How to Choose the Right Rug Size and Placement

Using a decorative rug in your home adds warmth to the room, brings out the color of your furniture and decor, and helps to define the space. Soft area rugs can bring elegance and style or homeliness and comfort to living rooms, bedrooms, or dining rooms depending on their design and placement. Using smaller rugs within large spaces helps to define areas of movement versus areas of pause – encircling seating and encouraging pockets of conversation.

Living Room

Rug Size

The size of your rug influences how spacious your living room feels – a rug that is too small might make the room feel cluttered, while a large area rug often opens up the space, making it feel bigger. There are no rules for choosing the perfect living room rug, but there are a few tried and tested sizing guidelines that may help you choose.

Make sure the rug is big enough to connect all the seating in the room. Rugs act as a foundation for your furniture, and each part of your living room set should touch the rug. Make sure you place at least the front legs of accent chairs on top of the rug if you have limited space. The ideal rug size for your living room should be 8 to 12 inches wider than your sofa. For large rooms, an oversized area rug big enough for an entire sectional sofa helps unify the space.

Rug Placement

It is generally best to place the rug in the center of your living room underneath the coffee table or ottoman with the rest of the furniture around the rug’s borders. You can also place smaller rugs on top of larger ones to highlight a focal point in the room. Place narrow runners in passageways or high-traffic routes to protect your flooring and direct the flow of movement.

Rugs come in an array of irregular shapes and textures that you can play with to create visual interest in a large room. Use rugs to group furniture and decor together based on its function, such as a few armchairs with a floor lamp, an end table with a pot plant, or a TV set with a sofa. Consider marking up your ideal rug dimensions and placement on your living room floor using masking tape before you buy the rug to get a feel for how it will look in the space.

Dining Room

Rug Size

Incorporating a rug into your dining room can help to define the dining area, especially in open-plan floor layouts. Choose a rug for under your dining table that is about 24 inches wider than the table on all sides – don’t forget to consider the total length of extendable tables. This sizing allows your dining chairs to fit comfortably on the carpet when you pull them out from under the table.
Don’t choose a rug that is too big for the space either – leave at least 18 inches between the rug and the walls of the dining room to allow for comfortable movement around the table. People are more likely to walk around the rug when circling the dining table, and leaving space to move prevents tripping and potential spills.

Rug Placement

The best place for a rug in the dining room is centered under the dining table. You can use a large rug that fills the room or choose a small rug that highlights your dining furniture. Experiment with using multiple rugs to create zones of activity, such as a rug that fits perfectly under your table and another that slides under the cabinet or server. Make sure you get a durable flat-weave or short pile rug for easier cleaning than shaggy rugs after inevitable dining room spills.

Bedroom

Rug Size

If you have a small bedroom, consider a large area rug that is big enough to lie underneath all the bedroom furniture. For bigger rooms, choose a rug that is at least half the size of your bed to look balanced in the space. Make sure you leave some space around the edges of the room to highlight your flooring as well. Make sure you choose a rug that stretches past the edges of the bed frame, creating a comfortable landing spot for your feet in the mornings. A 5 by 8-foot rug is usually sufficient for a queen-sized bed.

Rug Placement

You can’t always get a rug large enough to fill your entire bedroom, and you can often use a combination of smaller rugs to define different spaces instead. Choose a rug that is about the same size as your bed and turn it with the long side parallel to the headboard. Then place the rug at the bottom half of the bed, stretching out past the foot to highlight the bedframe as an anchor in the space.
Alternatively, place two smaller rugs on either side of the bed near the nightstand to create balance in the room and a soft spot for each sleeper to place their feet. Your bedroom rug serves as a decor accent and you should have fun with the texture, pattern, and color to showcase your style and bring out the best in your other furniture.

Find The Right Rug for Your Room at Home Zone Furniture

No matter how big your home is, a rug is a charming addition to any room, and we have a range of exciting options to share with you. Our friendly team will gladly assist you in choosing the best rug to suit your style and your space. Contact us to get in touch today or visit any of our Home Zone stores to browse our extensive rug collection in person.