Rugs are a fun and easy way to elevate a space while adding some cozy personality, and there are a lot of factors that go into choosing the right rug for your space – size being the first and arguably most important. Here, we’ve put together a quick rug size guide you can bookmark and reference as you hunt for the perfect rug to dress up each space in your home.
Rugs are a fun and easy way to elevate a space while adding some cozy personality, and there are a lot of factors that go into choosing the right rug for your space – size being the first and arguably most important. Here, we’ve put together a quick rug size guide you can bookmark and reference as you hunt for the perfect rug to dress up each space in your home.
Design by Bodine White | Photography by Emily Sewell | SHOP THE LOOK: Lincoln Beige / Navy Rug
Why Choosing the Right Rug Size Matters
Picking the right rug size is critical, but with so many rug size options available, how do you know you’re picking the right size for your space? Simple: by following these easy room-by-room size tips!
Note: These tips are specifically geared toward spaces with hardwood or tile flooring. We use a different set of rules for layering rugs on carpeted floors.
Rug Sizes by Room
Determining the rug size you need for your room depends entirely on the size and layout of your space. Once you have that figured out, you’ll have a much easier time narrowing down your options. The rest will simply come down to blending your lifestyle with your design style to get the most out of your selection.
Rug Sizes for the Living Room
We often use 10’ x 14’ or 12’ x 15’ rug sizes for the living area, which allow for plenty of arrangement options:
We generally take one of two approaches for determining the best rug size for a living room:
1. Choose a rug size that allows you to place all furniture legs onto your rug.
Design by Sarah Bartholomew
2. Only the front legs of furniture are placed on the rug.
Design by Bodine White | Photography by Emily Sewell | SHOP THE LOOK: Anastasia Light Blue / Ivory Rug
The main thing to avoid is choosing a size and placement where your rug is floating in the middle of the room without any of the furniture's legs touching it.
Rug Sizes for the Dining Room
When choosing rugs for your dining room, make sure the rug extends at least two feet beyond all four sides of the dining table so that when you pull the chairs out to sit down, the chair legs remain on the rug.
For 8-person dining tables, a 9’ x 12’ rug offers plenty of space for your table and chairs. Rectangular or circular tables seating 4 to 6 people fit nicely onto an 8’ x10’ rug with enough room for the chairs to be pulled in and out.
Avoid choosing a rug size for your dining room that stretches from wall to wall – you’ll want to leave an edge around the room for the bare floor to show. Mind any floor vents that risk being covered up, too, so you can plan your size and placement accordingly.
Design by Bodine White | Photography by Alyssa Rosenheck
Design by Cortney Bishop
Rug Sizes for Bedrooms
Take into account both the room size as well as the size of the bed and nightstands when picking the right rug for your bedroom. Larger rooms that can fit a king-sized bed and two nightstands will look best with a rug that’s at least 9’ x 12’. Rooms with queen- and full-sized beds go well with 8’ x 10’ area rugs.
For rooms with a single twin-sized bed, consider a 5’ x 7’ rug. Alternatively, bedrooms with two twin-sized beds that share a nightstand balance well with a 3’ x 5', 4’x 6’, or runner between the two beds.
Design by Bodine White | Photography by Emily Sewell | SHOP THE LOOK: Zuri Beige Rug
Design by Brandon Schubert
When placing your rug, it should start 6 to 12 inches away from the face of the nightstands, and make sure the width of the rug does not exceed the width of your nightstands and bed combined so the room feels anchored.
Rug Sizes for the Kitchen
Kitchens come in all different shapes, sizes, and layouts, and as is the case with most areas of your home, choosing the right rug size will depend on a combination of those factors.
Runners work well between the perimeter cabinets and the island if you have enough room. We also love the look of a smaller rug in front of a kitchen sink, like a 2’ x 3’ or 3’ x 5’. You might be able to easily fit a larger rug into a kitchen (or wet bar) with more open floor space.
Design by Bodine White | Photography by Emily Sewell
Design by Bodine White | Photography by Emily Sewell
Rug Sizes for the Foyer and/or Hallway
Keep the scale of the hallway or foyer area in mind and make sure to avoid selecting a rug that stretches from wall to wall. There are a lot of size options for runners, just make sure to choose a size that will leave some wood or tile flooring showing on either side.
Design by Bodine White | Photography by Emily Sewell | SHOP THE LOOK: Achelle Natural Solid Taupe Rug
Design by Bodine White | Photography by Emily Sewell | SHOP THE LOOK: Hathaway Blush / Multi Rug
Remember to give your door plenty of room for opening and closing when placing your rug so it doesn’t catch on the rug each time – if it’s a low-pile rug, this may not be an issue.
Design by Bodine White | Photography by Emily Sewell | SHOP THE LOOK: Liverpool Rug
Layering Rugs
Layering rugs is one of our favorite ways to layer textures and add interest and comfort to a space — it just adds so much interest!
Our go-to rule when layering rugs is to choose a top rug that’s 1-2 sizes smaller than the bottom rug. For example, if the bottom rug is 10’ x 14’, then a 9’ x 12’ or 8’ x 10’ would work well for the size of the top rug.
Design by Bodine White | Photography by Emily Sewell | SHOP THE LOOK: Wynter Grey / Charcoal Rug, Sutton Natural Solid Tan / Black Area Rug
Design by Haus Love Interiors
The right rug size can transform your space.
There’s nothing we love more than empowering people to make their dream home a reality inside and out, from floor to ceiling and everything in between. This room-by-room rug-size guide will hopefully point you in the right direction as you search for a quality rug to transform each space and add style and comfort throughout your home.
Check out some of our most recommended options for rugs, many available in a wide range of sizes:
Other rug posts that might interest you:
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