Rugs are like shoes to an outfit, without shoes even a perfect outfit would be incomplete, and without a rug even the most beautifully decorated space is incomplete.

The most obvious reason to have a rug is for the look of it, they have a unique way of playing with all other colors of a room to create a perfect space.

They can be a game-changer for how the room looks. Rugs can complement all other elements of the room, or they can be used to make a statement by bringing a pop of color or pattern.

But the benefits of a rug goes beyond just the style. These advantages can be noise reduction, adding warmth, comfort, grounding aspect, etc. For the very reason, it is impertinent that you choose the right size of a rug for a specific space.

While choosing the right rug, the two most important things are the placement of the rug, and the size.

The perfect rug size & how to use them

When concerning a rug, it is usually said ‘the bigger, the better’. A bigger rug makes the room seem larger, whereas a smaller rug is generally used to emphasize a certain area or separate two settings in a larger room.

The rug should be proportional to your room. For example, large rooms should have bigger rugs whereas a long room should have a lengthwise oriented rectangular rug.

Different rugs suit different spaces, here we will look at some of them.

Living Room

A rug is the most important element in a living room and will hold the room together. A rug brings together all the elements of a living room to create a warm sitting space the whole family can enjoy. A rug in the living room should make space seem bigger and feel connected.

As a general rule, your living room rug should at least be the size of your seating area. The perfect look would be achieved if your rug is at least a foot wider than your sofa. Selecting a rug for a living area usually comes down to four choices 5x8, 8x10, 9x12, and 3x5.

A living room set can be flexible and the rug can be arranged in many different ways.

The setting can be done in a way that all the furniture is completely over the rug. This would require a larger rug. And it will give the space a more open and cozy feeling.

A medium-sized rug can be used in a setting when only the front legs of the furniture are over the rug. This leaves an open space around the setting.

A smaller rug can be used to emphasize the center table or a specific area.

For an unconventional option, Round or oval rugs can be used.

Dining Room

Usually, in a dining room, large-sized rugs are used, the rugs are normally larger than the dining table and have a few extra inches on the sides, to it can accommodate all the furniture.

This centered positioning gives the dining room an aesthetic look. Typically, a 9x12 or 8x10 rug works under a dining table.

Bedroom

Rugs in the bedroom are usually used to ground the furniture and for comfort. While selecting a rug size for a bedroom the furniture size and orientation should be the main consideration.

Generally, in a large room consider a rug size large enough to fit your bed and both sides when it is placed at a right angle to the bed. For a larger room, usually, an 8 foot or a ten-foot is the best size, which can accommodate large-sized furniture. Or a 6 by 9-foot rug under the bed which will provide soft cushioning where it matters most.

If a bedroom is very large and has a sitting area then a smaller rug can be placed under the seating.

Entryway

As the first space when you enter a house is an entryway, it is an important space to decorate, to make a first impression.

Entryways can be large spaces as well as narrow elongated ones. The entryway can be dull and boring and usually don’t have windows, thus a nice bright rug can give it the perfect color to make it stand out. Usually, the shape of the space dictates the choice of round, rectangular, or runner style rug to put in the entryway.

Although recently geometrically shaped rugs have made it big in the market, a large rectangular or square rug can give any entryway a grand feeling, whereas a small round or oval-shaped rug can be a statement piece in the space.

Rugs for an entryway can be of different sizes while buying you just have to make sure it is the best size for your space.

While concerning an entryway a small rug has to be placed in the middle, on the other hand, while placing a bigger rug it has to be made that it leaves space for the door to open and that it should not cover the whole space.

Hallway

Hallways have a way of being dead and dark, unappealing spaces. What’s better than a rug to brighten them up! Rugs add warmth and character to hallways, and corridors so they don’t become dead spaces.

Hallways are generally narrow and long, thus the rugs for a hallway should also be elongated. They should not cover up the whole width of the hallway and should be narrower than the hallway.

Hallways usually create a visual pathway to other rooms and the rug in a hallway should complement the other spaces.

Runner rugs come in many different sizes. The size should be chosen according to the size of the hallway.

Kitchen

Adding a rug to your kitchen enhances style and comfort in the kitchen. Kitchen is more than a place to cook, most people spend half their day in the kitchen.

That it is important to give it the warmth a rug can bring to it. Regardless of the size or shape of the kitchen, the best place for a rug is in front of the sink.

The rug must be centered and coordinated with your kitchen decor. Usually, runner style rugs suit a kitchen. Although, it should not cover the whole floor.

Office

Rugs can give an office a comfortable warmth as well as an elegant touch. Placing a rug in an office can be tricky. In a large office with seating space, two medium or small-sized rugs should be used, there should be a rug under the seating area and one in the middle or under the desk. Usually, when a rug is placed under a desk, an open front desk is used.

In a medium-sized office, a medium rug can be centered in the middle, and in a small office, a small rug can be positioned in front of the desk or the window.

These Popular Rug Sizes

Rectangular

9’ x 12’

8’ x 10’

6’ x 9’

5’ x 8’

4’ x 6’

3’ x 5’

Outdoor

When determining the appropriate size rug for your outdoor space, the same principles in selecting an indoor rug to apply.

When covering an expansive area, generally a rug is selected which is between 12-24 inches shorter than the perimeter of the space. Outdoor rugs come in different materials and sizes.

Generally, the size of an outdoor rug totally depends on the size of the area, you don’t need to cover the whole area. A smaller rectangular or runner style rug will complement a small terrace area.

A large rectangular or round rug will look nice on an outside deck area.

Popular Rug Sizes

Rectangular

9' x 12'

8' x 10'

6' x 9'

5' x 8'

4' x 6'

3' x 5'

Round and Square

9' & 10'

7' & 8'

5' & 6'

Runner

14' + Long

12' Long

10' Long

8' Long

6' Long