whats wrong with this one? pull it to the left so it is even with the sofa. the chair helps bring it together, get some accent pillows and art work. Unless you have the rug, but if you have kids you can ride this rug out for a while, but pulling in a few new items.

Thanks but we threw the rug out months ago and am looking for a new direction. Nice solutions though!

Sisal rug, maybe?

I love the idea of the FLOR tiles, though. It's on my wish list. ;)

A little more information will help...

What is the size of the sectional?
Ages of the kids and sizes of the dogs-
Is there a color direction you would like to go in?

I have done cut and bound carpet rugs for larger spaces - that work quite nicely.

Assuming that you are looking for a large area rug that fits the room and will provide a soft surface for kids & pets with out covering the beautiful hardwood floor entirely......most carpet stores would sell you a piece of carpet, of your choice, (12' or 15' feet wide by whatever length you want. They can then send it out to have the edges bound making it into an attractive area rug that fits your taste. There are hundreds of styles, textures, & colors to choose from. In my area I would suggest Prosource Flooring, General Floors, or Avalon Tile & Floors as places to start.

West Elm has lots of natural rugs that would look good. FWIW, Grover, the hair machine you see in my avatar, has forced me to go rugless. You may want to do the same. Fortunately, your floor is beautiful enough to do so.

I like the naked floor:

I think the sectional is 90X90. The kids are 1 yr. and 4 yrs. The dog is an italian greyhound that does not shed. I'd like to go in an eclectic, contemporary design direction. I love the style in the photos on this FLOR tile page. http://www.flor.com/vintage-vibe-cream.html# Its all fun, colorful and feels fresh overall. How big should this rug be? I've been to a local rug/carpet showroom but feel overwhelmed by thousands of options. Does this mean I need to hire a designer? Is the Vintage Vibe Cream FLOR good for kids and pets? I like the light color but will it show wear too easily? Would it be hard to find a similar pattern in a cut and bind option? I assume I need to stay away from wool and do synthetic? Thanks!

The rug should be big enough to put the front feet of your furniture on it. (See renderings above.) If you know what rug you want, no need for a designer. The rug you linked to is neutral enough to go with anything.

I have no personal acquaintance with Flor, but you can read reviews here: http://www.viewpoints.com/FLOR-Carpet-Design-Squares-reviews?sort_by=helpfuls#nav_anchor

Nice thing: if any of the two- or four-legged wee ones have an accident, you can wash it, and if the accident is really bad, you can replace a single tile.

I use indoor outdoor rugs. They can just be hosed off.

I would choose a rug with some color in it (like some red or blue, whatever you like) to brighten up the room and then throw some accent pillows on your sofa.

If you can go to a carpet store, and not get overwhelmed with the options, you can have them make you an area rug - (12 x 12 would be my recommendation) in a pattern similar to the flor tiles. After reading some of the flor tile reviews, I would be concerned about how the pvc backing will react to your wood floors, and how well they stay together.

If you go the cut and bound direction - you can choose the way the edges are finished, and you can choose a backing. (you definately want to have it backed, as the jute backing on broadloom carpet can damage your wood floor) You can finish the edges with fabric tape, binding, or serging. This will help explain - http://www.arearugfactory.com/bindings.html

There are some great indoor/outdoor patterns available - and I use these sometimes when there are pets who are known to make mistakes (they always go for the rug - don't they) or when it's an active home with people who are just too busy to pay attention to where their coffee or juice happens to fall. These, if finished properly can literally be taken outside, and hosed off. The drawback to these, is that they aren't quite as soft as a typical broadloom carpet (wool, nylon, etc).

I hope this helps - let me know if you have any questions. (you can always go to your local Ethan Allen, and speak with a designer - bring pictures of your space, budget, a pillow or arm cap from your sofa and paint swatch if you can - it's very helpful to ensure you are looking in the right neutral range.

The photos below show (i think) the sisal style outdoor rugs with fabric binding. (The fabric binding cannot be hosed off - only the serged edge.