In previous articles I’ve talked about my love for rugs. I’ve mentioned how great they are for designing around, how they instantly add warmth and color to a room and ways to select one for your space. An aspect that I haven’t written about that is equally as important, is selecting the right size rug for your room. Every space is different, but there are some general guidelines that you can trust for choosing sizes, room to room.

In the Living Room the most important thing to consider is the furniture. You want to be sure that the front legs of all of the furniture (upholstery, specifically) fit onto the rug. The rug should extend beyond the furniture at least 12”, while leaving at least 12” of uncovered floor space around the perimeter. Standard working sizes for a Living space are 8 x 10, 9 x 12 and 10 x 13. In the Dining Room the table and chairs should all fit comfortably on the rug, with at least 12” to spare around the table. Again, there should be at least 12” of uncovered floor space around the perimeter. The standard working sizes for a Dining Room are also 8 x 10, 9 x 12 and 10 x 13, depending on the size of your room and table. In the bedroom the rug size will depend both on the room size and the size of the bed. If the rug is large enough you can put the front legs of the nightstands on top, but if it is not, pull the rug in front of the nightstand at least 6”. There should be at least 12” of rug on either side of the bed and at least 24” of rug in front of the bed. Follow the same guideline with the perimeter, at least 12” of open floor space around. A room with a queen bed should have at least an 8 x 10 rug and a room with a king bed should have at least a 9 x 12 rug.

Say you have a smaller rug that you love but it feels a little skimpy, buy a large sisal rug and layer it on top! I love the look of layered rugs and how they add depth and interest to a room. My last tip for selecting a rug size is when in doubt, go larger. As long as you have at least 12” of open floor space around the perimeter a larger rug will only add warmth and coziness to your room.