^^ great idea above.

Also have you tried an indoor/outdoor rug? They are much more hard wearing and can be cleaned easily.

Thank you Dar, but we have guests several times a week and moving the sectional and marble top table to do that switch would be a bit much. Shoes off .... my aim to always accommodate guests and so they remove only their coats.

I have a whole house of carpet that color and have it professionally cleaned at least 2x per year. Not sure how area rug hold up to cleanings, but this may be an option.

Jolene. The price paid for beauty hey?! I think you're right. :)

Any opinions on going with a round rug?

In my present home, the carpet color is the same as yours - very light. Because we never wear shoes on the carpet it stays very clean.
My carpet in my last home was also this same color wall to wall.
When we sold that house after living there for 10 yrs., the carpet was still so clean that I did not need to shampoo it after we moved the furniture out. I'm sure the new owners did, but being careful pays off.
To answer your question, I don't think a round rug would look the best in your room. If the space were bigger, it might work. Why not just replace the light colored rug with one darker in color, and that will hold up to frequent shampooing.

Have you tried a stain free carpet like SmartStrand? You'll still need to clean but stains will come out.

Kpappal, do you think that a light gray would work here? In between guests/dinner parties, we do go shoeless...maybe I ought to taper the entertaining a bit! lol

We have a 9 foot diameter area in front of the between the fireplace & entertainment unit on the opposite wall. But we have 2 recliners with each a floor lamp/table. Therefore, I do not think a full sofa/lounge as yours would work as well as your rectangle rug. So I agree, shampoo it twice a year or get a darker area rug.

Hi Anaid, it's always a challenge with light coloured area rugs. I usually introduce them only in bedrooms because that is where the least dirt and grim tends to be. If you are looking to replace this area rug with something more durable I strongly recommend modular carpet tile. Carpet tile is now the biggest trend, because it's durable and easy to maintain. It's also customizable to any size and you can really have fun with it. Either mix and match to create new patterns or stick to a classic combination. Usually they come in sizes of 20"x20" or 24"x24". The bottom of the carpet tile has a rubber underlay so it protects your floors from spills and movement. Some carpet tiles you can simply pull up and throw into the washing machine, no professional cleaning necessary! It's an amazing product and budget friendly. I use the supplier FLOR: http://www.flor.com Check it out for some inspiration.

The very best solution is having your guests take OFF their shoes. No one objects to it, especially when they see other shoes at the door upon entering. My guests automatically do it without asking. Second would be to have your rug treated for easy clean up. We have lots of kids in and out and NO problem with dirty carpets❗️

That's my rule! Shoes off, keeps your carpets & floors clean & keeps those pesky germs out of your house. Make it your new tradition. The Asian culture keeps that tradition. Keep slippers in your coat closet as I do & offer them to your guests.

Unfair. If one does not expect to be asked to remove one's shoes, one might be wearing tights laddered at the toes (mine) or socks with a big hole. Nobody's business but yours ... Mind you, offering slippers is a good idea, with a little stool where the change can be swiftly made with nobody noticing. Especially if you take the trouble/expense to get beautiful stylish slippers in many sizes. And, of course, wash them after each spell of entertaining. As a foreigner to the US I'm fascinated by the mentions I've seen of taking shoes off at the door. It's a trend that hasn't reached my neck of the woods yet.

Thank you all for your suggestions! AND, what a great discussion it's prompted...Shoes of or on. I'll pose that for a pole and it'd be fun to see the results. :)

I can't see how peoples' shoes can be that filthy. They come from their homes get in their cars and arrive at your door. Maybe you need a very good door mat.

How could a round rug would solve the problem plus it wouldn't look as good.

A darker rug is the answer.

Tell your friends to remove their shoes. If they are really friends they will care about how you feel. And lots of animals from birds to worms to larger species leave many things you can and can't see on the ground and I don't want them in my house. And yet it's the "busy tile" people worry about in their house? The last sentence was not a comment towards you. That was meant for leelee. :D lol

Seriously, do you know what you're bringing into your home when you wear shoes in the house? Yuck! lol

I like the carpet you have now, because it looks so clean. I'd sit on it. Just give me a tray so I don't spill my drink and someone else can have the sofa. The problem I have had when asking guests to remove their shoes, was their bare feet! Bare feet, especially if they came in flip-flops, are worse then shoes. The oils from your feet is what makes the dirt stick, and this is what is hard to lift and makes the dirt stain. So now, we remove our shoes, but we don't ask our guest to. We are the ones who traffic our floors the most.

How about a basket of fresh socks/slipper socks by the door? I always feel uncomfortable about bare feet in someone else's home or if you have a hole in your sock.

I would think many people would feel uncomfortable with bare feet in someone else's home. I leave a basket of slippers near the front door & yes, the slippers are washed.

I'm American so please don't take offense, but it seems only Americans walk around their homes with their shoes on! As a guest in other people's homes it is customary to shed the shoes at the door in every other country I've lived (3+) and no one is put out in having to do so. I don't think anyone is going to feel creeped out in their own socks... but putting on slippers?? No thank you!

I am in the UK ...never taken my shoes off as guest in some ones house !

Hello, since your coffee table is round...guess a round carpet could work as long as there is little space all round it ...(not abutting the wall) as the room is square...a huge hanging light fixture above the coffee table ...(may be a chandelier) could add to the concentricity....good luck to figure out traffic issues! A carpet with prints & more than a colour & good texture could hide the dirt a little bit...