You’re in the market for a rug, but aren’t sure which size would best suit your space. You’re not alone. While most people understand that there rug needs to be able to physically fit into a room, they aren’t sure of much else. What size is actually the right size? How much space is supposed to be left between the rug’s edges and the wall? The rug’s edges and the furniture?
All of these are good questions, and they’re all answered here. Read on.
First things first….
Measurement Matters
You may think you know how big your room is, but do you really? Break out the tape measure and see for sure. This is not how big you want your rug, but it will give you a place to start finding the right size.
Bring It In
Now that you’ve got your bearings, you want to reign the measurements in to suss out the right size for your space. Conventional decor wisdom holds that the edge of rug should fall about 8 – 12 inches from the wall. This is a good rule of thumb if you want to play it safe and stylish, so if you don’t trust (or don’t think you have) an eye for decor, take the dimensions of your room, and then subtract 8-12 inches.
A rug can be larger or smaller though: it depends on the shape and design of your room. Large rooms can often handle large rugs. No, you don’t want it climbing the walls, but if there’s only a couple inches between the rug and the floorboard, it can work.
Likewise, a small rug can work in an open concept room, since you will want to use this floor furnishing to break up space. For instance, a rug in one area of an open concept room could signify and anchor the living room, and a rug in the other would anchor the dining room. Neither of these rugs would fall strictly within 8-12 inches of the walls of each separate space since the ‘rooms’ are not defined entirely by walls.
Furniture Rules
The old-school rules state that the front legs of the furniture in a room should all be on the rug: couches, loveseats, chairs, lounges, end tables — whatever. (The notable exception being coffee tables and ottomans, which are meant to sit in front of other furniture.) This rule still works and is once again a solid way to play it safe. And there is nothing wrong with playing it safe, especially if you know you’re not an interior design whiz. So don’t ever feel like you have to push the limits, and try something that’s too trendy for you: classic is always cool.
However, you don’t have to slide your rug under the front legs of the furniture. Let’s think again about that open concept space: your rug could extend right behind couches and chairs and so on, effectively acting as frame for the room.
Now think about a bedroom: a smaller rug can be slid under the head or foot of the bed and look stunning.
In a dining room or eating space, the rug SHOULD be big enough to extend beyond the chairs. In fact, when you push back a chair, it should still be on the rug. This promotes a fluid movement and prevents guests from getting their chair (or their feet) tripped up on the rug’s edge.
The final word…
In the end, finding the right size rug for your home depends on the room, and finding the right size rug for the room depends on the room’s design, the room’s function and what luxury furniture you have in the room. Use your eye and these tips to help you make the best design decision for your space.
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