Rugs are a great way to add style and personality to your living room. They’re also a good way to protect the hardwood flooring or carpet underneath from spills and scratches. The size of your rug can be an important factor in determining how well it fits into the room and how much style you’ll get. Follow these guidelines to find out what size of living room rugs is right for your space.
My personal experience says that a rug that is too small will look cluttered. Rugs that are too big can make a space feel empty or get lost in the emptiness of your great room. You want people’s eyes directed towards more interesting elements like the furniture and artwork.
So, before we get to the detailed guide, let’s learn about general rules first.
5 General Rules To Follow
- Measure the size of your living room. The rug should be at least half as big as your living room, but it’s okay to go up to two-thirds.
- Use the furniture in your living room to help determine what size rug will fit best. Ensure that at least two legs of all pieces are able to stand on the rug.
- Find out if your furniture has legs that are taller than the average. If so, then you should buy a rug larger in size to make sure it’s big enough.
- If you have any furniture that is lower than the average, then find out if your coffee table sits on casters. Casters raise furniture about an inch off the floor. So, if you have casters on your table then buy a rug that is about an inch smaller than the length and width of your living room.
- If you have no furniture that is taller than the average, then buy a rug that’s at least three inches smaller than the length and width of your living room.
There is a lot to consider when choosing what size rug for a living room, but these rules will help you narrow it down to the right size.
How To Choose Right Area Rug For Your Living Room For Different Sitting Arrangements
1. A large room with furniture on both sides of the rug
Choose a rug that is at least half the length of your room and equal to its width. This will give you enough space for people on both sides of the living room without having any furniture get in the way of one another.
If your sofa and loveseat sit on opposite ends, then buy an area rug large enough so there’s plenty of legroom between them. People should have about two feet or more when they’re sitting down—or even standing up if it’s not too crowded!
A coffee table with legs that are taller than average might be right in front of your sofa because many times, this piece has casters attached to its bottom which allows it to move around easily. It can also block off parts or all of the rug, so buy a larger size to accommodate your coffee table.
If you’re worried about not having enough space on an area rug that is large enough for both sides of the room with furniture in front of it, then consider adding another piece or two to balance out its presence. A round ottoman also works well as an extra chair if you have enough legroom and floor space—plus it looks great! Choose one with casters if you don’t want it stuck there forever after someone sits down.
2. A large room with furniture on one side of the rug
Choose a rug that is at least half the length and width of your room. This will give you enough space for people to sit down, but not too much where it looks empty or unfinished in any way.
If there’s no coffee table or if its legs are shorter than average (which means they’re attached straight to the bottom), then buy an area rug that is similar in size to your sofa when matched up together! That way you’ll still have plenty of legroom around both pieces which can be difficult when buying rugs separately since most sizes aren’t made specifically for each piece alone. If there’s a coffee table right in front of your sofa, then make sure to buy a rug large enough so all four legs can stand on it while still leaving space for people to get in and out of their seats.
If you’re worried about not having enough floor space between the furniture when matched up together—such as if someone has an ottoman that is low or no height at all—then find another piece with taller legs like a trunk coffee table instead. Trunk tables usually have casters which also allows them to be more mobile, but they do take up more room than other options because the storage compartment isn’t hidden under a lid! You’ll need plenty of legroom around these pieces too for sitting down since anything lower than average will block part or all of the rug.
3. A small room
Choose a rug that’s at least half the length and width of your room to ensure it doesn’t look too big. If there are furniture pieces in front of it, then buy an area rug slightly smaller so they don’t block off too much floor space when sitting down. Since there isn’t enough legroom for people to get in and out of their seats without moving things around, then consider buying two chairs instead if you have enough wall or open space on either side! You could also add another piece with casters like a trunk table if needed—these take up less space than ottomans because storage compartments aren’t necessary underneath them.
If you’re finding it difficult to choose between different size rugs to find the right one for your living room, then use an even smaller rug as a guide and measure it against everything you’ve already chosen. If there are no pieces in front of this size rug when matched up with each other next to the wall, then make sure both ends are protected by furniture or another piece that’s at least knee height!
4. A Large Room With Minimal Furniture
Choose a rug that’s at least two-thirds of the length and width of your room to ensure it doesn’t look too small or cluttered. If there are furniture pieces in front of it, then buy an area rug slightly smaller so they don’t block off too much floor space when sitting down. Since there isn’t enough legroom for people to get in and out of their seats without moving things around, then consider buying two chairs instead if you have enough wall or open space on either side! You could also add another piece with casters like a trunk table if needed—these take up less space than ottomans because storage compartments aren’t necessary underneath them.
Additional Tips For Choosing Right Rug Size For Your Room
- Start with a small rug and match it up with larger furniture pieces in front of it. Measure the length and width while doing so to find out if they’re close enough without being too big or small for your room!
- Put an even smaller sized rug on top of all this one as a guide when trying different size rugs next to each other—if anything matches up correctly, then you’ve found the perfect fit!
- To know what’s best for your living room, measure both wall space and floor space before buying any new piece that needs its own area rug underneath.
- The right-sized rug will be at least half the length and width, but no more than two-thirds because everything else should align properly between these measurements. If there’s not enough room for people to walk around or get in and out of their chairs without moving the pieces, then consider buying two smaller furniture pieces instead if there’s wall space on either side.
- Make sure both ends of the rug cannot be blocked by furniture pieces because it shouldn’t end abruptly without a place for people to sit down!
- Make sure there’s enough room around every piece if they’re all next to each other as well—don’t forget that ottomans and trunk tables take up less space than chairs since storage compartments underneath aren’t necessary.