Choose the Best Area Rugs by Size
There are some helpful ways to find the best size rug for your living space. Read on to learn more about how to find the right area rug for your dining space, living room, bedroom and other areas with our area rug size guide.
Dining Room Rug Sizes
To find the best rug size for your dining area, measure the length and width of your table. Choose an area rug size that extends at least 2 feet past the table edges on all sides. This allows ample room for your guests’ chairs to sit comfortably on the rug.
Living Room Rug Sizes
Feeling unsure about what size rug to choose for the living room? When choosing a rug for the living room, center the rug in the room and ensure that the main furniture is resting on top of it. At a minimum, the front legs of all furniture pieces should be on the rug if you have the right carpet size for a living room. If your living room is large, you can divide it into separate areas with multiple rugs. When utilizing this technique, try to use similar designs or colors to maintain a cohesive look.
Bedroom Rug Sizes
Use an area rug to make the bed the focal point of the bedroom. If your bed isn’t flush with a wall, choose a rug that extends 2 feet past the edges of the bed on all sides.
To create a soft, warm landing in the morning, add runners along each side of the bed. You can use them on hard floors or on top of existing carpeting. Don’t be afraid to layer rugs to create unique textures and patterns.
Kitchen Rug Sizes
Rugs in front of the sink or stove help ease pain in your feet, legs or lower back from standing while you cook and prep. Whether you choose an individual rug or a stylish runner, keep it about 6 inches away from the cabinets. If your rug doesn’t have a slip-resistant backing, a rug pad can help keep your area rugs firmly in place and prevent accidents.
Entryway Rug Sizes
The right size rug makes a great first impression. Look for something wider than your doorway for comfortable arrivals and departures. Keep rug materials in mind, choose something durable since it takes the brunt of dirty shoes.
Hallway Rug Sizes
A runner is an ideal solution for hallways and passageways. Make sure you have 6 inches of floor space on all sides of the runner for a comfortable fit.
Patios and Deck Rug Sizes
When selecting an outdoor rug size, choose one that’s 2 feet wider than your dining table or conversation set on all sides. If your dining table is round, consider a round rug to complement it. Conversation sets typically look better on rectangular rugs.
Beyond Area Rug Size Guidelines
Area Rug Shapes
Round rugs are great for seating vignettes and entrances. Runner rugs work well for kitchens, hallways and bathrooms. Patterned or sisal runner rugs work well on stairs. Also consider square rugs, oblong or animal hide rugs.
Area Rug Colors
To coordinate your rug color with an existing color palette, follow the 60-30-10 rule:
- About 60% of the room is your dominant color, such as the color of the walls or the largest piece of furniture.
- 30% is a secondary color. This is where your rug color choice comes in.
- 10% is an accent color, such as the color(s) of vases and lamps.
Area Rug Patterns
Before selecting a patterned rug, consider your space. Do you have patterned walls or furniture? If so, it might be best to choose a subtly patterned rug. If your space is filled with a solid color, a bold or bright pattern may liven things up.
Area Rug Traffic
When buying an area rug, it’s important to keep in mind how much foot traffic the rug will experience. Low-pile area rugs work best in high-traffic areas as they hide footprints or tracks. A detailed pattern is also helpful in high-traffic areas for camouflaging stains. High-pile or shag rugs are soft, making them great for bedrooms and sitting areas.
Natural vs. Synthetic Rugs
Area rugs made of natural fibers, such as wool or cotton, look beautiful and feel great, but some are susceptible to staining and fading. Synthetic rugs are more resistant to staining and fading, and they also tend to be more affordable.
Cotton Rugs
Cotton rugs are made of natural fibers. They’re versatile, durable, soft, easy to clean and machine washable.
Jute Rugs
Jute is the softest of all natural fibers. It’s durable, but it should be kept out of direct sunlight to prevent fading. The fibers will disintegrate if regularly exposed to moisture.
Nylon Rugs
Nylon rugs are made of synthetic fibers. They’re versatile, durable and ideal for areas with heavy foot traffic. Nylon rugs are easy to clean.
Polypropylene Rugs
Polypropylene, or olefin, rugs are made of synthetic fibers. These affordable rugs repel water and are impervious to most stains.
Sisal Rugs
Sisal is the strongest and most durable natural fiber. These rugs are stain-resistant and colorfast.
Wool Rugs
Wool rugs are functional, stylish and durable. They’re easy to maintain, hypoallergenic and made from natural fibers that are more flame-resistant than synthetic fibers.
Machine-Washable Rugs
If you have kids, pets or a high-traffic area, consider a machine-washable rug. Machine-washable rugs work well in nurseries, kids’ bedrooms, living rooms and mudrooms. A machine-washable runner works great in a kitchen or entryway. Once they need to be cleaned, you can spray them down with a hose, put them in the washing machine or spot treat them.
And you don’t have to sacrifice style and comfort for function. Machine-washable rugs are soft and come in an array of colors and patterns.
Select Your Area Rug Pad
- Keep your rug properly positioned, preventing it from slipping.
- Absorb the impact of feet and noise.
- Make vacuuming easier.
- Protect smooth-surface flooring, like hardwoods and laminate, from being scratched by the back of the rug.
- Extend the life of your rug and help it to maintain its shape.
Grip vs. Cushion Rug Pads
Grip rug pads will help keep your rugs in place. They’ll also prevent sliding and bunching during normal daily use or if children or pets are playing. Cushion rug pads provide another layer underfoot for a softer feel. There are dual-function rug pads that can provide both extra grip and a comfortable cushion feel.
How to Choose a Rug Pad
For area rugs placed over carpet, use carpet tape or a rug pad to keep the rug in place. When choosing a pad, look for thin polyester fabric coated with adhesive. This type of pad prevents dark rug colors from bleeding through onto a light carpet.
A pad made from slightly heavier polyester scrim coated with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) holds a rug firmly on wood or other smooth-surface flooring and won’t damage the surface.
With any rug pad, you’ll need to measure correctly. The rug pad should be slightly smaller than the rug itself. There are rug pads already made to accommodate the most popular rug sizes. If you have an unusually shaped rug or a less common size, buy a rug pad that’s bigger and then cut it to fit. You’ll also need to determine the thickness of the rug pad and rug together to ensure that doors can easily open and close.
Learn Key Area Rug Terms
Hand-Carved Rugs
Using hand shears, the weaver cuts a design into the rug. The carving gives the rug a unique look.
Hand Knotted Rugs
Each knot in the area rug is individually tied by hand. These knots are single strands of yarn that have been looped around two adjacent warp threads.
Hand Hooked Rugs
The weaver pushes a hooking tool through the foundation cloth to the front of the rug, then pulls the yarn to the back, leaving a loop on the surface.
Hand Tufted Rugs
An inked-on foundation cloth is stretched over a loom, and then a manually operated hand-tufting gun pushes the yarn through the back of the cloth to form the pile. When the rug is taken off the loom, a scrim and layer of latex are placed on the back, and the backcloth is then sewn onto the latex and scrim to protect your floors.
Jacquard
This is a design produced by a mechanized loom that has a belt of punched cards. The holes in the card are arranged to produce the weave of the rug.
Pile
This is the surface yarn that makes up the face of the rug.
Stitches/Needle Count
The number of loops of yarn in a rug is known as the stitch or needle count. The higher the stitch or needle count, the denser the rug. Higher-density rugs last longer and wear better than more loosely woven constructions.