Simple Rules Experts Follow For Choosing The Right Rug Size

Who knew the act of simply choosing the right rug size could be so complicated? It may seem like a no-brainer, but selecting a rug that simply doesn’t fit can ruin an entire room. With so many rug sizes available out there, how do you know which one to choose? We decided to take out some of the guesswork for you with these simple tips that interior designers keep in mind when they’re searching for the perfectly sized rug.

Rug Tips That Apply to All Spaces

Bigger Is Better

When it comes to rugs, a few inches can really make a difference. If you can’t manage to choose between two types of rugs, always opt for the larger one! That said, ensure the rug of your choice isn’t too big. Consider your space—you don’t want your rug to outmatch the floor!

Orient Rug to the Shape of Your Room

Make sure your rugs are proportional to your space. Large rugs fit in large rooms, while small rugs are suited to small spaces. Also, take note of the shape of your room. Is it a square or rectangular? Make sure you choose a rug that echoes the dimensions of your space.

Use Painter’s Tape

An old trade secret is to use painter’s tape to mock your rug placement before purchasing anything. It is one of the easiest, most foolproof ways to ensure that your chosen rug will fit your space without throwing the balance of the room off-kilter.

Rug Sizing Hacks for each room

If you think interior decorators simply rely on their innate talent, then you couldn’t be more wrong. While a good visual eye is important, it’s a skill that can be learned—otherwise, no one would be studying interior design! Most designers follow some common rug layouts which we have summarized for you below.

1 – Living Room

For living room spaces, there are three main layouts for you to consider: all furniture on the rug, only the front legs on the rug, or everything off of the rug (except for maybe the coffee table).

If you want all the furniture legs to be on the rug, then you obviously need a very large rug. This layout is best for a living room with an open-concept space—no furniture against the wall and lots of negative space for viewers’ eyes to rest. By placing all your furniture into a single large rug, you would be able to unify the spaces in between and create a well-defined living area.

While a large rug suits some spaces, the second layout option is probably the most versatile of the three and is typically used when all or most of the furniture is against the wall. After all, why in the world would you pay for an expensive rug to cover an area that no one would ever see? For this one, select a rug size that’s just enough to fit in the front legs of your furniture.

The last option is perfect if you have to work with a very small space since this layout makes the room look larger. The rule of thumb is to choose a size proportional with the dimensions of your seating area instead of just the coffee table so your room doesn’t look empty.

2 – Dining Room

We only recommend one layout for dining tables—all legs on the rug—mainly for safety reasons. The proper size of rug should extend at least 24” but not more than 36” beyond all sides of the table. That way, chairs remain on a flat surface in case people try to push them back.

3 – Bedroom

We have two layout options for you to choose from. You can either put your entire bed on the rug, including your nightstands and your bench, or you can simply place runners on each side of the bed.

If you select the first option, we suggest you extend the rug size to at least 18”-24” beyond the edge of your bed. However, if you opt for the second layout, one rule is to select a runner that doesn’t extend beyond the bed.

Conclusion

Choosing the right-sized rug is not rocket science, there are a few rules that you could follow to make sure that you choose a rug that complements the design of your room. The expert tips listed above will help guide you in mastering the art of rug sizing.

For a rich selection of rug sizes, feel free to get in touch with one of our representatives here at Rug Source. We are an area rug and carpet expert in Charlotte providing high-quality, discounted rugs to homeowners, designers, and businesses.

Check out our Rug Guide blog entries to get answers. We’ll help you figure out which sort of rugs is ideal for your house and how to choose one.