Rug Size Guide
Don’t settle for a standard-size rug if you can get the perfect custom size instead.
Many of our customers learn this lesson the hard way when they discover that their standard-sized rug is either too small or too large for their space.
The ideal rug size perfectly anchors your furniture and brings the whole design together.
Rug Sizes by Room
This guide will help you select the perfect-sized rug for any room. From living rooms to dining areas and bedrooms, we’ll break down the most common sizing mistakes and show you how to avoid them.
Living Room
Bedroom
Dining Room
Kitchen
Bathroom
Entryway
Outdoor
The Art of Layering
We Make It Easy To Design Your Perfect Custom Rug
Should a living room rug go under the sofa or in front of it? Is a 5'x8' rug too small for a living room? Find answers and more below.
Most Popular / Budget Friendly
The most preferred and cost-saving staging option places the two front legs of your sofa and chairs on top of the rug to frame an inviting seating area. This works well for medium and smaller sized rooms.
Open Concept or Large Rooms
If you have a big living room or an open concept space, consider arranging all furniture—your sofa, chairs, coffee and side tables—on top of the rug. This creates a cohesive look that defines the space and makes it feel intentional and well-balanced. Opt for the largest rug size you can afford.
Round or Organic-Shaped Rugs
Try a uniquely shaped rug like a round or organic-shaped design. Both our SynSisal® and EarthSISAL™ rugs, for example, come in abstract forms that soften the lines of your furniture and add visual interest. Whether you place just the front legs or all legs on the rug, the shape itself becomes part of the design statement.
Rule of Thumb
Give your rug at least another foot on either side of your longest piece of furniture. If you have side tables, factor their width into your calculations. You don't want half of the legs on the rug and the other half off the rug.
What is the "dreaded rug island"?
It’s a term used by designers for a small area rug placed in the center without any seating on it. It makes your furniture look like it is floating in space and does not convey the cohesion your living room deserves (especially if your home features an open floor plan). Not recommended!
How much space should there be between the edge of a rug and the wall?
If you want to avoid the "wall-to-wall carpet look," leave 12-18 inches of bare floor all the way around your area rug and the wall for large rooms and 6-8 inches for smaller spaces. This border frames the room and keeps the rug from overwhelming the space.
Find answers to questions like "what size rug goes under a queen bed?" and "can I use runners instead of a full rug in a bedroom?"
Large Bedrooms & Large Rugs
If your primary bedroom is sizable, we recommend that all furniture is placed on a large area rug—queen or king size bed plus two nightstands.
Smaller Rugs in Bedrooms
If your bedroom is smaller or your rug is not large enough to hold all furniture pieces, tuck the rug under the bed just up to the nightstands.
How wide should a bedroom rug be?
You either want the width of the rug to include the nightstands or extend at least beyond 18 inches on either side of the bed. This way, your feet have a soft landing whenever you step out of bed.
Bedside Runners
Yes, you can put runners on both sides of the bed. This is an economical but no less cozy approach to creating a finished look in your bedroom.
My bedroom already has wall-to-wall carpeting. Can I put an area rug on top of the carpet?
Wall-to-wall carpeting adds extra padding and absorbs sound, a perfect addition to bedrooms. But you can always add an area rug as a design element or focal point, either perpendicular to the bed or as a runner alongside the end.
Dining tables come in all shapes and sizes, so there isn't one answer the question "what is the right size rug for a dining table with 6 chairs?" A custom sized rug is the solution. But how big should the rug be?
Standard-Sized Rugs Don't Fit
The biggest mistake customers make is buying a standard-sized rug that doesn't fit their table with the chairs pushed out. There is nothing worse than sliding your chair in or out and getting stuck on the edge of a rug.
How much larger should a rug be than the table?
Add about 32 to 36 inches to each side of your table’s dimensions to comfortably move chairs in and out. Whether your table is rectangular, round, or oval, a custom-size rug with the right chair clearance creates a relaxed dining experience.
What size rug should I get if I have an extendable table?
It all depends on how often you use your table’s extensions. If you only entertain large groups two to three times a year, then stick with a rug that fits your unextended table. If in doubt, get a rug that accommodates the table with or without extensions.
Kitchen rugs and runners in front of the sink, stove or both are a great way to freshen up the look of your kitchen. You can add a splash of color or an intriguing pattern, all the while protecting high-traffic areas from excessive wear and tear.
What size rug works best in a galley or open-concept kitchen?
For galley kitchens, L-shaped kitchens, or kitchens with an island, place a decent-sized runner along the longest side of your cabinets. This way, you cushion most of your steps and protect your tiles or hardwood floors from being banged up by the occasional knife drop.
Rugs for Small Kitchens
For a smaller kitchen, place a stylish, petite area rug where you spend the most time to protect the floors, cushion your feet and add a design element.
How wide should a kitchen runner be?
Leave at least 3 to 6 inches on each side in small areas and up to 24” in large kitchens for your tile or hardwood floor to remain visible. To help you determine how many inches to leave exposed, think about where you spend the most time standing—do you want your feet to straddle the edge of a rug or be fully on top of the rug?
What’s the best rug material for a kitchen?
In a place where water splashes and sauces spill, a cleanable material like rPET, polypropylene, nylon or woven vinyl is ideal. If you love natural fibers, a stain-resistent sisal or a seagrass rug are good options.
I need a custom cut rug that wraps around my kitchen island.
No problem. We custom create L-shaped rugs or other irregular shaped rugs to fit your exact specifications. Head over to Irregular Shaped & Custom Cut Rugs to learn more.
Who would not want a plush area rug in the bathroom to add warmth and extra comfort? The only problem is that the market’s standard of 24 by 60 inches might not be the perfect fit. Before you order your custom rug, consider the following room layout options.
Budget Friendly
Match your bath rug exactly to the length of your single or double vanity. This approach saves money, but still provides warm padding where desired the most.
Large Bathrooms
A larger space allows for a more playful approach either in size—place two single area rugs or one large one in front of your double vanity—or in shape—from square to rectangular, from oval to circular, only the size of your bathroom is your limit.
Rule of Thumb
Large or small, when sizing your new bathroom rug, have at least 3 to 6 inches of visible tile or hardwood flooring. You don’t want to cover up what you paid hard money for.
Final Tip
All our wool and wool blends, woven or tufted, make great bathroom rugs. For a stunning synthetic rug option, explore both the Terasa or Rols collections—soft, durable sisal-look options in neutral tones or opt for the colorful Strata.
Customers rarely think about it but the most important place to choose the right rug is your entryway. A foyer or entryway area rug conveys your home’s style: modern versus traditional, minimalist versus luxurious, or energizing versus relaxing. The size can either distract from or add to your style.
Large Hallways
Longer is always better. Entryway rugs catch wet and mud, and the longer they are, the less likely it is that some of that dirt may end up on your beautiful hardwood floors. In any case, your runner should be centered in front of the entrance and guide visitors from one zone to the next.
Small Hallways
If the length of your runner is rather short, add a tough walk-off mat at your front door. This is an efficient way to trap gravel, sand, and mud before it even enters your house.
Rule of Thumb
Leave 3 to 6 inches on each side of your rug for a contrasting showing of the tiles or hardwood floors installed underneath.
Final Tip
If opening the front door does not allow for a rug, you may want to center your rug in the space or lay it in front of a foyer bench or table.
Outdoor
Outdoor Rug Tips
The recommendations and tips outlined above for specific indoor settings can also be applied in similar outdoor settings. If you have additional questions or can’t wrap your mind around your specific space needs, please chat with our team of experts.
The Art of Rug Layering
No rug sizing guide is complete without addressing the important subject of layering. Layering rugs started as a trend, but it has not gone away for good reasons.
Define Your Space
Layering is just another tool to delineate different areas of usage in a large, open space. When your kitchen freely flows into the dining and living space, the right placement of area rugs will hold each setting separate. In addition, if you already have a rug that is too small for the area you want to define, layering can solve that problem. Layering your small accent rug on top of a neutral, larger base rug, such as sisal or jute, will anchor your furniture.
Set an Accent
Freshen up your space and express your style by adding an area rug. Play with vibrant or calm colors, contrasting or harmonizing patterns and textures. This will also redirect your visitor’s gaze to what is important to you and distract from areas that are not perfect yet.
A word on color, patterns, and texture:
If you love color, be bold and layer pattern onto pattern; aim for complementary but distinct patterns.
If you like patterns but are uneasy about too much color, you may still layer pattern onto pattern, just stay within the same color hues.
If color and pattern aren’t your thing, layer two different textures in neutral tones to create interest and dimensionality.
Most important: have fun and go with your feeling!
Budget Friendly
There are multiple ways to save money while refreshing your flooring.
For example, you like your existing area rug but it is too small for your current furniture setting. Invest in a neutral, larger-size rug as a foundation and layer your beloved rug on top for a completely new look.
Or maybe you already have layered rugs but are craving a change. Shop for a new favorite area rug to replace the smaller, accent rug with a fresh design.
In both cases, you will save money in the long run. Layering gives you the option to make quick, substantial changes for less money.
Make sure you lay down the large, dominant rug so that it emphasizes the orientation of the largest piece of furniture. Avoid tripping hazards. Know that too many patterns cannot tell a cohesive story.
The Layered Look
Start with a natural fiber foundation like sisal or seagrass and layer on top a soft wool rug or a beloved kilim.
What kind of rug should I get? Wool or sisal or...?
Budget, performance and preference all impact your rug buying decision. The Rug Buying Guide on our blog goes in depth on topics like natural vs. synthetic fibers, best fiber based on location, rug borders and more.
