I don't think it's out of style. I think some people think it's impractical to have one under the dining table especially if they have children. I tend to see no rug in more contemporary photos. Personally, I like a rug under the table - the challenge in the houzz dilemmas is often getting one large enough.

I don't think it's out of style but I do think there are other factors that influence the desire for a rig in dining room.

I'd you have wood floors, wood table and wood back chairs, that's a lot of wood and I like the softness of a carpet.
If you have fully upholstered chairs and drapes that might be enough softness to not need an area carpet.
High ceilings without a carpet can create a echo effect in a room and carpeting can help that.

Having a rug under the table grounds all those legs. It also allows ya' to add some pattern/ color if desired.
A flat surface rugs ( not a sculpted pattern) will move chairs most easily; thicker piles are more resistant because legs sink down.

I agree with Judy. A rug can break up the texture of the room if there is a lot of wood furniture.

That looks great Maril. I've been searching for over a year for the perfect rug for our dining room. We have two very small kids, a large dog, a cat. So I need something durable and somewhat dark with a pattern to hide stains. The other issue is that we have a very large round table that expands to oval. There aren't very many large round rugs out there - 12 feet. The selection of oval is even slimmer. I've been contemplating a rectangle since they are easier to find.

Then there is the issue of the perfect pattern. We have gold, red, orange colors, so I'm trying to find something in that range that will still hide stains.

Price is an issue, too, as the beautiful rugs I've found and want to buy will set us back about $1500-$2500. I hate to invest that much in something that will likely be destroyed by our clan.

So the search continues. Thanks for the post. Your rug looks fantastic.

Heidi - I usually find what I am looking for when I'm "not looking". I make a lot of purchases at outlets. Outlet shopping is great - but takes time. Sounds like you are a very busy person. Good luck with your search - you'll find it!

Hi Heidi - If you are interested in more help you may want to start your own thread, but I think you are completely fine with a rectangular rug under your table. If you are worried with kids you can try an indoor outdoor rug. I have seen options posted from Ballard and overstock with subtle patterns. I have a neutral sisal rug under my dining table and I have not had problems with kids and a dog. I have scrubbed finger paints out of it as well :)

To answer your question - no they are not passé - but some rooms and clients will be better suited with no rug, and some will be best suited to a rug. From the pics above, I like the room with a rug.

Nothing is passe if it makes your home look the way you want it to and makes you happy in your home. That being said, I have done both in different houses and I like both looks. In one case we chose to use a rug because the floors, while beautiful were very soft and we wanted to save the floors from damage from the sliding chairs. When the kids were small we went without a rug in the breakfast room because the kids ate in there and they always managed to drop stuff. In that same house we had a rug in the dining area to set it off from the nearby living room and enhance the diagonal views from the entry, making the small house seem a bit less small. My husband and I ate a late supper there after the kids were put to bed. We liked the more elegant feel of the childless space. Parts of the house were child-related mess, but the dining area and the living room were our adult-only space for relaxation before bed.