guidlines are suggestions.

I would center the rug under the dining table, (the table centered on the light fixture) certain that all the chairs are ON the rug when pulled out.

Thank you. Yes, the table would be centered on the area rug, and both would be centered under the light fixture. There would be two feet of area rug around the sides of the table per guidelines to make sure chairs are on the area rug even when a person pulls a chair out to sit or get up.

When you purchase a rug for a dining room, the table drives the bus. You need 3" all around the table so that chairs can be pulled out and all four legs stay on the rug. The 9' x 12' rug is perfect for the table, but not for the room. The table is too big for the room. Do you own it? If so, maybe no rug should be in the room.

We'd like to see 3 ft of space from the edge of the table to the walls. That table is too large for the room. Is the a leaf that can be removed to shorten the table?

IMO the room is better suited for the table to be centered on the large window under the light fixture

You can live without a rug. Easier to clean a single - material surface anyway! I line the idea of getting your color, interest from art, carefully curated sideboard items, table centerpiece.

I'd skip the rug (especially since it's going to be off-center) and put felt pads on the bottom of the chair legs to help keep your GORGEOUS floors looking new!

Thank you, elcieg — we will think more about having no area rug. Regarding the table, yes, we own it and probably won’t change it for now. Thank you, BeverlyFLADeziner, for the reorientation suggestion. I will try it! It appears it might resolve some of the half on-half off the rug issue when walking from room to room. Also, there is no leaf in the table to be removed — the tabletop is one, solid piece. Thank you, marmiegard, for your additional thoughts on the no rug option!

I actually don't like rugs in DRs they get gros and honestly 2' is the bare min for a chair to move back and forth and I see a tripping hazard at thet doorway with a rug that will soon be turned up at the corner . Add great art to the space and forget the rug.

If it helps, I’ve never had a 36” clearance in any of my dining rooms and just measured our present rug which has a 26” chair clearance (for the last 15 years). Have never encountered any issues, even with over 6ft sons and the very elderly.

I'd ignore the 18" from the wall thing, if your table requires a rug that size, and you don't have door issues.

Could you skip a rug and just put sliders on the bottoms of your chairs to protect your floors?

Consider centering the sideboard on the window wall which also moves it out of the traffic path.

No rug! You can get glides for chair legs to protect floor and as Patricia noted DR rugs just need one milk spill to get very gross.