I am jumping over to this thread with you - my professional experience (advice) on the rug - unless it is a very - very low pile, you will still need a chair mat(s) for your chairs to roll. Sitting in one place for even a short while will sink those casters into the carpet, causing a dent that the casters will struggle to roll out of, which will eventually, usually sooner than later, break or bend the stem on the caster(s). Additionally you will ruin the carpet in the areas the chairs use. That rug + a pad will create a deep pile designation. Unfortunately, protective chairmats are a product we have to use even in the most upscale office setting. The deeper the pile, the less effective the mat is as well, as the weight of the body + the chair centered over 4-5 casters still makes the chair dent into the rug, except you have a smoother roll out of the dents so to speak. I suggest you use some samples with your chairs before you make a decision. Pretty rug BTW. This is a "working office" correct? - one where you will be using most of the day? Keep function in mind. You have done a great job so far in your decisions. You were wise to get the harder maple. Also, don't sweat the larger gromment - we put them in different sizes for different needs. Once you get your desks tops loaded with your stuff, you'll never notice as long as the gromment covers match each other. Leave the gaps alone where the wall isn't plumb. (Spoken like a dealer here, I know). Again, kuddos to the shop who did the work and brought your vision to fruition.

This link is the clearest explanation to find the lengths of the sides.

so if you want a "formula" for your carpentry for other sizes of octagons, use this:

x = 0.4142w

so... I come up with 29.8224 inches - pretty close to 30"! =)

Here is a link that might be useful: Confused yet? :)

That is a very pretty rug you posted but I still think a chair plastic mat would be a better solution. I agree with
magothyrivergirl that the rug will drive you crazy every time you try to move in that chair.

The rug is pretty and fits your home, but my experience is the same as the comments above. If you really want a carpet, you should consider a flat, firm, thin one that fits your space really, really well (so that you don't roll on and off the rug). Something like Flor's working class (that you could cut to fit) or perhaps their tufted fond. Or just stay with the wood floor.

http://www.flor.com/service/flor/shop/item/Tufted-Frond/1231202500-7868.html

Here is a link that might be useful: flor carpet that is VERY flat and firm

Drat! I guess that makes sense--after I had just measured it out and figured out how nicely it would fit. I will look into some other options with plastic chair mats--if I can find something that fits our needs with the diagonally placed chairs. It would seem that the mats would have to overlap one another.

The flor mat is an interesting concept too.

I'm tempted to just leave the floors bare--as we've done for the past 1-1/2 years with chairs there. There are already some scratches. The floor is kept pretty clean and for the most part it's just DH and I, as older two have their own laptops, though the 7-year-old will use occasionally.

The office is off of our master bedroom (part of a suite) and I really don't want it to start looking too businessy--even though DH and I are both tech junkies. Hence, I'd be willing to put up with some inconvenience with the chairs rolling over carpet.

Perhaps I could get a low pile one cut in an octogon shape?

I would probably just try leaving the floors bare -- and then just add a rug if you need to.

In terms of flor, you should know that it is easy to cut and they have lots of color and prints. I would look for one that is very very low pile or flat.

This flor is an interesting concept. Do you have it in your home? When you say that I can cut it, does it no longer have a finished edge or unravel? Some type of angling is going to be necessary.

Val,
The flor tiles do sound interesting.

What about a remnant bound & cut to fit your space? Try taking your drawning in to a carpet store & see what they have. I am actually on the look out for a wool for my staircase.

And for chairs, what about a simple white skirted parsons chair with your last initial monogramed on the back? to coordinate with your matelasse spread?

Smiles:)
Smiles:)

I was worried about having the cut end of FLOR unravel, but it seems to be extremely sturdy. I cut the FLOR tiles in the LR below in several spots, including the walkway into the LR and by the piano bench (typically used several times a day). We have had the product down for almost a year and the nothing has unraveled or looks worse for the wear (and we have one of the thicker FLOR rugs). We are happy with it.

I should note, though, that FLOR is not for everyone. It is not a thick, soft, toes sink in type of carpet. There is no pad underneath. It is densely woven, almost flat. Because of this, it is very simple to vaccuum and clean.

When I saw your room, I thought about one of the simple "mohair" type FLOR types that doesn't have nap. It would give you a bit of softness and some color. It would quiet the sound of the rolling chairs, but not interfere with chair movement. And you can cut it to exactly the right size and shape.

deltabreeze: That flor looks amazing. I learn so much from this forum. Yours looks beautiful and I can see it as a very viable option. While I may or may not do it in the office, I can also see possibilities in my kids rooms as they also have hardwood in their rooms and under their desks and are not as careful as DH and I. Would be interesting to put under my kitchen table as well where I wouldn't like a lot of pile. How did you cut it?

johnatemp: Parsons chairs! You are a genious! I am leaning towards no office type chairs with casters, but just a regular chair and putting felt pads on the feet. They actually scoot pretty well that way and I don't need as much scooting as I thought I would to access the shared drawers. I also do not want arms so they can tuck under the desk. I was thinking about getting chairs stained to match with an upholstered seat, but there is already enough wood in the room already. I LOVE that idea as it will definitely add to the intimate, private retreat of a master bedroom suite.

You cut the tiles with an exacto knife. We bought the knife from the carpet company, but I think any kind of exacto would be fine. Carpet tiles would work well for a kid's room. Spots are easy to wipe (with a microfiber cloth). If a square gets seriously stained, you can lift it out, run it under water, and let it dry. Or you can replace it (we keep a box of extra squares under the couch.) Finally, you don't have to put carpeting where you don't see it. (For example, we didn't put squares under the couch.) Just remember, though, that carpet tiles are not soft and cushy. If your kid wants to hang out on the floor he or she probably prefer a traditional padded rug.

deltabreeze: Thanks for explaining. I think I might do this in my 15-year-old DS's room. He currently has a woven IKEA rug there and it is bunching up all the time and he does not like it. He would like to remove it, but I am worried about his floor getting all scratched up--he is not that careful and the floors are only 2-years-old plus he has a couple of underbed pullouts that I use for overflow storage. I like the idea of cutting it to fit--esp. around the desk area where I could even bring it under. He never lounges on the floor--not when the bed is right there! LOL!

When I was married, we had one of those old fashioned big oak office swivel chairs. I went to an office supply store and got casters for it specifically made for wood floors, and they caused absolutely no damage to our soft pine floors. I didn't use one of those clear floor protectors, although I thought about it beforehand. I tried rolling the chair with the new casters around on an inconspicuous place on the floor first. Good luck.

susie100: That is good to know abouth the castors for wood floors. I may just try that.

Val,
Here is a castered parsons chair from Ballards Designs

Here is a slip cover in a quilted cream - monogramming is free. I couldn't remember if your matelasse was white or cream?

They have many more fabric options....click on link below.
You purchase the chair & slipcover seperately. Maybe you wouldn't need a rug with the casters?

Smiles:)

Here is a link that might be useful: Ballards

Thanks Johna. I was actually thinking of skipping both the rug and the casters--and just putting felt pads on the feet. My chairs now that have the felt pads actually slide pretty well and I don't think I need to slide around as much as I thought.

I actually like these leather ones from Carrington Court--though a tad pricy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Leather Parson's chairs.

Those leather chairs are really nice and I could see them working from a design standpoint. You'll have to let us know, though, about your luck with felt pads. My DR has chairs that look to be about the same weight as the leather ones. We don't have a carpet there and, well, the floor's finish won't last forever. We have done better where we have chairs with casters-- or very light weight chairs. We are constantly experimenting with different pads for chairs (felt ones, plastic, teflon. . . )

You have a point. I have lots of scratches from the wood chair that was there before--the felt pads would come off sometimes. I was thinking if the surface area of the foot is larger it might fit better? I've tried several different kinds as well and the metal/plastic ones just scratch. We do have a swivel I have in front of computer now--temporarily in family room until the electrical problem gets resolved. So far it seems OK, but I wonder about the scratches over time. Hmmmm. I wonder what others' experience is.