Carpet in a dining room?

[Fishfingersandwichplease]

What do we all think of carpet in a dining room? Currently has wooden flooring but isn't in good nick so would need replacing - carpet easier and cheaper and would cosy the room up a bit, but not sure how easy it would be to keep nice as we eat in there every night. Also have got a cellar so would want to keep access to that even though we don't use it!

Who is 'we' ?

Two adults are less likely (you'd assume) are much less likely to be dropping things on the floor every mealtime than 2 yr old twins.

Also, what else do you use the room for ? If it is purely a dining room, it probably doesn't need to be 'cosy' but if it is used as another living room regularly, then it becomes more important.

I've always had carpet in our dining room (recently replaced it, in fact), but we mainly eat in the kitchen, and dining room only tends to be used for meals occasionally (when we have guests, or at Christmas). It has always been a second living room - x-box room, music room, occasional meetings, a quiet place to read when someone is watching something on TV you don't want to watch, etc.

We = the wise people of mumsnet!

It gets used as a 2nd lounge too and has got a wood burner in there. Just always had this idea a dining room shouldn't have carpet but not sure why!

We’re buying a house with carpet in the dining room and ripping it up to replace with a wooden floor will be the no.1 priority. I promise we don’t eat like pigs, although we do have a toddler, but even without her I still wouldn’t want it anywhere downstairs tbh.

I wouldn't. Can the existing wooden floor not be repaired or refurbished?

I had a lovely rug over floorboards in my dining room. To my horror I found it was being eaten by moths & had to throw it out. I thought only stately homes got moths. To my shame, when I read up on moths I found it was probably down to my lack of hoovering. I didn't think I was that slovenly but it didn't get very dirty so I didn't hoover it that often. I'd give it a miss if you can, our room looks fine without it.

There’s no way I’d have carpet in a dining room, I just don’t think it can be kept properly clean. Cosy up the lounging area with a beautiful rug but leave the wooden floors or spruce them up

No, we have wooden flooring and I'd never go back to carpet. I'm not a carpet fan generally, though, so am probably biased.

I assume carpet in the dining room is pretty normal, most my friends new build homes are carpeted throughout the whole house apart from the kitchen and bathrooms

I wouldn’t, it’s very dated, I would however have a huge rug under the table and chairs.

@Bluntness100

I wouldn’t, it’s very dated, I would however have a huge rug under the table and chairs.

This is what I have in my own home and it looks quite nice

Thanks everyone - yes think the current flooring can probably be sanded and varnished and we have got a massive rug just wondered what people's thoughts were on the matter. Maybe l just want a change so might go for a different colour wood stain. Appreciate everyone's answers xx

Sorry didn't think current flooring could be salvaged but DH tells me it can!

Paint the floor boards and put a rug down or paint a rug on.

as we eat in there every night.

We = the wise people of mumsnet!

Well, I haven't been invited . How do we get invited to eat at your house every night ?

backforgood has sorry the we referred to what do we all think of carpet , but you are welcome round any time😂😂

We have carpet in our dining room which was here when we moved in. Very good quality carpet which is why we left it in place but we are definitely going to replace it now with wooden floors and a rug.

I can vouch for the fact that a very heavy trifle, too much Christmas mulled wine and cream carpet in the dining room is a bad combo..

Is it convention or is there another reason for it?

It looks better and it balances the room

Depends on what anyone thinks looks nice though.

If you have tiny kids who throw their food on the floor every meal time, carpet would soon be grim. If you're all grown ups and through the dropping your food stage, it would probably be fine

Thanks @Fishfingersandwichplease

I'm confused about the rug thinking, too.
I get that a wood / laminate / lino floor is easier to clean drinks or 'wet' food from, if that is your daily eating place, so if you are paying out £££ to have that, I don't understand why you would then cover it with what is, in essence a smaller piece of carpet, when carpet is what you are trying to avoid in the first place