That's my plan - why have hardwood floors if they're covered in carpet? Just a nice "cross the middle range of the floor" area rug and let the wood shine at the edges.

(OK, to be honest, I was wondering if this was going to backfire on me... nice to see someone supporting the concept!!)

---- A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing... M60s, VP150, QS8s, EP350 Onkyo TX-SR702, Denon DVD-3910