How to pick the right rug size

There are few items quite like a rug for introducing what is likely to be some highly appreciated colour, warmth and humanity to an interior space. But there’s one visual element of a rug, other than its design, that can have a particularly dramatic effect on its impact; namely, its size.

You won’t wish to purchase a rug for your home that’s small enough to look lost in the space where you place it, or that’s so large that it overwhelms the room.

Making the right choice of rug size can be a complicated task, however. After all, it isn’t just the dimensions of your room that you’ll have to take into account, but also its shape and the positioning of the furniture. So, what factors will you need to consider when determining the size of your rug?

Standard sizes can provide a helpful baseline

Although we are proud to give you the benefit of a completely bespoke service when you order a rug from us, there are various common standard rug sizes that might help to give you a sense of the most appropriate dimensions for your custom made rug.

80cm x 150cm, for example – or 2’7” x 4’11” – is a common smaller size of rug that is slightly larger than the typical coffee table, thereby making it a sound choice for compact spaces.

However, mass-produced rugs can also be as large as 280cm x 360cm or 9’2” x 11’10”. This is a long, wide rectangular shape that you might use with big corner sofas, or as an area rug in a large living room with multiple floating sofas.

What ‘rules’ should you follow when picking a rug size?

A commonly cited rule for those desiring a large area rug that fills the majority of the intended floor space is to allow for an approximately 18-inch gap between the edges of the rug and the walls. This creates a border of bare flooring that will provide an appealing visual contrast.

But of course, this 18-inch rule won’t work so well for smaller spaces, in which a gap of that size would leave the room looking too bare. You might, therefore, try an eight to 10-inch rule for such more compact parts of the home.

There are also various frequently recommended rug layouts for specific room types. If you are seeking a rug for the living room, for instance, you might opt to have all legs of all of the room’s floating furniture on the rug, in which case, an especially large rug will be required.

Alternatively, if one edge of your furniture grouping is against a wall rather than floating, you might go for an arrangement whereby only the front legs of each piece of furniture will be on the rug. In that situation, you might choose to have a somewhat smaller rug.

Meanwhile, for especially small or narrow spaces, there’s also the possibility of having a rug that only the coffee table is meant to sit on. This layout naturally lends itself well to a small rug that paradoxically plays off a room’s scale to make the space feel bigger.

Don’t hesitate to contact us for specific guidance

Whatever the design, type or size of rug that you would like us to create, we can advise you on the choices that may best suit your needs, and help you to envisage the final rug in your space.

Simply call +44 (0) 1666 715151 now, or email [email protected] for further information or to request a competitive quote.