How To Choose The Right Rug Size for Every Room

Carpets are an excellent way to make your home’s interior even more beautiful. But it’s essential to do it the right way. That’s why 5-Minute Crafts has made a short guide on how to choose the right rug size for every room.

1. Standard carpet sizes

What’s good to know about rugs is that they come in several standard sizes. This knowledge can be of great help to you when choosing one so that you know which surface you can cover with it.

Some of the standard carpet sizes are:

• 300×400 cm/10′ x 13′
• 240×330 cm/8′ x 11′
• 200×290 cm/6′5″ x 9’5″
• 160×230 cm/5′3″ x 7′7″
• 140×200 cm/4′5″ x 6′5″
• 120×170 cm/4′ x 5′6″
  
  Tip: before buying a rug, measure the desired size of the rug with painter’s tape to get an impression of how it will feel in your room.

2. Key factors for sizing a carpet

Now that you know some of the standard sizes of carpets, you can deal with the factors that affect the sizing of a rug:

• Furniture placement — your carpet needs will depend on the position of the furniture in your rooms. Certain layouts require rugs of different sizes.
• Furniture size — the size of the furniture will also affect your choice of carpet. Smaller furniture is more flexible and compatible with various rug sizes, while larger furniture, such as larger dining room tables and sectionals, fits better with larger carpets.
• Room size — this is the last thing you need to pay attention to. Carpets of different sizes can be placed in rooms of the same size as long as the furniture is placed differently in it. Choosing a rug for a specific room will be based on finding one that suits it best. Choose a rug that is neither too small nor too large. Choose one that will leave enough floor to be seen but not too much. Find a rug that can contain the main elements of the room or serve as a buffer between the built-ins.

3. 5 ways to lay down a rug

1. All legs on board — if you have a large enough room and want to place the carpet under the sofa, accent chairs, coffee table, etc., then it is important to have about 8 inches (20.32 cm) from the edge of your furniture to the edge of the rug. Don’t go over that. From the carpet to the wall, leave about 10 inches (25 cm) to 18 inches (46 cm) or 24 inches (61cm) if you have space. Keep in mind that your goal is not to overwhelm your room with carpet. If your sofa is up against a wall, your carpet can get a little closer so you don’t waste space.

2. Front legs only — with this arrangement, all the legs of the chairs and the front legs of the sofa are on the rug. This layout will make your room look spacious even though it’s not. It’s important to follow the rule in which the carpet goes under each piece, about one-third of the piece’s width. For example, if your chair is 21 inches (53 cm), the rug under it should be about 7 inches (18 cm).

3. Too small — if you have a small rug that you want to use, you can place it on a larger one. This can look great if you pair them well. The best combination for this is a natural jute-like rug for the base and another smaller carpet made of different materials and colors on top of it. A smaller rug can also be placed off-center, but the front legs of your seating must be on one of them.

4. The float — when only a coffee table is on the carpet, it’s called a floating arrangement. You can set this up if you have a rug that is a few inches/centimeters short of reaching your chairs. Make sure that the distance from your sofa to your carpet is no more than 5 inches (13 cm). If it’s bigger, the carpet will look too small.

5. The sculptural or amorphous float — there are different shapes of carpet besides rectangular. These rugs go great with awkwardly shaped rooms, such as a corner fireplace, and are easy to layer and float. Here, it is important to make sure that you buy a rug proportionate to your sofa and to place at least most of your seating’s legs on top of part of the rug.

Tip: You can enlarge the seating area by layering a cowhide or sherpa rug.