How to choose the right size rug so it properly fits your space

• A properly-sized rug is the anchor of any space, adding warmth and even making a room appear bigger.
• All furniture should fit comfortably atop your rug either with all four legs on it or just the front two.
• The shape of your rug should almost always echo the shape of the furniture on it.

Choosing the correct rug size is a fundamental step when designing a room. "A rug is essentially the anchor of your space," says interior designer Tina Ramchandani.

When picked and measured correctly, a rug will add warmth, pull your furniture pieces together, and even make a room appear larger. For open-concept layouts or multipurpose spaces, rugs also help separate each area to define sections.

There are several standard rug sizes you'll come across in your search. Below, Ramchandani provides tips on choosing the right size rug for every room in your home, based on factors like furniture arrangement and the size and shape of the room.

Quick tip: Just want to get to shopping? See our picks for the best places to buy area rugs online.

Choosing the right rug size for each room

One common mistake homeowners make is choosing a standard rug and assuming it will work in any and every room - this is not the case. In fact, rugs are never one-size-fits-all. Each room has its own set of considerations to account for when rug shopping.

Standard rug sizes

Living room

While the couch may be the centerpiece of most living rooms, the rug is what pulls it all together. Because of this, it's important that the dimensions of the rug allow it to fill up the main seating area.

From there, play around with shape. Squares and rectangles are obvious, but oval and round rugs can add some visual interest. "As long as the shape supports the furniture in the room, you can have fun with it," says Ramchandani.

Rules to shop by

• Position the rug in the seating area. If you have a multipurpose living room, the rug should go under the seating area to define the space.
• Your seating area furniture should fit on the rug, whether fully or halfway. This includes your couch, end tables, love seats, recliners, etc. For limited space or larger furniture, consider arranging furniture with the front legs on the rug and back legs off. Always ensure the rug is at least wider than the couch to comfortably fit the rest of the furniture and space.
• Leave floor space around the perimeter of the rug. This will avoid making the room appear smaller than it is. The rule of thumb is to leave a 12-inch to 18-inch perimeter.

Quick tip: It's better to buy a rug that's too big for your space and have it customized to fit by a rug resizing service than it is to buy a rug that's too small. But please, leave rug resizing to professionals.

Entryway/hallway

Having fun with entryway and hallway rugs is something Ramchandani loves. "This is the one area where you can use an odd-sized rug, because typically the furniture is off to the sides of the space," she says.

Rules to shop by

• Hallway & entryway rugs don't need strict measurement rules. Since hallways and entryways don't typically have furniture in the center or atop the rugs, you can have fun playing around with size and shape as long as it feels like it "fits" the space.
• Runners should not stop mid-doorway. Should you choose a longer runner, position it so it stops before the door begins or so it runs fully across that entryway without stopping midway.
• Narrow hallway rugs should be slim enough so the floor shows on either side. Avoid rugs that don't give the floor enough space to breathe around it.

Dining room

Like in a living room, a dining room rug should comfortably fit the furniture on it. With a table and chairs, specifically, you want to make sure the chairs have enough room so they still fit nicely on the rug when pulled out from the table.

Rules to shop by

• Choose a rug based on the size of your dining table. You'll want one that's large enough to fit under the dining table and also allow space for the chairs to be pulled out without getting tripped by the rug.
• Consider getting a bigger rug if you have an expandable dining table. You don't want to end up with a small rug if you ever have to accommodate more guests.
• Rug shape should reflect the furniture in your room. In other words, pair round rugs with round tables, rectangle rugs with rectangle tables, and so on.

Kitchen

Kitchen rugs aren't for everyone (especially those prone to spills), but when incorporated into the space properly, it can make a room that tends to feel cold from all the tile and appliances, a little bit warmer.

As with other rooms, whether you prefer smaller mats near your sink, a runner along your island, or a rug in a dine-in kitchen space, there are a few rug size rules.

Rules to shop by

• Runners should be long enough to fit the length of the cabinetry. Avoid choosing one that's too short or it will make the space feel smaller or "off."
• Measure the size of your table and chairs for rugs in dine-in and open kitchens. Purchase a rug that's the same shape as the table in your kitchen and big enough to fit the table and all chairs, allowing enough space for chairs to be pulled out on the rug.
• Consider a kitchen mat if a rug doesn't fit your space. Make your kitchen feel complete without going the full rug route by placing a mat by the sink.

Bedroom

Bedroom rugs are placed under the bed to act as a warm landing spot for your feet when you wake up. Because of this, the size of this rug depends on the size of your bed, the furniture around it, and how far under the bed you want to position it.

Rules to shop by

• Your bed size will determine your bedroom rug size. Typically, bedroom rugs go under the bed, so you'll want to decide how you want your rug to be positioned in your sleeping space.
• Decide how you want the rug arranged before buying. Common placements include: a rug that's pushed against the wall and under the nightstands and bed, a rug that's placed only under the bed and stops about a foot before the nightstands, or a rug that's only under the bed halfway.
• Measure the length and width of the space you want your rug to go. If you have nightstands, include them in the measurement and add a few inches to each side for extra room. For length, measure from where you want the rug to start underneath the bed to where you want the rug to end, adding at least a foot or two at the foot of the bed.

More tips for buying the right size rug

• Consider the other furniture in the space. If the rug will have furniture atop it (like in bedrooms and living rooms), measure, measure, measure. If the room's furniture will be around the perimeter of the room or off to the side (like kitchens, entryways, and hallways), you don't have to be as strict with measurements since the rug will be doing less work to define that space.
• Measure the area you want to place the rug. Areas with furniture in it should be measured pretty strictly. As a general rule of thumb, all of the furniture in the area you want the rug should fit comfortably on the rug with nothing falling off.
• Leave space around the rug so you can still see the flooring. The rug should take up the whole furniture space, however, if space allows, the best size rugs will also leave 12 to 18 inches of space around it for flooring to show.
• Choose a rug that's shape echoes that of the furniture on it. This rule can occasionally be broken if, for instance, you want a round coffee table on a rectangular rug. Typically, though, the rug shape should match the furniture shape, especially in dining spaces.

Insider's takeaway

When it comes down to it, rug size rules are pretty simple: as long as your furniture fits comfortably on top of it, your floor has at least 12 inches of breathing room around it, and your rug's shape echoes the shape of the furniture in the space, you're on your way to becoming an interior decorator.

Should a larger room require multiple rugs to define different spaces, like in an open floor plan, the same rules apply for each distinct area. If, however, there is no furniture on top of the rug in the room, like in hallways and entryways, rules are a little less specific, and you can really have fun with size and shape.

Regardless, though, measuring your space before buying anything is key to help give you a general starting point for size. In the worst-case scenario, it's always better to buy bigger and then have it resized. After all, Ramchandani says, "there's nothing worse than a rug that's way too small."

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