I love adding a rug to a room because it really is like giving the whole space a visual hug- it pulls everything together while adding character, pattern, and texture. If you have wood or tile floors, a rug will be your bestie for making the space feel cozy. There is nothing like having a soft rug to walk and play on to add the perfect luxury to your room! Here’s my rug size guide.
A problem I see is that lots of people use too small of a rug in a space. A bigger rug makes the whole room appear more spacious. And a small rugs makes it seem out of proportion to the space. The smaller the rug, the less expensive it is, but going too small might look silly and that’s definitely not the look you want!
Since rugs are more of an investment, I thought I’d share a rug size guide so you can get the right size the first time! It can be tricky knowing how to place the rug too, so this guide will also cover that. If you’re looking for a rug for your living room, dining room, kitchen or bedroom, I have some simple tips for you!
rug size guide
In the past 5 years I’ve lived in homes with wood flooring instead of wall to wall carpet. So I started buying rugs and figuring out how to use them in my home. I’ve learned the most affordable places to buy rugs and how to find the style of rug that works with my personal vibe.
I also have a post on finding Caitlin Wilson rugs on a budget if you like her style.
Let’s dive into the rug size guide and placement recommendations!
living room rug sizes
If you don’t have a rug in your living room- this is the perfect place to start! See the tips below for getting the right size for your home. Then choose your dominate color and begin searching!
Basic living room rug rules-
- Make sure the front legs of the sofa, chair, and love seat are on the rug.
- You want a big enough rug for the space. The goal is to have at least 6” of rug on each side of the furniture.
- Typical sizes are 8×10, and 9×12. A 5×8 will only work for a tiny living room with a love seat and chair.
- Keep at least 6″ of floor showing on the perimeter of the room.
dining room rug sizes
A rug in a dining room is debatable since there’s always the risk of spilling. Personally, I love how rugs pulls a room together and muffles noise, so I still go for them.
I like to choose a pattern that will hide dirt while still looking cute. The number one rule with rugs at tables is making sure that when the chairs are scooted out from the table, they can still sit on the rug.
5×8 rug that was technically too small
Basic dining room rug rules-
- The biggest rule of all- make sure the dining chairs are all on the rug around the entire table even when pulled out
- Leave at least 18″ of floor around the perimeter of the room
- The most typical sizes are 8×10, 9×12, and 10×14
bedroom rug sizes
Putting a rug in the bedroom is one of my favorite spots. A soft rug when getting in and out of bed is a great feeling! Plus it makes the whole room feel so cozy.
- Place the rug in front of the nightstands so they can sit level on the flooring.
- There should be 1 foot of flooring showing at the bottom of the bed so you can see the pattern and have a soft place to walk.
- Around the rug, there should be at least 8″ of the floor showing between the rug and the floors.
8×10 rug with queen bed
I recently added a rug into my bedroom that I’ve been renovating! Here’s the two styles I’ve been deciding between-
This is a machine washable rug that has a soft pattern in my favorite colors- pink and mint. I like how it doesn’t compete with the mural while still pulling the room together.
The second option (which I’m leaning towards) is softer to the touch. It’s also lighter and the pattern is a bigger contrast. It has more soft pinks which I love.
Which one would you choose?
They’re both from Boutique Rugs and they’ve sent me over a coupon code if you want to check them out! Use code AtHomeAshley60 for 60% off the rug of your choice!
kitchen rug size guide
I know a runner in a kitchen can be controversial, but if you choose something that’s easy to wash, it’s a great way to add softness, color, and pattern to the kitchen.
A great benefit of a kitchen rug is that a long runner can actually make the kitchen look bigger!
Since the kitchen is a high-traffic area and can be prone to spills, choose something durable. I’d suggest a machine washable rug like what I have, an indoor/outdoor rug (that can be hosed off), or something made of polypropylene or PET- a recycled polyester.
- put the runner in front of the sink since it’s where we stand for the longest amount of time.
- Have 4-5″ of flooring show on all sizes
- If you have a kitchen island, have the runner be a little shorter than the island
- Use a runner that’s between 5′ and 8′ long.
Here’s one thing I’d suggest not to do-
Skip a kitchen rug if you have an odd shaped dining table in it like I do. Half the time the little table was half on the rug and it was always tippy.
There is my guide to how to find the right rug size for you room. I hope it’s helpful!
Thank you to Boutique Rugs for sponsoring this post! This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
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