How to Choose the Right Rug Size for Every Room

While you may be more worried about patterns, colors, and materials, one of the biggest things you need to consider when choosing a rug is what size rug you need. And depending on the room’s purpose and the size and placement of your furniture, you may decide on a different rug size than you had expected.

Fortunately, there are plenty of guidelines to help you measure your space and choose the right rug size for every room in your home—plus some tips to help you deal with any weirdly shaped rooms or unique situations.

How to Choose Your Living Room Rug Size

In your living room, every piece of furniture in the conversation area should be touching your rug, even if it’s just the front legs on the rug, says Malka Helft, founder of Think Chic Interiors. “If the rug is too small for the space—if it’s just under the coffee table, for instance—it makes the entire room look small. The rug is supposed to define the conversation space.”

To find the ideal living room rug size, measure the living room furniture arrangement, and make sure that your rug will cover that whole space, all the way to the back legs of your chairs, tables, and sofa.

If you want a simpler way to measure the appropriate rug size for your living room, you can always take your room dimensions and just subtract one to two feet from that number to allow the flooring to peek out around the edges.

How to Choose Your Dining Room Rug Size

The big issue for sizing your dining room rug? You need to pick something that’ll extend out far enough to cover the area under the table and two feet out past the table. That way, the chairs will stay on the rug, even when your guests push them out to leave the table. “You don’t want the chair to catch on the edge of the rug—someone’s going to trip,” Helft says.

Ideally, the rug should also allow you to see a bit of the flooring—especially if you have beautiful hardwood. Helft says to aim for about a foot of flooring showing around the edges of the rug, if possible—but safety is the biggest priority with a dining room rug.

How to Choose Your Bedroom Rug Size

Rugs in the bedroom are meant to provide a comfy place for your feet to land when you wake up in the morning—so it should be two feet past the edge of your bed on both sides. The most common rug size mistake Helft sees in the bedroom is placing the rug from the foot of the bed into the rest of the space, and leaving the floor beside the bed bare. “Rule number one is to make sure that you’re stepping on a rug when you get out of bed.”

How to Choose Your Kitchen Rug Size

In kitchens, there tend to be two common rugs that are used: a long runner-style rug that runs between the cabinets and the kitchen island, and an area rug placed beneath the kitchen table, if you have a separate table in your kitchen.

For the runner-style rug, look to have it run along the entire passage between the cabinets and the kitchen island, where you have the most traffic in your kitchen. “I like when it’s long enough that you can see on both sides of the island,” Helft says.

For a rug placed under a kitchen table, you’ll use the same rug size guidelines as a dining room table. Ensure that the rug is two feet larger than your table, both width and lengthwise.

How to Choose a Home Office Rug Size

A home office rug needs to cover the spaces where your desk and any chairs are located, to help define that area. And keep in mind that it should extend out past the edge of the desk chair far enough for you to keep your desk chair on the rug—especially if it’s a rolling chair.

If you want the rug to create a cohesive look for the whole space, it should touch at least the front of other pieces of furniture, like a separate chair or shelving.

How to Choose an Entryway Rug Size

Entryways can be a bit trickier to manage, as their size and layout can vary dramatically. For very narrow entryways, a runner rug may work best to cover the space. Small entryways can make do with a 3-by-5-foot rug, while a larger entryway calls for a larger rug.

Things to Consider When You’re Choosing Your Rug

While size definitely matters, there are other things you should keep in mind when you’re selecting your rugs and how you use them in your space.

Pick appropriate materials for the space

Rugs now come in so many different materials, from natural materials like jute, cotton, and wool, to rugs manufactured from recycled plastic bottles that can be easier to clean. You may want to choose rugs that are easily cleaned, and even machine washable, in areas where spills and mess is common, such as your entryway, playrooms, and kitchens.

Consider the type of traffic your room will get

Any parent knows that pets and kids and a crisp white rug are a bad mix. You’ll likely want to look at rugs in colors and patterns that are a bit more forgiving for areas that’ll see a lot of action.

Test out the rug size before you buy

Want to get a sense of how the rug size you’re considering will work in your room? Use painter’s tape to mark out the dimensions, so you can make sure that it’s appropriately sized for your space.

Standard Rug Sizes and Shapes

The most popular rug shape is a rectangle, to mirror the dimensions of most rooms. But you can also find squares, ovals, and round shapes—which can be a great match for an oval- or round-shaped dining table.

Standard rug sizes include the following:

• 2′ x 3′
• 2.5′ x 7′
• 2.5′ x 10′
• 2.5′ x 12′
• 3’ x 5’
• 4′ x 4′
• 4’ x 6’
• 5’ x 7’
• 6′ x 6′
• 6’ x 9’
• 7’ x 9’
• 8′ x 8′
• 8’ x 10’
• 9’ x 12’
• 10′ x 10′
• 10’ x 13’
• 12’ x 15’

How to Handle Unique Rug Measurements

Sometimes, your space may require something that’s a little bit of a strange shape—like if you want a rug for an L-shaped space, or if you have a custom-sized dining room table that you need to place a rug under. Fortunately, there are some strategies you can use to get the right-sized rug for that space.

Layer rugs

Layering rugs has been a key design element in maximalist homes, creating a vibrant, cozy feel. But you can also use this to help ensure that an awkwardly shaped space is fully covered. To layer rugs appropriately, choose rugs in different textures and styles—generally, a more basic base rug, covered by something textured, patterned, or in a different hue.

Use two rugs

For a larger room that may have two different areas—like a large living room with a conversation area and a smaller space with bookshelves, you can use two rugs, Helft says. They don’t have to match, but choosing rugs in complementary colors can give your room a cohesive look.

Consider rug tiles

Rug tiles like Flor can be arranged to fit any awkwardly shaped space, Helft says. They come in an array of colors and styles to suit even the most formal dining room or the most casual play room.