What Size Rug for Your Living Room?
Picking the right living room rug size can feel daunting and it's not always as simple as picking a small rug for a smaller room or an area rug for a living room. The decision is personal and depends on whether you are looking for a Moroccan rug that cover's the entire living room's open space or whether you would like to have some bare floor as well.
There are a few basic principles to consider when choosing the right sized rug to correspond with your living room to get the correct rug size and also how to position a rug for the best room layout. For example, will you place all furniture items on the rug? This can be a good option to stop rugs moving.
Another option is to place the front legs of furniture pieces on the rugs edge or have no furniture on the rug at all.
Large Rugs vs. Small Rugs for the Living Room
There are multiple factors to consider when choosing a larger rug size.
You need to start by taking accurate measurements of the room size and deciding on a few key factors such as whether you want the rug to cover the entire floor space? Or do you want to keep some visible flooring?
If your living room is part of a larger open space, rugs are a useful tool for defining certain areas within a room. i.e. to separate a dining area and living room space.
Generally, larger rooms need a larger rug. Living rooms tend to be a larger room and a larger rug will cover most floor space. A large rug often called an area rug are great as a living room rugs. Don't forget to consider your coffee table and other furniture pieces.
Smaller rooms need a smaller rug. Smaller rugs are more versatile and can be used for not only smaller rooms but for a home office and those in between spaces without having to worry about getting the right rug size. Here at Moroccan Miracles, we think if you fall in love with the right rug it is never the wrong size! Particularly rug sizes that are on the smaller end.
How to Choose a Rug Size Under the Couch
The right size rug for under a sofa will depend on the size of your sofa and the room you are decorating.
A common rug size we recommend for a living room rug is 3x2m. This large rug size is perfect for larger rooms and will give you the option to place a three seater sofa, occasional chair and coffee table on top of the carpet for a cohesive look.
With this size, you can opt to place all furniture pieces on top of the rug or just the front legs; this decision will depend on the size of your room.
If you are looking to furnish smaller rooms with a living room rug, then go for a smaller rug. A 2.6x1.6m rug can create a compact and cosy sitting area with a two seater sofa, armchair and coffee table.
If you would prefer to have no furniture at all on top of the rug then a 1x1.5m rug placed in front of a sofa will create a compact cosy sitting area.
If you're having trouble visualising how your furniture items and rug will sit within the space or how much visible flooring you would like, try marking out the area with painter's tape. This will allow you to play around with your furniture pieces and visible flooring and give you a better idea of what you like.
What Rug Size for the Dining Room?
A dining room rug size rug that goes under a dining table needs to consider not only the dining table itself but also the dining chairs and how it will complement other furniture in the dining room.
Dining Table Size and Rug Size
Depending on the size and shape of your dining table and its chairs, the dining room rug size you may need could be a rectangle rug or a square rug.
Although in Morocco we do have a dining area often with a round table we do not use a round rug or round rugs in the room. This is why you will not see authentic Moroccan round rugs for sale.
Rug Materials for Dining Areas
While there truly are no rules as to how and where to place a rug, we recommend certain types of rugs for certain areas. For example, a low-pile or flat-woven rug is ideal for a dining area or dining rooms as chairs move well on them, they are easy to spot clean in the event of food and drink spills and also light to take outside to air, dust and clean.
What Size Rug Under Queen Bed?
Some things to consider when selecting a bedroom rug include the size and shape of the room and other furniture such as bedside tables and lamps. The rug should frame the bed and ideally extend beyond the bed, whether it is a queen size bed or a king size bed.
General Rug Size Guidelines for a Bedroom
Common rug sizes for a bedroom include 2x3m or 2.6x1.6m. These sizes work well as it allows the rug to extend beyond a queen size bed or a king size bed by 50-100cm on all sides but still leaves enough space in the bedroom between the wall and the rug.
Another option is to feature a pair of smaller rugs (0.7x1 m) on either side of the bed or a runner-style rug that runs along the end of the bed.
A rug placement guide for Under a Bed
A general rug placement guide for rugs under a bed is to consider whether the rug should cover the area under the bed only, how high the bed legs are, whether the rug extends to include nightstands, or be positioned more centrally in the room with half the rug under a queen size bed and the other half extending out beyond.
What Size Rug for Hallways and Entryways?
If you're wondering what size rug to get for your hallway or entryway, start by taking accurate measurements of the space to make sure that the total width of the rug won't meet the edge of the wall.
The right rug size for a hallway runner looks best when you leave a bit of exposed floor space on either side of the rug, leaving enough space between the rugs edge and the wall.
Standard Rug Sizes for Hallways
The most common rug sizes for a hallway can be anywhere from 0.5 to 1 m wide and they come in varying lengths.
How to Layer Rugs in a Hallway
Originally, most Moroccan rugs were custom made for people's homes, made to the exact size and specifications required by the architecture. These days that's not always the case. If you're having trouble finding a runner that is long enough for your hallway, consider layering up a collection of small rugs with a mix of different patterns. This is a fun way to add visual interest and create an amazing focal point in a long hallway.
Final Tips for Choosing the Perfect Rug Size
Consider the basic principles of rug placement before you start rug shopping. Do you want the furniture pieces to sit completely on the rug, just the front legs to sit on the edge of the rug or nothing at all? This will help you quickly narrow down what size rug you need once you measure your space.
Next, consider the proportions of the room; would it suit a rectangle rug, a square rug or a round rug?
Also, keeping to the common rug sizes helps when working out what is the right rug size for your space.
Measure Before You Buy
The best way to avoid choosing the wrong sized rug is to measure before you buy.
Measure the space and measure out the size of the rug and consider marking out the shape of the rug with tape to get a good visual and feel confident you are choosing the right size for your floor space.
Rug Sizing Do's and Don'ts
To recap, here's a go to list of dos and don'ts when choosing the right size for your authentic Moroccan rug.
Do
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measure the room
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mark out the shape of the rug with tape
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decide early how you want to position furniture
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leave some empty floor space around the edge of the rug for balance
Don't
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pick a rug that covers the entire floor space
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use small rugs for very large rooms
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choose rugs that don't extend far enough from under furniture
How to Choose a Rug Size Based on Room Shape
One final tip is to really consider the shape of the room when choosing a rug size. Using a rectangular rug for long rooms can help elongate and define the space. Whereas square rugs may be better for compact, more symmetrical spaces.
