The size of the rug you choose for a living room has a big impact on the over feel and vibe of the space. That’s why it’s so important to get it right. And after all, rugs aren’t cheap. If you go with a rug that is too small, it can leave the room feeling kind of incomplete. But if you choose a rug that is way too big, it can make the room look cluttered and a bit overwhelming. Trust me, I know. Because I’ve made both of these mistakes. So let’s find out how to choose the right size rug for your living room!
Consider Living Room Size and Furniture
One way to approach the issue is to measure the living room and consider the dimensions. The size of the rug should be in proportion to the size of the room. A good rule of thumb is to choose a size of rug that is big enough to fit under all the furniture. It doesn’t have to fit under all of the legs, just the front ones of the sofas and chairs.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to choosing the best rug size for your living room. The dimensions of your living, furniture size, and furniture layout should all play a role in how you make this design decision.
Tips for Choosing the Right Size of Rug for a Living Room
Here are a few useful tips that should help when choosing the right size rug for a living room:
- Measure your living room, width and length. This will give a good starting point for choosing the right size rug.
- Consider your furniture layout. For example, if you have a large sectional sofa, you’ll need a fairly large rug to fit underneath it and all the other furniture in the room. On the flip side, if you have a smaller living room, chances are, this means you have less furniture. In this situation, you can use a smaller rug.
- Another good rule of thumb is to keep 18″ to 24″ of floor space between the rug and the walls in the living room.
Here is some common living room dimensions and recommended rug sizes:
| Living Room Dimensions | Recommended Rug Size |
|---|---|
| 12 x 12 feet | 8 x 10 feet |
| 15 x 18 feet | 9 x 12 feet |
| 16 x 20 feet | 12 x 15 feet |
Keep in mind that these are only guidelines. The best way to determine the best size rug is to experiment with different sizes to see which one works best. One trick we’ve used before is to put strips of painter’s tape on the floor in your living room to represent the size of the rug you are considering. This will give a good visual representation of how that rug size will look in the room.
In our current living room, we have a large sectional, a coffee table, and two accent chairs. This furniture setup takes up most of the space. I initially tried a smaller rug. But after we put it down, I could tell right away that it was too small. Thankfully, I was able to take it back and get a larger one that was big enough to go under the legs of the furniture and of course the coffee table. It looked so much better and helped make the space more cohesive.
Making a Small Rug Work in a Large Living Room
But what if you have a rug that is too small for your living room, but you really want to use it? You can always try the layered look.
When layering rugs, it’s important to consider the colors, patterns, and textures of the rugs you are using. For example, if your small rug has a lot going on in its pattern, you may want to choose a properly sized neutral-colored jute rug as the base layer. This will allow the smaller rug to be the star of the show, while the jute rug provides a subtle and understated backdrop.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, you found these tips to be helpful! Remember, consider your living room size as well as your furniture layout. Your living room rug should be big enough to fit under the front legs of all the furniture.
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