How To Choose The Correct Rug Size

One of the most important steps in arranging your furniture is figuring out the best placement for any area rugs you plan on putting down. Finding the perfect rug for your space can be challenging, both in style and in size, no matter how many times you measure. But we are here to help with that! Rugs are like picnics - everyone goes on the blanket not on the grass. The easiest way to determine your rug size is to place all your furniture then measure around it.

Dining room:

Placing a rug in the dining room is all about the experience of sitting at the dining table. You'll want to center the rug under your dining table, and then make sure it's big enough to accommodate all of the chairs. The key is to make sure the chairs still sit comfortably on the rug when pulled out and away from the table for someone to sit in them. You'll want to avoid having chairs half on and half off a rug when it's pulled out. To find the perfect size rug for your dining area pull out the chairs around your table, then measure the space so you know your rug will fit perfectly underneath.

Living room:

Placing a rug in the living room gets a little trickier, but it still all depends on the size of your space and your plans for laying out your furniture. There are three main options for living rooms of various sizes:

For smaller living rooms, you have two options. You can go with a smaller rug (around 5' x 8') that can float between the furniture in the room, but under the coffee table. A rug that sits 6"-12" in front of a sofa will anchor your space nicely, and allows for walking room around the furniture. If you're trying to make your space feel bigger, you'll actually want a bigger rug that fits all furniture to unify the space. For mid-sized rooms, go with a larger rug (like an 8' x 10') and place your larger, anchor furniture (i.e. the sofa) around so that only the front legs are on top of it. The rug should extend beyond the sides of the sofa, too.

For larger rooms, go for a bigger rug (like a 9' x 13') and use it to frame your space. Then, place all of the furniture completely on the rug. In this scenario make sure there is still room around the outside of the rug for walking, so you aren't partially on and off the rug.

Finally, if you're trying to divide the room up into different spaces (like various seating arrangements, or an open concept with multiple uses in the same area), use different rugs to define each space. Even if the suggested rug sizes above don't quite work with the dimensions of your home, you can still follow the same principles of placement and buy a rug based on the dimensions of your living room and your furniture.

Bedrooms:

When it comes to the bedroom, sizing becomes based on the size of your bed. The ideal sizing is: Queen bed 8' by 10', King bed or two twins a 9' by 12' and full size 5' x 8'. There are many options in terms of placing the rug with the most preferred way being to place the rug partially under the bed. Start by laying the rug perpendicular to the bed and then pull it under, stopping a few inches before your nightstand(s) so it's about halfway under the bed, keeping the bed centered on top. This allows you to maximize the amount of useable rug space, and gives you a soft surface to step onto when getting out of bed. In a smaller room, you also have the option of placing a rug in the middle of the room, or at the foot of the bed to add interest and help pull the look of the room together. Tip: If you don't want to place a full area rug under the bed or in the bedroom at all, place runners on either side of the bed. You'll still have that soft, comfy experience when you step out onto the floor in the morning, no matter what size the room (or bed) is.

One thing to keep in mind, no matter what room you're putting a rug in, is that too small of a rug can make any space look smaller and feel disconnected. When in doubt go for the bigger rug - it will make the room look larger than it is.