Rugs can bring a touch of character, warmth, and color to every home. Yet, it can be a bit tricky picking the right rug size. After years of experience, we put together a general room-by-room guide with tips and example photos. Here we begin with what we refer to as the Rectangulars.
In the living/family room
-Most common sizes are 8×10, 9×12, 10×14
-The front legs of the furniture should be on the rug.
-Make sure the rug has at least roughly 6" on each side of furniture.
Styling Tip: Your rug should be large enough for your space. Try to have two legs of the main furniture pieces around the edge of the rug on it. One of the most important rules is not to leave a rug bare, unanchored, and floating in the middle of your living room.
In the dining room
-Most common sizes are 6×9, 8×10, 9×12
-When pushed in dining chairs should be on the rug around the entire table.
-Make sure the rug extends around the table at least 18". This allows room for the chairs when pulled out to remain on the rug therefore protecting the floor and the rug edge.
-It is desirable to show at least 1 foot of flooring between any wall and the rug.
Styling tip: For aesthetic purposes rugs should fill the space while not completely covering the floor. In this room, the table and chairs should be the only things on top of the rug. Sometimes this may come into conflict with practicality. It happens that furniture is too big or too much for a room. In such situations we may need to make some compromises.
In the bedroom
King Bed:
-Typical rug size for under a King bed is 9×12. There are cases where an 8x11 is preferable if the room is small or space is limited by furniture.
-Make sure to leave a few inches of space between the rug and the nightstands. The rug should not extend under the nightstands.
-Make sure the rug extends the footboard of the bed by at least 1 foot if not more.
Queen/Full Bed:
-Typical rug size for under a Queen bed is 8×10
-Again, make sure to leave a few inches of space between the rug and the nightstands. The rug should not extend under the nightstands.
-Again, make sure the rug extends the footboard of the bed by at least 1 foot if not more.
Twin Bed:
-Typical rug size for under a Twin bed is 6x9
-Once again, make sure to leave a few inches of space between the rug and the nightstands. The rug should not extend under the nightstands.
-Once again, make sure the rug extends the footboard of the bed by at least 1 foot if not more.
Styling tip: Even though in bedroom settings much of the rug will be under the bed, when getting out of bed you want to have enough space from the edge of the bed to the edge of the rug where your feet can be on the rug. If the room is smaller or if there are furnishings close to the sides of the bed you may get by with a narrower strip of rug extending out from under the sides of the bed. This usually is about a 2 ft. minimum without it looking awkward. Yet, if the room is larger or roomier with a lot of exposed space the amount of rug extending out from under the sides of the bed can be quite greater. In this last case scenario the amount of rug extending out from the footboard of the bed can also be greater. Keep in mind when working with rugs in bedrooms that the main if not the only thing that should be on the rug is the bed. Also, for those not interested in a single rug for under a bed there is a less common designer alternative. This entails placing a 2x5 runner on each side of the bed and then placing an appropriate size rug for the space in front of the bed.
