How to Choose the Perfect Size for Your Rug?

Choosing the size of your rug matters just as much as choosing its patterns or colours. The most common mistake is picking a rug that is too small: it 'floats' in the middle of the room, separates the furniture instead of bringing it together and makes the space feel cramped. A well-sized rug, on the other hand, gives the room structure, defines living areas and shows off your furniture.

First: measure and visualise

Measure the room, but above all the area the rug needs to dress: the seating area, the bed or the table. Then mark the outline of the rug you are considering on the floor with masking tape and leave it for a few days. You will immediately see whether the furniture sits on it, whether walkways stay clear and whether you like the proportions.

• Keep 20 to 40 cm of floor visible between the rug and the walls: the floor frames the rug like a mount frames a picture.
• A rug should generally extend about 20 cm beyond each end of the sofa.
• If you hesitate between two sizes, choose the larger one: it is almost always the right call.

In the living room

The rug should anchor your seating area. Ideally, all the legs of the sofa and armchairs rest on it: the whole arrangement looks more generous and coherent. If the room does not allow it, make sure at least the front legs of every seat are on the rug; this is the most common and most elegant set-up.

As a guide, a 160 × 230 cm rug suits a small living room or a two-seater sofa, a 200 × 300 cm rug a three-seater with one or two armchairs, and a 250 × 350 cm rug large living rooms and corner sofas. Avoid a small, isolated rug in front of the sofa: it is the mistake that shrinks a room the most.

In the bedroom

For a 140 or 160 cm double bed, place a large rug perpendicular to the bed, slid under its lower two thirds, leaving the bedside tables on the floor. It should extend at least 50 to 60 cm on each side and at the foot of the bed: that is what gives you a soft first step in the morning. A 200 × 300 cm rug suits most double beds; for a 180 cm bed, choose 250 × 350 cm.

Another option, very elegant with Berber rugs: two runners on either side of the bed, or a medium-sized rug at the foot of the bed if the room is narrow.

In the dining room

The rug must stay under the chairs even when they are pulled back to sit down. Add 60 to 70 cm on each side of the table. A 90 × 180 cm table therefore needs a rug of at least 210 × 300 cm; a 250 × 350 cm rug will be more comfortable. For a round table, a round or square rug gives the best balance. In a dining room, prefer a low-pile rug or a flat-woven kilim: chairs slide more easily and cleaning is simpler.

Hallway, corridor and study

In a hallway or corridor, a runner should leave 10 to 15 cm of floor visible on each side and must not get in the way of doors. In a study, choose a rug large enough for the chair to stay on it when you push back; otherwise its castors catch the edge with every movement.

What if the right size does not exist?

Every rug in our selection is a one-of-a-kind piece, and its exact dimensions are shown on its page. If none fits your room, our artisans can make your rug to measure, in the dimensions, colours and patterns of your choice: it is the best way to get a perfectly proportioned rug.