The most common rug mistake is not the wrong colour or the wrong pattern. It is the wrong size, and it is almost always too small. A rug that is too small floats in the middle of the floor and makes a room feel smaller and disjointed. A rug that is the right size pulls the furniture together and makes the whole room feel calmer and more finished.
Here is how to get it right, room by room, with every measurement in centimetres and feet.
Three rules that work in every room
- Leave a border of bare floor. In most rooms, aim for roughly 20 to 45 cm of visible floor between the rug and the walls. In a small room, 15 to 20 cm is fine. The rug should frame the space, not fill it wall to wall.
- If you are between two sizes, go bigger. A rug that is slightly too large almost always looks better than one that is slightly too small.
- Tape it out before you buy. Mark the rug's outline on the floor with masking tape, or lay out old bedsheets, and live with it for a day. It is the quickest way to see whether a size really works.
Standard rug sizes at a glance
| Size | Centimetres | Works well for |
|---|---|---|
| 3 x 5 ft | 91 x 152 cm | Entrances, beside a bed, in front of a desk or armchair |
| 4 x 6 ft | 121 x 182 cm | Reading corners, small bedrooms, under a single bed |
| 5 x 7 ft | 152 x 213 cm | Compact living rooms, under a small double bed |
| 5 x 8 ft | 152 x 243 cm | Living rooms with a 2-seater sofa, under a double bed |
| 6 x 9 ft | 182 x 274 cm | Most living rooms with a 3-seater sofa, under a king-size bed |
| 8 x 10 ft | 243 x 304 cm | Larger living rooms, 4-seater dining tables, super king beds |
| 9 x 12 ft | 274 x 365 cm | Open-plan living spaces, 6-seater dining tables |
| Runners | 60 to 91 cm wide, up to 365 cm long | Hallways, kitchens, landings, beside beds |
| Round, 3 to 7 ft | 91 to 213 cm across | Entrance halls, nurseries, reading nooks, under round tables |
Living room
Start with the sofa. As a rule of thumb, your rug should be at least as wide as your sofa, and ideally extend 15 to 20 cm beyond each end. Then choose one of three layouts.
1. Front legs on (works in most rooms)
The rug sits in front of the sofa and armchairs with their front legs resting on it, about 15 to 20 cm in. It connects all the seating without needing a huge rug, and it suits most living rooms. For a 3-seater sofa this usually means a 6 x 9 ft (182 x 274 cm) rug; for a 2-seater, a 5 x 8 ft (152 x 243 cm).
2. All legs on
Every piece of furniture in the seating area sits fully on the rug. It looks generous and works beautifully in larger rooms and open-plan spaces, where the rug defines the living zone. Expect to need 8 x 10 ft (243 x 304 cm) or 9 x 12 ft (274 x 365 cm).
3. Floating
No furniture touches the rug; it sits in front of the sofa under the coffee table. This only really works in very small rooms. Even then, the rug should be at least two-thirds the length of the sofa so it does not look lost.
Bedroom
The most popular approach is to place the rug sideways under the lower two-thirds of the bed, starting just in front of the bedside tables. You step out of bed onto something soft on both sides, and the bedside tables stay level on the floor.
| UK bed size | Bed width | Rug (placed sideways) | Rug showing each side |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 90 cm | 4 x 6 ft (121 x 182 cm) | About 46 cm |
| Small double | 120 cm | 5 x 7 ft (152 x 213 cm) | About 46 cm |
| Double | 135 cm | 5 x 8 ft (152 x 243 cm) | About 54 cm |
| King | 150 cm | 6 x 9 ft (182 x 274 cm) | About 62 cm |
| Super king | 180 cm | 8 x 10 ft (243 x 304 cm) | About 62 cm |
Short on space or budget? Two runners, one on each side of the bed, do the same job. A 2.5 x 8 ft (76 x 243 cm) runner on each side works for most double and king beds.
Dining room
Under a dining table, the one thing that matters is that chairs stay on the rug when they are pulled out. If the back legs drop off the edge every time someone sits down, the rug wears unevenly and chairs wobble. Allow 60 to 75 cm of rug beyond the table edge on every side, or simply add 120 to 150 cm to both the length and the width of your table.
- 4-seater table (about 120 x 80 cm): 8 x 10 ft (243 x 304 cm)
- 6-seater table (about 180 x 90 cm): 9 x 12 ft (274 x 365 cm)
- Small round table (up to about 90 cm across): a 7 ft round (213 cm) rug
One honest tip: under a dining table, choose a rug with a lower, even pile. Deeply carved designs look stunning in living rooms and bedrooms, but chair legs can catch in the grooves.
Hallways, landings and kitchens
For a runner, width matters most. Leave about 10 to 15 cm of bare floor on each side:
- Hallway 80 to 90 cm wide: a 2 ft (60 cm) wide runner
- Hallway 95 to 105 cm wide: a 2.5 ft (76 cm) wide runner
- Hallway 110 cm or wider: a 3 ft (91 cm) wide runner
For length, stop the runner 15 to 30 cm short of each end of the hall, and check that every door along it can still open freely over the pile. In a kitchen, run it along your worktops, the space where you actually stand. Our Lily Pad runner comes in 2, 2.5 and 3 ft widths and lengths up to 12 ft for exactly this reason.
Always use a non-slip rug underlay in hallways and kitchens. It keeps the runner in place and makes it safer underfoot.
Where round rugs work best
Round rugs soften a room full of straight lines. They are perfect in an entrance hall, under a round dining or breakfast table, in a nursery, or anchoring a reading chair in a corner. As a guide, a 4 to 5 ft (121 to 152 cm) round suits a corner or a small table, while a 6 to 7 ft (182 to 213 cm) round can be the main rug in a nursery or small bedroom. The Round Boho Sun and the flower-shaped Cream Daisy are two very different takes.
Five sizing mistakes to avoid
- Going too small. The big one. If in doubt, size up.
- Not lining it up. Centre the rug on the sofa, bed or table it belongs to, not on the room.
- Forgetting the doors. A thick wool pile can catch on a door with low clearance. Measure the gap under any door that will open over the rug.
- Hiding the design. If a rug has a strong central motif, check how much of it will disappear under furniture.
- Skipping the underlay. A good underlay stops slipping, protects your floor and makes any rug feel softer.
Frequently asked questions
What size rug do I need for a 3-seater sofa?
For most 3-seaters, around 200 to 220 cm long, a 6 x 9 ft (182 x 274 cm) rug with the front legs of the sofa on it. In a larger room, go up to 8 x 10 ft.
What size rug goes under a double bed?
A 5 x 8 ft (152 x 243 cm) rug placed sideways leaves about 54 cm showing on each side of a UK double bed.
Should the sofa sit on the rug?
In most rooms, yes, at least the front legs. It ties the seating area together and stops the rug looking like it is floating.
What if my room needs an in-between size?
If a standard size does not quite fit your room, get in touch. We can often make rugs to custom dimensions.
Still deciding on the type of rug? Read hand-tufted vs hand-knotted rugs: the honest difference, or see our carved rug style guide for ideas on styling.