Choosing the right size rug for your home shouldn’t be that hard right? At least that’s what I thought until I started visiting homes and realised that most people get it wrong.
So I want to help you select the right size rug for the different rooms in your home. That way you can feel confident when making the purchase.
A lot of homes these days have hard floors throughout. Whether that’s floorboards or tiles, I’m seeing less and less carpet. But this means we need rugs to soften the space and define zones in open plan areas. It also gives you something soft to put your feet on when getting out of bed in the morning.
Rugs come in all shapes and sizes, and it can be overwhelming to choose the right size, so this is your cheat sheet for selecting the right size rug.
The general rule when adding a rug to a room is to go bigger rather than smaller. You want to be able to arrange your furniture on the rug, or around the rug.
Entry / Foyer
Let’s start with the entry, as this is often overlooked. And depending on the shape and size of the entry will determine which rug will be appropriate. If you have a large open entry foyer, I like to use a round rug, and it should cover at least ¾ of the floor space. The rug should never be big enough to touch the walls on either side of the room though. If it’s touching the wall, it’s too big! Common sizes are:
120cm
150cm
200cm
Larger sizes are available in many online and traditional retail stores as well.
If your entry is also the hallway that links you to the other rooms of the house, as is the case in many federation-style homes and terraces. Use a carpet runner, that will extend the length of the hall. Sometimes it’s better to have these custom-made in the size you need. This is possible at most carpet and flooring retailers.
Living Room
The living room is where we spend the majority of our time. So we want it to feel comfortable and inviting. We want to come home at the end of the day and relax, so adding a rug to your living room can help to make it feel like a cosy sanctuary.
Following the general design rules again, choose a rug that is large enough to sit the front legs of the sofa on, but it should not extend back and touch the walls.
It should be large enough to place the coffee table on, with space to walk around it.
If you have a 2nd sofa or armchairs, the rug should be large enough to have at least the front legs on the rug.
I always suggest a larger rug where possible, as it gives the room proportion and makes the space feel bigger. If you have the right size furniture and a large rug, it tricks the eye into thinking the room is larger than it is.
Dining Room
The rug should always be large enough for the table AND chairs to easily sit on with 20-30cm of rug extending beyond the legs of the chairs when they are pushed in. This will allow you to pull the chair out and sit on the chair comfortably, while the legs are still on the rug.
Again, it’s important to leave a gap between the wall and the edges of the rug.
For an average dining room table, common sizes would include:
- 200cm x 290cm
- 240cm x 330cm
Bedroom
This is the room most people get wrong when adding a rug. Here are the general rules for using rugs in bedrooms:
- Ensure the rug extends at least 40cm to either side of the bed. This will give you enough space to step out of bed onto the rug in the morning.
- Extend beyond the foot of the bed by at least 40cm
- The bedside tables should not be on the rug. They should be flush against the skirting boards, and the rug should start just in front of the side table legs.
What size rug is right for my bed size?
- For a standard double bed, you could use a rug of at least 200cm x 290cm
- For a standard queen bed, you would need a rug of at least 240cm x 330cm
- For a king bed, you would need a rug to be at least 240cm x 330cm, but if you have a large master suite then definitely go larger
Other Resources
There are many great rug stores out there, but these are a few of my favourites:
If you would like more great tips? Here are some other posts that might interest you: