask yourself what you want your finished room to feel like for your family and guests. Generally, the objective is to create a comfortable atmosphere so inviting that people will congregate in the room. To create this feeling, the decor must have an aesthetic balance. The decor of the room must tell a story and make sense visually so that the guest doesn't pause to try to figure out what is odd or out of balance in the decor.
Correcting The Problem
To correct the problem of a round rug with an oval dining table, the rug must be large enough that it can no longer be identified as round. By allowing the width of the rug to disappear under buffet tables or furniture along the width of the room, the rug becomes a rug with round ends. Since the table is oval, the round ends of the larger rug will simply mirror the curve of the table, and this will look balanced and appropriate. The rug is large enough when the head and foot chairs do not look crowded by the rug.
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