Last year, we shared Everything You Need To Know About Rugs Under Your Bed + it was a HUGE hit which is why this time we’re digging into the nitty gritty details of selecting the perfect living room rug size. After all “what size area rug should I get?” is quite literally one of the most commonly asked questions in the living room.

But when it comes to furnishing your home, most people go about selecting their living room area rug the wrong way because they start by making decisions that are based solely on appearance + the way it looks instead of scale. Not to mention, the overall size + how large or small a rug is (a.k.a. scale), plays a significant role in impacting how open or cluttered a room feels.

So, let’s dive in, shall we?

THE FLOOR IS THE 5TH WALL

When selecting an area rug for your living room, you need to think of the floor as being the 5th wall. Do you want the area rug to be a focal point of the seating area or fall off into the background? If you want it to be a focal point + for it to help set the mood of the living room then perhaps you’ll be thinking of a vibrant, textured or even a bold patterned rug. While on the other hand, if you want the area rug to visually fall off, then you’ll be considering something that has more subdued colors, textures or patterns.

Again, out of curiosity, how do you want the spacing to feel in this area? Do you want a space that feels open + expansive or are you going for a quaint + intimate seating area?

In either instance, thinking about the floor in this context, as a 5th wall, will go a long way in helping you narrow in + focus on what you actually need because the last thing we want is for you to get lost in the infinite rug options that are out there.

COMMON LIVING ROOM RUG SIZES

We always say when it comes to picking the size of your rug, that in general, the larger your living room area rug can be the better because it’s going to make the space feel bigger + act as an anchor for your furniture to rest upon.

Typically, living room rug sizes are:

Keeping in mind that ideal walkways around or in-between furniture are 18 - 30” wide, we suggest taping out your living room layout, especially, with area rugs. P.S. we’re huge fans of using blue painter’s tape! 

WHAT TO DO WITH SMALLER AREA RUGS — LAYER THEM

Ideally, you don’t want a living room area rug that’s smaller than your sofa but maybe it’s a sentimental rug you purchased while traveling or you’re just feeling like a rebellious rule-breaker *wink!* Well my friend, the good news is –– layering area rugs are an excellent choice.

A couple of thoughts: 

• On top of a significantly larger rug like an 8’ x 10’ or a 9’ x 12’ layer a smaller rug like a 3’ x 5’ in front of the sofa or sectional.

• You could also layer a slightly smaller rug like a 6’ x 9’ on top of an 8’ x 10’

• Consider using texture, pattern or color to create a little sass to the space — like a vintage rug on top of a sisal or jute rug.

HOW TO LAYOUT YOUR FURNITURE WITH A LIVING ROOM RUG

At Elegant Simplicity, we live by the cardinal belief, that when it comes to designing or organizing your home there are no rules, only guidelines that help point you in the right direction. Each home and every family has different wants + needs when it comes to the everyday wear + tear of their home. So, when it comes to figuring out exactly what living room furniture gets to sit on that gorgeous new rug of yours –– welp, we approach the living room rug size + furniture from a handful of different angles.

As a general rule, you never want a rug that covers, wall-to-wall, the entire floor. What you want to do is leave between 10-20” of breathing room between the wall + the edge of your rug at least. If your living room is larger + that would mean a HUGE rug, this certainly doesn’t apply then but in general, an area rug should cover an “area”, not the entire floor.

Here is a quick list of our go-to living room rug sizes…

ALL LEGS ON THE RUG

• In a large living room, you have the option of having all of your furniture (particularly the sofa, chairs, coffee or side tables) on the living room rug. 

• Ultimately though, what you want to do is ensure there’s 8-10” from the edge of those pieces to the edge of the living room rug. Otherwise, the furniture feels like it’s too close to the edge. 

• Again, ensure that there’s 10-20” of breathing room from the rug to the base trim. If you’re too close the living room rug can sometimes feel overwhelming for the space + make it look awkward. 

• Keep in mind, those are guidelines because if your sofa is backed up to a wall + you want all of your furniture on the rug then it makes sense to have less than 8-10” from the back of the sofa to the edge of the rug.

FRONT LEGS ON THE RUG

• This living room rug layout is likely the most common because it creates a cohesive + yet spacious feel where each piece is curated + close enough for conversation but can also stand on its own. 

• Front legs on the rug is exactly what it sounds like. Where all the front legs of the chairs or sofa rest on the living room rug but the back legs sit on another surface.

• So — the question is how far should each piece sit on the area rug? Well, we like for the furniture pieces to sit on the living room rug about ⅓ of the furniture piece’s width. Let’s say for example that your sofa is 36” deep, then you want the rug to sit at about 12” under it.

IS A RUG OVER CARPET OK? 

We thought you’d never ask! Depending upon the carpet in your living room, an area rug can still work, if it’s a low-pile carpet, an area rug over top will look amazing + help to tie the entire room together. 

WHY RUG PADS ARE ESSENTIAL 

Even if you have carpet in your living room, a rug pad is an essential in our playbook. Simply put if you’re investing in a high-quality rug you want to take care of it so investing in a quality rug pad is important. 

This will obviously make walking on the living room area rug — regardless of size — more comfortable (especially if you have hard-surfaced floors) but it will keep your rug from moving or “walking” across the floor, rippling in the middle or minimize the fibers from breaking down + looking worn out. 

Of course, retailers will try to sell you a rug pad (which is fine) but we recommend waiting until you have your rug, measuring the rug + then ordering a rug pad (designed specifically for placement over the carpet or hard flooring) from your local carpet cleaning company.

WHAT IF I HAVE KIDS OR PETS?

If you have kids, pets, or both, then you really want to consider a rug that will wear well over time. Hellllllloooo Captain Obvious *wink!* 

A rug is only as good as the ingredients and skill that went into making it, so if you are looking for a quality rug you want to see good fibers, good dyes, and good construction.

The real question is how do you do this? Or rather? What do you look for?

• Well, consider a low-pile wool rug. Wool is one of the most durable materials + easy to clean. 

• When it comes to color or pattern, consider what will work best for your pet. If we simply said dark rugs but you have a labrador retriever with blonde hair (whoops). 

• In general, stay away from looped textures, tassels or fringe so the nails of your pets don’t snag on them.

Well, there you have it...everything you need to know! 

A living room rug size isn’t as straightforward as it seems because there are a ton of moving parts unique to every home. But for you nervous rug shoppers, you now know some of the design secrets we use + the things we consider when selecting living room rugs for our full-service design clients. 

Remember, these are guidelines — not rules :)

And don’t forget, if you’re in the preliminary planning stages of your next project, let’s chat. 

P.S. If you loved this article then you’re going to really enjoy the 4 Days To A More Beautiful + Functional Home.