Whenever we post a room photo with a rug in it, the frequently asked question is, "What size rug is that?" I get it! It's helpful to have a frame of reference to get started, but the chances are pretty slim that the dimensions of a room in our house are going to be the exact dimensions of the room in your home. And when it comes to rugs—room size matters! So, we're here to help with a rug size guide for your bedroom, living room, and dining room, along with some styling tips.
Rug Guide For The Bedroom
Bigger is not always better when it comes to rug size in the bedroom. We've always had a king-size bed, and in most bedrooms, we've been able to get away with a 9x12 area rug just fine (like in the image of our bedroom above). However, in one house, it looked more like wall-to-wall carpet, covering nearly every inch of our floor. Eventually, we sized down to an 8x10, which was far more suited for the room and even made the space feel LARGER. In general, larger rooms need larger rugs to ground them, and smaller rooms sometimes need smaller rugs to make them look larger. Here are some other "rules" to guide you on your rug-buying journey.
- Keep at least 10" between the rug and the nightstands.
- The rug should extend at least 18" out from the sides of the bed.
- Depending on the size of the room, the rug should stay at least 12" away from the walls.
As you can see, there are a few things to consider when deciding on which size rug to put in your bedroom, and one of the big ones is which size bed you have. Typically, you're either working with a king or a queen, so here are some recommended rug sizes for each of those.
Chris Natural Multi & Francis Spa Granite
You'll notice that as the rugs get larger, the beds start to look smaller, so be sure to balance it out with the right amount of furniture.
Onto the living room!
Rug Guide For The Living Room
People generally go too small with their rugs in the living room. A floating rug in the middle of a room can make the whole space feel disjointed and disconnected. Instead, use a large enough rug to ground and connect your seating. Here are a few tips to help you along:
- Either place the front two furniture legs on the rug or put all the furniture legs on the rug completely.
- Make sure the rug is at least 6" wider than the length of the sofa on either side.
- Typically, place the sofa along the longer side of the rug.
Again, it's about taking into account your room size and your furniture placement.
Rug Guide For The Dining Room
Lastly, let's talk about dining rooms. When our kids were younger and messier eaters, we went rugless in the dining room, but I really love how a rug makes the space feel cozy and put-together. Here are two rules to remember when choosing a dining rug:
- Choose a low-pile rug for easier cleanup.
- The rug should be large enough so that when you pull out a chair, the legs will stay on the rug.
Choosing the right rug size can be a game-changer for your space. With these guidelines, tools, and tips, I hope you feel more confident in finding a rug that not only fits your room but also enhances its overall look and feel.
You can shop the full Chris Loves Julia x Loloi collection right now on Wayfair, Rugs Direct, and Amazon.
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This is so helpful. A very good resource. Even if you already know the “rules,” sofa legs on the rug, for instance, the diagrams help so much.
Great articles, especially this one, needing a large rug for a large bedroom and a large rug for a large living room. Was very helpful!
I just called rugs direct and they told me that the 10×14 rosemarie rug I ordered won't be shipped out until December 20th.... even though it said 5 in stock when I ordered. Do you think there is any chance the rugs will come back in stock sooner?
I heard that they will be back in stock November 17th!! Fingers crossed
Thank you for this information. What about pile? Are there certain rooms or times to get a plush high pile? Or times to stay with a low pile?
I would stay low pile in a dining area or kitchen. Bedrooms are a good time to go for a higher pile.
Would love to hear you recommendations for rug placement under sectional couch.
Hi there! Which of the collections would be best for layering in a bedroom over carpet? I'd love to put a rug under our (very heavy, wood platform) bed, but am worried it won't lay flat.
Suggestions?
Honestly all of them would work over carpet! It just depends on how thick it is. If you have a low pile carpet, you should be good with any of them.
Do you have any tips for a bedroom where the bed is placed in a corner? Our guest room is 10x14 and the door into the bedroom is in the middle of the long wall, so the full size bed has to be in a corner.
Maybe try a runner!
Beautiful rugs! I love those cane back chairs in the photo with the Rosemarie Lagoon/Sand rug! Do you happen to know where they're from?
CB2!
I'm so happy I purchased a rug two days ago because all the large sizes are sold out. Will it be a long time before they are restocked? I was hoping to buy another one! They are all so beautiful!
Working on a restock now!
Where is the dining table and chairs from that's in the first picture? Thank you!
To clarify, the image with the Rosemarie Sage/Blush rug.
That is one of Loloi's product pictures so I am actually not sure! Sorry!
Thanks very much, your guidance has been most useful.
Love the New collection!
1. Our bedroom is small 11X10. (1940s house)
2. We have kind size bed.
3. We just bought a new Pine color headboard.
What size rug should we get and which pattern from your collection??
Thanks ????
Maybe a runner on one side is the way to go! You can't go wrong!
Where is the table and chairs in the first image from?
Just wondering - why should the rug be 10” away from nightstands? Could you put the rug fully underneath bed and nightstands?
Just personal preference!
Do you think these would stand up well enough in a kitchen? I’m dying to place the Rosemarie Gold/Sand one in mine.
These really are such gorgeous and thoughtfully curated rugs. Thank you so much!
Absolutely!
Love them all! Would love to hear your thoughts on rugs over carpet. I have a nice wool carpet in my bedroom but think a rug might be a nice addition. But wonder about putting it over the carpet. Thanks!
I think you should be fine with any of them! There are rug pads you can get that are made specifically for carpet.
What size rug would you get for a 60” round dining table going in a 11’7” x 14 dining room?
I would go for an 8x10 or a 9x12!
We have an oval table in our dining room, and so I purchased an oval rug. But it is not quite big enough. Does an oval table need to have an oval rug?
I would go for a rectangular one!
Thank you! This guide is really helpful. Do you have any recommendation for how an L-shaped sectional should sit on a rug?
Same rules can apply. Either the front two legs of both sides or everything on!
What do you recommend for sized for runners for the kitchen
Depends on the space but I love a large runner.
What do you recommend for an office with a desk that's against the wall?
In our home, we have a runner!
What size/shape of rug would you do in a kitchen nook (for a square table that measures 36” x 36”)? We currently have a 5 foot round rug but the chair legs are out past the rug when someone is sitting.
I would go for an 8x10!
What would you do if you have a small bedroom with a queen bed with the side against the wall?
Might be a great opportunity for a runner! Either next to the open side or at the base!
This is such a helpful post! What would you recommend for a sectional couch? Should the front legs of the couch be on the edge of the rug? Our space is open, with the kitchen open to the living room area. Thank you so much!
I would still follow the same rules. Either the front two legs of all sides on or everything on.
Love this rug size guide and your new collection!
Love these but everything is out of stock in the large sizes.
I just ordered the 10x14 Rosemarie in Sage Blush for my living room. Really nervous as I have an original hand knotted persian rug in here right now but it is just too small for the space and the rosemarie looks so pretty in the pictures. Does it look like the printed kind at all? I'm really hoping it will look like it does in the pictures. Congrats on your new line. You deserve the success, I've been following since 2014 and you guys are amazing at what you do.
I love the living room with the black fireplace surround so much. So beautiful. Would love to see a full home feature on this house, if that's a house that can be featured?
Check out @brettandkara on instagram!
our bedroom is so small and there are floor vents that can't be covered... 6x8 is the magical unicorn rug I can never find anywhere :(
What about vintage? There are lots of unique sizes on sites like revival rugs...we had a good experience with them, and you can easily search by custom size.
Love vintage too!
Love you rug collection!
Which rug would you suggest for a room with dark grayed out green walls? (like Benjamin Moore’s Cushing green) Congratulations in the new rug line, they are all beautiful! :)
Maybe an Alice or the Ivory/Natural from the Rosemarie collection! Lagoon/Brick? Too many good ones haha
Should the rug always be centered under the bed? My bed is closer to one wall than the other, and because of this, the rug underneath is only about 3” away from the wall. If I move the rug over so it’s a few more inches from the wall, it won’t be centered under the bed.
In our room, it actually isn’t! One side of our bed of closer to the fireplace so e we left about 7” of space on that side and it’s off centered towards the closet! But when you walk in the door you’ll never notice.
Love all the rugs. I absolutely love the dining table and chairs in the last photo. And the bedside table in the last bedroom photo❤️❤️