Laying down a new rug is an easy way to spruce up a room and add a hit of warmth and colour. Whether you’re looking for a rug for your living room, dining room or bedroom, each space requires a different rug size. Here, we share a few tips to inform your next purchase.
Living room
Generally speaking, the rug should be big enough that the front feet of your couch and main chairs are on the rug. For this reason, 6 x 9 and 8 x 10 are the most common choices.
Illustration, Corina Lo.
Dining Room
Aim for at least two feet of clearance on all sides—you should be able to comfortably pull out chairs and have all the legs remain on the rug to avoid annoying snags.
Kitchen
Previously a rug-free zone, the kitchen’s now a popular place to try out a fresh pattern and splash of colour. Use a hallway runner beside your longest wall of cabinetry, and choose a busy pattern or an indoor/outdoor fabrication to hide or repel stains. Rag rugs are a washable and durable option.
Illustration, Corina Lo.
Bedroom
You want a rug that’s wide enough for you to put your feet on it when you get out of bed and long enough to stick out two to three feet from the foot of the bed. The rug doesn’t need to go all the way back to the head of the bed—you can lay it under ¾ of the bed’s length. Rugs that are 6 x 9 and 8 x 10 work best with queen beds, while 9 x 12 are better suited to kings.
Bathroom
Placed in front of a vanity or a freestanding tub, a rug can add major decorative impact in the home’s most used room. Mats that are 2 x 3 or 3 x 5 should do the trick.
Originally published in 2019, updated in 2023.
