An area rug would be a nice compromise. It would add a layer of warmth and noise reduction without the full commitment of carpeting. (If you were to choose carpeting, you would need to make sure you chose a high quality, stain / pet resistant fiber blend).

Normally I would agree with you, but this house has way too much Red Oak for my taste. It's everywhere. Floors, built-ins, trim. I would enjoy the look of it more if it were dialed back a bit. There are also some rotten boards from a previous owner keeping potted plants directly on the floor, so carpeting would spare me having to replace them.

Sounds like you've already made up your mind.

Yes, I have. Now I just need to make up HER mind. :) Hoping some pros can tell me it's perfectly acceptable.

I think it would be absolutely fine. The room is even the proper style to be carpeted. You live there. Be comfortable (and it won't look bad at all).

There is not a "large rug" under that furniture if it isn't at all visible in the photo! It's possible that acoustic panels placed strategically would help your sound issues, but it's a tricky business.

I won't shoot you if you carpet, but at least try to have it done with nails only around the edges, so that a future buyer could pull the carpet back up and find an unruined floor.

Do also keep in mind that dogs + main traffic route means it will be a constant challenge to keep this carpet clean, in a way that's rarely an issue in bedrooms.

I'm hoping you can't convince her. Larger rug with felt pad (the pad part matters),more substantial drapery and softer dog treats while you are watching TV would help.

The question is: who wins this dilemma? :)

Anyway, it's not a matter of style. Carpet reduces noises and covers up ugly scratches but wood is much easier to keep clean with a dog. My parents once wanted carpet for the dog so he would not slide away. But on the other hand when you go for wood maybe you can give your dog his own rug where he can chew bones?

Good luck with it!

Thanks, all, for the input. Good points. The rug that's there is 9x12, so we could certainly go larger. Acoustic panels are being planned, but there isn't a lot of places to put them because of all the glass. You can't really see it in the photo, but that whole black space is a media closet. I thought of making the the top half of that into a large, deep sound trap. No one needs a 9' tall entertainment center. Well, at least I don't.

Sorry, but I am with your wife on this one. I think carpet is a very bad idea for a dog, due to cleaning issues. Without the dog, I think you could have an argument, although I would still personally prefer to repair the hardwood.

You can change the oak in other parts of the room.

Could you post a photo that includes the 9x12 area rug? I can't get a feel for the size of your room. Maybe you could use a larger rug.

In our old house, we had no hardwood so we had carpet everywhere. If you want to get wall to wall, do it. It can be installed in such a way as to minimize damage to the wood floor beneath and is cheap enough to remove should you change your mind in the future.

Area rugs are an alternative, but not if you worry about trip hazards.

Also keep in mind that should someone become infirmed, it's a lot harder to roll a wheelchair through a rug than a wood floor.

Re the dog, wall to wall or area rugs won't make a difference...dogs will barf on the rug no matter where it's located. ;)

That makes sense. I think we're going to look into a really big area rug as a compromise. Maybe 15'x18' or something like that. And get serious about the acoustic treatment on the walls/ceiling. Here's the view from the other direction.

(smiles at dog pictures)

Well how are the kids gonna ride the scooter on carpet?? LOL!!!

NO CARPET! Did I just scream that ;)?

Just don't de-oak the rest of it. The beams and oak trim and all are really great. A much bigger rug is a good compromise. You could get a big chunk of whatever you redo the other rooms in bound into a rug, and have it both ways.

Speaking from experience wall to wall carpet will not solve all the acoustic issues. A properly sized area rug will solve aesthic issues, but an acoustic consultant will be able to balance the room, and probably very attractively.

It's a beautiful home! As are the floors. Hope a larger area rug helps. Also think about having wall to wall bound as an area rug. Perhaps you can get a more textured pile than in a regular area rug, which might help acoustically. Or get a larger area rug and layer a smaller one just under the furniture for even more absorption possibilities.

A big yes for a very large area rug. If you're on a budget, polypropylene is the best way to go such as this rug from esalerugs, which is a lot sexier that what you have now. If it's going to be big, make sure it's something dramatic that will make this room look great.

We have a large dog, carpet is not going to stay nice very long, in just a couple years it will be worn and stinky, from things you don’t even realized happened, happen the bone chewing, drool, butt-rubbing, vomit, if you know that and re carpet every few years it could work.

It is a whole lot easier to clean and change a rug than wall to wall carpet. I would veto it based on that rather than a 1970's vibe.

Larger (plusher?) rug and more dense drapes - those look sparse. The room is so lovely. I'm with your wife - no wall-to-wall (sorry, not sorry).

Thanks so much everyone. This has been really helpful!

I would not carpet a large open living space like that. IMO that is a very dated look. I would do a large area rug.

Look at heavier draperies for sound deadening. The ones that are there now seem pretty light weight.

Do this first one on the left. Lined, heavier drapes would help.

I recommend a very large area rug, not wall to wall carpet because it will be hard to keep clean in the traffic patterns.

Looks like Annie and decoenthusiaste and I had the same idea at nearly the same time. Heavier drapes will help absorb sound.

And no to the wall to wall. Great space! You can add runners to other parts of the house as well as a bigger area rug.

Wife wins. No carpet.

I agree with Sina. It would be more than wrong; it would be a sin. This is a beautiful space that deserves every inch of that red oak.

Gravitas, my late husband used to complain that I was "always right". I said if he'd been smarter he would have figured that out years before and saved us all a lot of grief!

Happy wife, happy life. :)

I think it would be a mistake! Wood, imo, is such an upgraded look....... get a big, beautiful area rug and thicker drapes, as mentioned.

As someone that has two smaller dogs, I am going to tell you that wall to wall carpet will STINK over time with dogs - regardless of how well trained they are and then there is the cleaning issue. Mine have an auto door so there are never bathroom accidents, but sometimes they do get sick. One compromise that would work is to get a wool rug that is much larger for the space and have the edges bound. I will only put in wool rugs with dogs and I have wall to wall in my bedrooms. I never realized that asking for wool wall to wall carpet is almost like asking for a rotary landline phone, but it is still made - but I had to use a designer. We had wool carpet in the house I grew up in and it lasted 40 years. Do not go with cheap nylon synthetic fabrics, you will regret it with the dogs.

I was envisioning an eyesore when you mentioned all the oak on oak, but I think your space looks great! Larger area rug, please don't do carpet if only for the sake of whoever cleans the house. No matter how well trained/groomed they are pets will stink up and stain up the carpet. Plus wall to wall carpet in the house would really date it.

You will probably need a custom-sized area rug for that space if your current rug is 9x12. If you can’t find one that is the right size or in your budget (big area rugs can get super pricey!), you can go to a carpet store and they can cut an area rug for you and bind the edges.

Thanks again, everyone. I really appreciate all the input. We're going to do a bound carpet as suggested.

I'm going to say it because others aren't. Yes, putting carpet on your hard wood floors would go against the current style, it totally harkens back to a different decade (or three) from long ago. Do you care is a totally different question.

If you get bound broadloom, which is what I would suggest here, I would see if you can figure out a good dimension that is Square or almost Square so it can be rotated 90 degrees periodically for even wear.

Good call! Hadn't thought of that!

You mentioned other reasons; if we know them we might have other suggestions for you.

Re-style, it is considered dated by most, but unless you're selling in under 10 years, ignore that. I think it's a style that should be brought back. Nothing gives the amount of warmth as a good carpet. But I don't live with a dog and that is a big difference to cleaning.

I was going to suggest what you've already decided; a large edged carpet is wonderful. An underused brilliant solution. Keeps you and Mrs happy so go for it.

A standard area rug size may not work for your space. You might want to try using painters tape to determine the best size you require and then visit your local flooring retailer to find a broadloom that has the look you want. Then have them send it out to be cut and have the edges serged. Keep in mind you will need to keep the size within the width the broadloom is manufactured in. I do not sell in your area but you can look at my website for ideas. You may require a rug approximately 12 x 15 for this space. You will need to have all your furniture on the rug.

www.anchorrugcompany.ca