Rug sizes and dimensions (with easy to use size-charts)

Choosing the correct rug sizes for a room is important to avoid having a rug that is too big or too small. The most common sizes for rugs are the standard sizes and it’s always better to pick the largest size as a safer option if one is not sure of the floor space it’s going to occupy.

What are rugs and why is a good rug size important?

There is a big distinction between the floor coverings that we step on daily in our living spaces that have a cohesive design to match furniture arrangements in the indoor spaces.

A carpet and a rug are fabrics that are woven from organic fibers like wool, silk, or cotton but the fabric used to make the rug is heavier and thick compared to the carpet. The carpet has its extension from wall to wall in a living room space therefore its position is permanent while a rug is mobile and it only covers a particular area in a dwelling space. Rugs are accent piece that instantly changes the atmosphere of a room by giving warmth, style, and versatility. In addition, it turns a bland room bright by adding a color scheme. Since they come in an array of sizes and shapes the position on which part of the house, is allocated depends on it.

Each space like the living room area or the dining room or the bedrooms has different common options for sizes and a variety of design ideas best suited to fit the aesthetic of the living area.

rug-sizes-chart
rug sizes chart by type of room

Rug Sizes Guide Chart

The table below illustrates the shapes available for rugs and the sizes they allocate.

ShapesRectangleRunnerSquareRound 
 3 * 5 feet 91 * 152 centimeters2 * 6 feet 61 * 183 centimeters4 * 4 feet 122 * 122 centimeters4 feet 122 centimeters
 4 * 6 feet 122 * 183 centimeters2 * 8 feet 61 * 244 centimeters6 * 6 feet 183 * 183 centimeters6 feet 183 centimeters
 5 * 8 feet 152 * 244 centimeters2 * 10 feet 61 * 305 centimeters8 * 8 feet 244 * 244 centimeters8 feet 244 centimeters
 6 * 9 feet 183 * 274 centimeters2 ft 6 inches * 8 feet 76 * 244 centimeters10 * 10 feet 305 * 305 centimeters10 feet 305 centimeters
 8 * 10 feet 244 * 305 centimeters2 ft 6 inches * 10 feet 76 * 305 centimeters12 * 12 feet 366 * 366 centimeters12 feet 366 centimeters
 9 * 12 feet 274 * 366 centimeters2 ft 6 inches * 12 feet 76 * 366 centimeters– 
 10 * 14 feet 305 * 427 centimeters3 * 10 feet 91 * 305 centimeters– 
 12 * 15 feet 366 * 457 centimeters3 * 12 feet 91 * 366 centimeters– 
 12 * 18 feet 366 * 549 centimeters3 * 15 feet 91 * 457 centimeters

Rug Sizes guide for type of living rooms

The table below shows the living room arrangement of the various seats with the size of the rugs. A full sofa size guide you can find here

Living room arrangement Size of rug in feet and centimeters
For two 3 seaters in a room8 * 10 feet 244 * 305 centimeters
For one 3 seater and two 1 seaters8 * 10 feet 244 * 305 centimeters
For one 3 seater and two 1 seaters8 * 12 feet 244 * 366 centimeters
One L seat and 1 seater9 * 12 feet 274 * 366 centimeters
A 3 seater, two-seater, and two 1 seaters10 *14 feet 305 * 427 centimeters
A big L seat and two 1 seaters9 * 12 feet 274 * 366 centimeters

Rug sizes by most common type of bed

The table below represents the area rug size with the type of bed they place it under.

All bed dimensions you can discover here

Bedroom arrangementSize of rug in feet and centimeters
Queen-size bed5 * 8 feet 152 * 244 centimeters
 6 * 9 feet 183 * 274 centimeters
 8 * 10 feet 244 * 305 centimeters
  
King-size bed6 * 9 feet 183 * 274 centimeters
 8 * 10 feet 244 * 305 centimeters
 9 * 12 feet 274 * 366 centimeters

The table below shows the different sizes of rugs for a dining room table with various numbers of seats.

 Shape of table
Number of seats per tableRound Rectangle Oval 
48 * 8 feet 244 * 244 centimeters– 8 * 10 feet 244 * 305 centimeters
610 * 10 feet 305 * 305 centimeters8 * 10 feet 244 * 305 centimeters9 * 12 feet 274 * 366 centimeters
812 * 12 feet 366 * 366 centimeters9 * 12 feet 274 * 366 centimeters
1010 * 14 feet 305 * 427 centimeters– 

How to choose the right rug size for you

Finding the right fit can be a difficult task if one does not have the approximate measurement of each room. The size of each room and the furniture groupings is an initial step before the purchase of the rug followed by the various layout options of the rug in all rooms around the house.

In fact, the approximate space each rug will occupy will depend on the furniture placement in the various you want to place them. The size of the rug is an important factor since each room has a design aim an individual wants to achieve. The following are will show the various sizing of rugs available for a room in a home.

Living room sizing of rugs

The rugs size for the living room not only depends on how you want to place them in the sitting area but also on the shape of the living room. In order to bring out the perfect balance between furniture and the rugs, there are three layout choices to determine which rug size is good for you.

All legs on – All the furniture is placed on the rug leaving only a few inches of floor space visible for walking and the rug size is the largest.

No legs on the rug – only the coffee table is placed on the rug and its measurement is five to six inches leaving a lot of extra space for the legs. This design is perfect for narrow spaces.

Front legs – allows on the front legs of the furniture on the rug and the common size used is eight to ten inches.

A rug for the living room usually comes down to three choices: 

  • 5×8
  • 8×10
  • 9×12.

Either all the furniture rests on the rug, or all the furniture, except for the coffee table, is placed completely off the rug.

Bedroom sizing of rugs

The rugs size for the bedroom solely depends on the size of the bed. There are three layout options available for placing the rugs for example;

On each side of the bed – the runner rugs are the best choice and have a measurement of nine to twelve inches.

All furniture on the rug – mostly uses a rug size of over 18 – 24 inches to occupy the whole bed a bit of furniture near the bed.

A piece of the bed on the rug – a good fit for a rug to only occupy the hind legs leaving the nightstands out.

Rug sizes for a Dining room

The dining room styling will determine which type of rug to use, the dining room table can have two distinct shapes either a round or a rectangular shape. We place all the chair legs on the rug and depending on the dining table, the shape of the rug will either be round or rectangular.

Rug sizes for a Kitchen

Runner rugs are an excellent option for the galley kitchen to make it look bigger. Other small kitchen rugs can also be placed to provide beauty to the room and designs that match the color pattern of the room.

What are the standard rug sizes?

The most common rug sizes are 3’x5′, 5’x8′, 8’x10′, 9’x12′ and 12’x15′.

Explaining Rug sizes

How to choose the perfect size rugs by Emily Henderson

Conclusion

Since each room differs in size, the area rug size will also be different. Therefore, before purchasing a rug you should do thorough research, especially on the cost and design aesthetics that will complement the furniture in a particular room.

Finding the right size means a certain amount of space is to be occupied by the rug. The placement of the rug also depends on how the furniture is arranged. For example, the rugs for the bedroom are always under the bed and we position the living room rugs according to the seating arrangement.

In addition, masking tape can measure the size of the room before purchase. For example, a tiny room like a toilet or closet area uses 2 * 3 feet rug sizes while a large area space will use a bigger size rug of 9 * 12 feet.

An average room size like an office or a bedroom with a queen-size bed will use a 5 * 8 feet rug and the most common rug size which is 8 * 10 feet is especially for small and medium-sized areas.

Rug padding is an imperative factor since it holds the rug in position disallowing any movement whenever it is stepped on. One has to leave at least an inch from the pad when fitting to the original rug in order to find the right size.

In reality, following the various steps in purchasing the right size of rug you want for a particular living space won’t be a difficult task but like a walk in the park. If you enjoyed reading this article, please leave a comment below.

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