How to design a welcoming space for the season of gathering

Autumn has arrived, ushering in the most unforgettable period of the year. It's the season of coming together with those who matter most, for dinners, cocktail parties and casual gatherings to make new memories. Whether you’re hosting just one friend or a whole party, now is the time to prepare your home for the festivities to come. The first step? Selecting custom-sized rugs that make a difference and accomplish exactly what every gathering needs.

When it comes to hosting a dinner, the food and the conversation are just as important as the ambience of the space. Before you dedicate your attention to curating the menu, take some time to shape the mood in the room where your guests will gather.

A flatweave rug is a great option in dining rooms, especially one made from wool. Wool adds rich texture and an inviting underfoot feel, establishing character and welcoming guests. Imogene, Ariana and Paula are beautiful, not to mention practical choices. They’re inherently quick-drying and easy to clean in case of minor spills and crumbs, and their low profile ensures guests can slide dining chairs in and out seamlessly.

As for the size of your dining room rug, note that it should extend about 24 to 36 inches beyond the edge of your table on all sides so that the dining chair legs remain on the rug even when they’re pulled out. If your dining room is large, center your rug and leave about four to six inches of visible floor near the walls to frame the rug and your furnishings. Too little space around the edges can create the appearance of a wall-to-wall carpet, and too much can feel off balance.

After a long week, connecting with friends over wine, tea or your favorite ice-filled beverage is even better when hosted at home. If you like to host often, you know that on nights like this, guests tend to migrate to the kitchen to refill on snacks and drinks.

For kitchens, indoor/outdoor flatweave runners like McCannon, Penn or Marci Salt are strong choices. Their tight weave keeps crumbs from working their way into the fibers while you’re prepping appetizers, so you can easily vacuum or shake them out. They’re moisture- and stain-resistant, meaning a spilled chardonnay will wipe up more easily without seeping into the fibers. These rugs won’t flatten or crush, either, despite the high foot-traffic that comes with spending a lot of time preparing food and drinks for guests.

If you have an island in your kitchen, allow it to guide you when selecting your kitchen rug size. The rug should extend the length of the island, but there’s no need for it to cover the full floor. Center it between your island and the cabinets or walls, leaving four to six inches on either side. Even if you don’t have an island in your kitchen, we still recommend leaving four to six inches around the perimeter to maintain a balanced look.

For many, the most exciting part of the season is getting together every week to root for a favorite football, hockey, or basketball team. At game-day gatherings, everyone congregates in the living room, where comfort and durability are the top priority.

When comfort is the most important consideration, you have plenty of freedom to play with texture. Hannah and Kyra bring the softness of pure wool underfoot, making them great options if you expect some of your guests to end up lounging on the floor. Given their natural fibers, these styles will resist small spills, but an added protective treatment will enhance their stain resistance. 

If your living room sees a lot of foot traffic outside of game day, Marguerite and Isabelle are perfect for you. Their soft surfaces are woven from performance fibers that can withstand plenty of wear while still delivering the comfort you’re looking for.

A living room rug should also make the seating area feel cohesive. In mid-size to large spaces, place the entirety of your furniture on the rug to make the seating feel grounded. In smaller rooms, placing just the front legs of the pieces on the rug ties the space together without overwhelming it with furniture. Regardless of room size, leave about six to eight inches of bare floor between the rug’s edge and the wall.

Sometimes, the most memorable get-together of the season is the brief, unexpected visit from an old friend or family member who spends most of the year out of town, or a dear neighbor who only stops by every once in a while. Sunrooms and breakfast nooks are perfect for these gatherings, and the right rug will make your time together all the more enjoyable.

Sunrooms and breakfast nooks often experience more direct sunlight than almost any other room in the house, so look for rugs made from fibers that resist fading even after hours of daily sun exposure. Millie is a UV-resistant rug that delivers a sophisticated marled color, soft texture and the easy-to-clean benefits of a flatweave style, while Willow offers all the same performance benefits with a lively pattern.

Since these gatherings are typically brief, and the space is often compact, a smaller rug will complement the space nicely. With large sunrooms featuring seating and a coffee table, allow the back legs to rest beyond the edges of the furniture to keep things from feeling cramped. In a breakfast nook, opt for a style that mirrors the shape of the table, ensuring it extends 24 to 36 inches beyond the surface so there’s enough space to pull chairs in and out.

This time of year brings close family members in from out of town, making now the best time to get your guest bedroom ready for their arrival. Select a rug that fills their resting space with a calm and comforting spirit.

Softness should be your number-one consideration here. Since a guest bedroom doesn't see the same daily wear as the rest of the house, you can choose a more delicate fiber without weighing durability the way you would in high-traffic spaces like the living room or kitchen. Consider a plush, lustrous rug like Celeste or Fleur for a dreamy underfoot feel and a luxurious luster.

In bedrooms, rugs should extend far enough beyond the edges of your bed that your guests’ feet land on it when they step out each morning. If space allows at both sides, extend it beyond the width of your nightstands, and if you need to accommodate a bench, chaise, or daybed, consider extending it 24 to 36 inches beyond the foot of the bed, too.

If you have a little one with a fall birthday, parties hosted at home might be on your annual occasion list, which means your living room needs to be equipped for everything from cake to gifts and activities.

In living rooms for the whole family, select a rug that’s gentle on the skin, comfortable underfoot and easy to clean in case of messes. Go for a performance style like Zahra, Mika or Velma, which are designed to resist stain-causing spills like juice, melted ice cream and frosting. They’re also exceptionally soft to the touch, making them ideal for running around and games. To make them even more comfortable, add a rug pad when placing your rug order.

When selecting a rug size for larger spaces, keep furniture atop the rug, and for smaller spaces, let the back legs rest off of the edges. You can always move tables and chairs around as needed, so just make sure you’re filling the space with comfort for you, your family and friends.

Whether you’re hosting holiday dinners, cocktails at home with friends, game-day gatherings, old friends for quick visits, or family members for overnight stays, the rugs you choose for your home remain an important part of the occasion. Find a style, construction and material you love by ordering samples and experiencing them in your home.