Everyone makes the same mistake in their dining room, according to an interior designer
- Dining room decor often revolves around the table.
- But interior designer Kiva Brent said your rug can be just as important to the space.
When you're decorating your dining room, you likely rely on a few key pieces to make it feel inviting.
A table large enough for your loved ones, comfy chairs, and an armoire or shelving to hold your dishware are all important.
But rugs can also play a big part in your decor. They offer an easy way to bring color and texture to a dining room, and they can help break up an open-concept space, anchoring the furniture in one part of your home.
But getting the right rug for your dining room can be difficult, as designer and YouTuber Kiva Brent recently shared in an Instagram Reel.
Many people choose rugs that are too small for their dining rooms
As you try to select a rug for your dining room, it might be your instinct to choose one that fits the exact dimensions of your table, with the chairs floating off of it. But that typically isn't the right size, according to Brent.
"In an ideal world, your rug should be large enough for you to scoot your chair out entirely and still be on the rug," she said in her Reel.
A larger rug will make the space look more intentionally designed, rather than haphazardly put together. Luxury interior designer Bilal Rehman also told Business Insider that small rugs in big rooms are one of the most common ways people make their homes look cheap.
However, Brent noted in her Instagram post that the large rugs that would suit some dining rooms can be expensive, putting them out of many people's reach. If a big rug isn't in your budget, Brent said you might want to skip the decor piece altogether.
"Stick to washable rugs, layer cowhides that are fairly easy to clean, or forgo the rug in the dining room," Brent said in the same Reel.
Whatever you decide, make sure you're getting a rug that actually suits your dining room — not one that doesn't fit your space.