Tools Needed: Tape Measure

Sizing is just as important in selecting a new rug as the color and style. A perfectly sized rug can enhance the décor of your room while a rug that is too large or too small can seem out of place.

First, get out the tape measure. It may seem easy to judge the size of the rug that you will need for your room, but it’s better to do the measuring up front before you go shopping when you find the perfect rug for your room.

Dining Rooms

Measure the length and width of your dining table and add 4 feet overall to allow enough space for chairs to be easily pulled in and out. Most dining room tables require a rug that is at least 8 feet wide.

Bedrooms

There are a couple of options for placing area rugs in your bedroom. You can either use a large size area rug or several smaller size rugs around the bed. Depending on which option you choose, the rug size should be large enough for you to take a step or two when getting out of bed.

Rugs are a great way to add extra softness and soundproofing to the bedroom. Here are some common options:

A larger rug running under the foot of the bed is a common option. The size necessary depends on the size of the bed. Usually 8′ x 11′ or larger.

Use small scatter size rugs on either side of a bed. These are usually 3′ x 5′ or 4′ x 6′ in size.

Placing an area rug at an angle is a dramatic way to add style to a bedroom.

Runners can be used to frame a bed. This is a common way to accessorize a bedroom.

Living Rooms & Family Rooms

There a couple of questions to consider when measuring your living or family room for an area rug because furniture can centered on the rug or positioned off of the rug depending the size of the room and the look that you are trying to create.

There is really no right or wrong way to place your rug. It’s all about preference. The bigger the rug, the more it will pull the other elements of the room together.

Have a rug that sits within the furniture; in front of sofas and chairs. The rug should be longer and wider than the adjacent pieces of furniture, and not too far from the seating.

Run the area rug about half way under the furniture, side tables need to be completely on or off the rug, which is why they are missing form the layout right now.

Select an area rug large enough to extend beyond all your furniture. This includes all side tables.

Do you want all of your furniture to be on the rug?

If so, measure the perimeter of your furniture grouping and add six to twelve inches past each grouping, depending on the size of your room.

Entryways & Hallways

Consider purchasing a rug that can handle the high traffic that will occur in these areas. Popular rug choices for entryways and hallways are smaller size scatter rugs and runners. You can also add visual interest with different rug shapes like a round rug in these areas.

Kitchens & Bathrooms

Most people prefer to place smaller size scatter rugs, accent rugs or runners in kitchens and bathrooms due to the size and function of this space in the home. Kitchens and bathrooms can handle more than one rug in smaller sizes depending on where the rugs will be placed. Scatter rugs are available in a variety of smaller sizes.