Adding an area rug to a room creates a cozy atmosphere while also giving you a fun chance to add appealing decor and unify the space. Use these tips to help you size, choose and buy your next area rug for your home.
When you decorate your home, there are certain must-haves you take care of or arrange first, like the essential furniture and the paint color for each room. Then you might hang pictures to fill the empty wall space. At some point you style an end table or some shelves, and then you make your way to throw pillows and area rugs.
Much like well-styled throw pillows make a room feel cohesive and intentional, area rugs do a similar job. Through size, shape and placement, they can go a long way toward unifying your decor from the floor all the way up to the ceiling.
Choosing a rug for a space is a fun (and sometimes daunting) task. What size do you need? Is the rug affordable? How do you place furniture on or around it?
Related Post: My Favorite Sources for Affordable Area Rugs
We’re going to take it room by room and share some tips for finding the perfect rug (or rugs, in some cases) to tie together an entire room. Hint: it’s easier than you may think!
Your Guide to Rug Sizes by Room
If you’ve ever shopped for rug sizes (especially online), the list of options is long and can leave you wondering what size you really need. Here are common, recommended rug sizes room by room, along with furniture and rug placement ideas.
Entryways and Hallways
Entryways give visitors a first impression of your home, so you want to create a welcoming atmosphere for guests. Plus, entryway rugs protect your floors.
What Size Rug to Buy: This is hard to recommend, since entryways and hallways come in many shapes and sizes. Runners are a good option for long, narrow spaces. For entryways, let the shape of the area determine the shape of your rug.
How to Position Your Rug: Whether in a hallway or an entryway, center your rug in the space. For entryways, you can center the rug in front of the doorway, as you can see here in my current entry.
How to Position Furniture On or Around Your Rug: Keep narrow spaces like hallways uncluttered by keeping all furniture off the rug in these areas, like this example from my previous foyer.
Living Room
For living rooms, let the shape of your room and the size of your seating area determine the size, placement and orientation of your rug, so you maximize the sense of space and cohesiveness.
What Size Rug for a Living Room: Choose a rug large enough to fill your seating area to the degree you want. A general rule of thumb is that at least the front two legs of each piece of furniture should sit on the rug.
If you need a visual, put masking tape on the floor where you’d like the rug to go. Once the tape is where you’d prefer the rug to sit, measure the space to determine the size of your rug.
How to Position Your Rug: Place your rug so the entire space feels connected and intentional. But don’t make it look like wall-to-wall carpet either! Leave at least 12-18 inches between the edge of the rug and the wall.
How to Position Furniture On or Around Your Rug: Typically, there are three main ways to lay out living room furniture around a rug:
- All furniture legs on the rug – this requires the largest rug and is best for creating a cozy space, like my living room.
- Only front furniture legs on the rug – ideal for rooms where one side of the furniture is against a wall, or for open-concept areas where you want to define a sitting area.
- All furniture (except the coffee table) off the rug – this setup works best in a small space to make the area feel larger. Base the size of your rug on the interior dimensions of the entire seating area.
Dining Room
Consider both the shape of your room and the shape of your dining table when deciding between a round and a rectangular rug.
What Size Rug to Buy: Buy a rug that extends 24 to 36 inches beyond your table on all sides (don’t forget leaf extensions!). That way chairs can stay on a flat surface, even when pushed back, like in this example from my dining room.
How to Position Your Rug: Center it in the room and under your table, leaving at least a few inches between the rug edge and the walls on each side.
How to Position Furniture On or Around Your Rug: In a dining room, keep all the legs of your table and chairs on the rug so they sit on a level surface, for safety.
Kitchen
A rug in the kitchen can enhance the decor of the room and also make everyday tasks like washing dishes more comfortable.
What Size Rug to Buy: For a kitchen, I recommend a non-slip runner that fits between your counter and island or runs alongside your counters, similar to how I have my Ruggable rug in my kitchen.
How to Position Your Rug: Center it in the space where you work the most.
How to Position Furniture On or Around Your Rug: The kitchen is likely the highest-traffic room in the house, so keep your rug clear of any furniture.
Bathroom
Use a rug in your bathroom to add warmth and prevent slipping when you step out of the shower or tub.
What Size Rug to Buy: The most common size for bath runners is 24” x 60”. Let the size and layout of your bathroom help you determine the rug size.
How to Position Your Rug: Place the rug in front of the shower or tub to avoid slipping on a bare floor, as shown by designer Kate Lester.
How to Position Furniture On or Around Your Rug: If you have extra furniture in your bathroom, try to keep all the legs off the rug and on the bare floor, in case the rug slips or shifts.
Bedroom
A rug in the bedroom can be a visual enhancement and also add comfort for bare feet. For that reason, let the size of your room and the size of your bed guide your rug choice.
What Size Rug to Buy: Standard bedroom rug sizes range from 5’x8’ to 9’x12’. Check out how to buy bedroom rugs to learn more.
How to Position Your Rug: Use your bed as the anchor for placing your rug.
How to Position Furniture On or Around Your Rug: As in the living room, there are several common furniture layouts and placement options in a bedroom, including:
- All legs of the bed on the rug, as Love Grows Wild shows.
- Two-thirds of the bed on the rug, like in my primary bedroom (all dressed up for Christmas)!
- Runners on each side of the bed, like this example from Pottery Barn.
I hope these tips help you find your new favorite area rug for each room of your home. Don’t forget to check out my favorite places to find affordable area rugs!
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