Selecting The Perfect Living Room Rug Size For Your Domicile

Seattle, Washington interior design by Elegant Simplicity.

Last twelvemonth, nosotros shared Everything Y'all Demand To Know About Rugs Under Your Bed + it was a HUGE hit which is why this time we're earthworks into the nitty gritty details of selecting the perfect living room rug size. After all "what size area carpet should I become?" is quite literally one of the most commonly asked questions in the living room.

Only when it comes to furnishing your home, near people go well-nigh selecting their living room expanse carpeting the wrong mode because they start by making decisions that are based solely on appearance + the mode it looks instead of calibration. Not to mention, the overall size + how large or pocket-sized a rug is (a.k.a. scale), plays a pregnant role in impacting how open or chaotic a room feels.

So, allow'southward dive in, shall we?

THE FLOOR IS THE 5TH WALL

When selecting an area rug for your living room, you need to think of the floor every bit beingness the 5th wall. Do you want the expanse rug to be a focal point of the seating area or fall off into the groundwork? If y'all want it to be a focal point + for information technology to help set the mood of the living room so maybe you'll be thinking of a vibrant, textured or fifty-fifty a bold patterned rug. While on the other mitt, if you desire the area carpeting to visually fall off, and then yous'll be because something that has more than subdued colors, textures or patterns.

Again, out of curiosity, how exercise you desire the spacing to feel in this area? Do you want a infinite that feels open + expansive or are you going for a quaint + intimate seating area?

In either instance, thinking about the flooring in this context, every bit a 5th wall, volition go a long manner in helping you narrow in + focus on what you really need considering the last affair nosotros desire is for you to get lost in the infinite carpet options that are out there.

Mutual LIVING ROOM RUG SIZES

We e'er say when it comes to picking the size of your rug, that in general, the larger your living room area rug tin exist the better considering it's going to brand the infinite feel bigger + act as an anchor for your furniture to residue upon.

Typically, living room rug sizes are:

Living room rug sizing chart by Elegant Simplicity a Seattle, Washington interior design firm.

Keeping in listen that ideal walkways around or in-between furniture are eighteen - 30" wide, we propose taping out your living room layout, especially, with area rugs. P.Due south. we're huge fans of using blue painter's tape!

WHAT TO DO WITH SMALLER Expanse RUGS — LAYER THEM

Ideally, yous don't want a living room area carpet that's smaller than your sofa but maybe it's a sentimental rug you purchased while traveling or y'all're just feeling like a rebellious rule-billow *wink!* Well my friend, the proficient news is –– layering area rugs are an excellent option.

A couple of thoughts:

  • On tiptop of a significantly larger carpet similar an 8' x 10' or a 9' x 12' layer a smaller rug like a three' x five' in front of the sofa or sectional.

  • You could also layer a slightly smaller carpet like a 6' ten nine' on top of an eight' 10 10'

  • Consider using texture, pattern or color to create a trivial sass to the space — like a vintage carpet on pinnacle of a sisal or jute carpet.

Living room interior design in Seattle, Washington by Elegant Simplicity.

HOW TO LAYOUT YOUR Article of furniture WITH A LIVING ROOM RUG

At Elegant Simplicity, we live by the cardinal belief, that when it comes to designing or organizing your dwelling there are no rules, but guidelines that assistance point you in the right management. Each home and every family has different wants + needs when it comes to the everyday wear + tear of their home. And then, when information technology comes to figuring out exactly what living room furniture gets to sit on that gorgeous new carpet of yours –– welp, nosotros approach the living room carpet size + furniture from a handful of different angles.

As a general rule, you never desire a rug that covers, wall-to-wall, the entire floor. What you want to do is exit betwixt 10-20" of animate room between the wall + the edge of your carpeting at least. If your living room is larger + that would mean a HUGE rug, this certainly doesn't utilise then but in general, an expanse rug should cover an "surface area", non the entire floor.

Here is a quick list of our go-to living room rug sizes…

ALL LEGS ON THE Rug

Living room rug size and layout for a living room designed by Elegant Simplicity a Bellevue, Washington, interior design firm.

  • In a big living room, yous have the option of having all of your article of furniture (particularly the sofa, chairs, java or side tables) on the living room rug.

  • Ultimately though, what you want to practice is ensure in that location's eight-10" from the edge of those pieces to the edge of the living room carpeting. Otherwise, the furniture feels similar information technology's too close to the border.

  • Again, ensure that there'southward 10-xx" of breathing room from the carpeting to the base trim. If you're too close the living room rug can sometimes feel overwhelming for the space + make it await bad-mannered.

  • Keep in heed, those are guidelines because if your sofa is backed upwards to a wall + you lot want all of your furniture on the carpet then it makes sense to take less than viii-10" from the back of the sofa to the edge of the rug.

FRONT LEGS ON THE RUG

Living room furniture layout with living room rug size by Elegant Simplicity a Bellevue, Washington interior design firm.

  • This living room rug layout is probable the about common because information technology creates a cohesive + yet spacious feel where each piece is curated + close plenty for conversation simply tin also stand on its own.

  • Front legs on the rug is exactly what it sounds similar. Where all the front legs of the chairs or sofa rest on the living room rug only the back legs sit down on some other surface.

  • So — the question is how far should each piece sit down on the area rug? Well, we like for the furniture pieces to sit on the living room carpet about ⅓ of the furniture piece'south width. Let's say for case that your sofa is 36" deep, then you lot want the rug to sit down at about 12" under information technology.

IS A Carpet OVER Carpet OK?

We idea you'd never ask! Depending upon the carpeting in your living room, an area rug tin can still work, if it's a low-pile carpet, an area rug over elevation volition look amazing + help to necktie the entire room together.

WHY Carpeting PADS ARE ESSENTIAL

Even if you have carpet in your living room, a rug pad is an essential in our playbook. Only put if yous're investing in a high-quality rug you lot want to take care of it so investing in a quality rug pad is of import.

This volition plain make walking on the living room expanse carpeting — regardless of size — more comfortable (specially if yous have hard-surfaced floors) but it will continue your rug from moving or "walking" across the floor, rippling in the middle or minimize the fibers from breaking down + looking worn out.

Of course, retailers volition try to sell you a rug pad (which is fine) merely we recommend waiting until you take your carpeting, measuring the rug + then ordering a rug pad (designed specifically for placement over the carpet or difficult floor) from your local carpet cleaning company.

WHAT IF I Take KIDS OR PETS?

If you lot have kids, pets, or both, then you really want to consider a carpeting that volition wear well over time. Hellllllloooo Helm Obvious *wink!*

A rug is only every bit good as the ingredients and skill that went into making it, so if yous are looking for a quality rug you want to see proficient fibers, good dyes, and good structure.

The real question is how practice you practice this? Or rather? What do you expect for?

  • Well, consider a low-pile wool carpeting. Wool is 1 of the well-nigh durable materials + piece of cake to clean.

  • When it comes to color or pattern, consider what volition piece of work all-time for your pet. If nosotros simply said dark rugs but you have a labrador retriever with blonde pilus (whoops).

  • In full general, stay away from looped textures, tassels or fringe so the nails of your pets don't snag on them.

Well, there you have it...everything you need to know!

A living room rug size isn't as straightforward as it seems considering there are a ton of moving parts unique to every home. But for you nervous rug shoppers, you at present know some of the design secrets we use + the things we consider when selecting living room rugs for our full-service blueprint clients.

Remember, these are guidelines — not rules :)

And don't forget, if you lot're in the preliminary planning stages of your adjacent project, let's chat.

P.South. If you loved this article and then yous're going to really enjoy the 4 Days To A More Beautiful + Functional Home.