How to Buy the Right-Sized Rug for your Room

Don’t buy the wrong size rug, just do some simple homework before purchasing and avoid a mistake. Always buy an area rug that is big enough. This is one of the most common mistakes people make when purchasing a rug. A rug that is too small and placed in the middle of a room then surrounded by imposing furniture gives the impression you are covering an existing stain on the floor or you couldn’t afford the correct size rug.

The two main reasons for using an area rug is to

• Visually connect a group of furniture for a specific purpose, be it a conversation area, dining room or bedroom.
• Cover 90% of the room floor area, especially if it is a hard floor, such as concrete, wooden or tiled.

Here is a simple guide to selecting the correct sized rug for your room

If you wish to cover a large area of your room, as a rule of thumb, you should have a gap of equally around the edge of the room of between 20cm to 60cm. With the sweet spot being 40cm, the area rug should be centred in the room.

If you wish to define an area in a large room for conversation or watching television in a living room, select a size that covers at least the length and width of your furniture. A 150 x 240cm or 180 x 270cm rug is ideal for clustering furniture around for an intimate area. To expand the space, select a larger size that outlines the area’s perimeter.

In a dining room a rug should be large enough to allow space for chairs in the dining room, even when pulled away from the table. Measure your table and add approximately 60cm on each side, or sit in one of your chairs yourself and measure the distance from the table as there is nothing worse than being seated at a dining table with the two legs on a rug and the other two half off.

There is also a rug guideline for bedrooms which is influenced by the size of the bed in the room.

Tricks of the trade to purchasing the correct size rug.

• Use painter’s tape to tape the area to the size of the rug you’re considering
• Use a bed sheet and cover the location of the floor you wish to cover.

People struggle with visualising size, so the above two tricks of the trade are very helpful in purchasing the correct size rug that is fit for the purpose.

 For more examples of useful information about rugs, why not visit our Facebook page? It includes latest rug and mats releases, weekly interior inspiration and rug puns. Click here.