Pick the Right Size Area Rug

Have you just finished remodeling your home, but you still feel like something is missing?

Do you lack that "one thing" that will pull the whole room together?

You don't need any more furniture, and your walls are already full of decorations.

However, the room still doesn't feel complete.

Maybe all you need is an area rug.

Area rugs are a very common addition to any room, especially if you have hard surfaces like hardwood, laminate or tile. You can even use one with a carpeted room.

There are several reasons why area rugs are so popular, but the most obvious reason is for the look of it.

The right area rug makes your room feel "complete."

An area rug has a unique way of bringing together all of the elements of the room.

For example, a carefully selected area rug can pull together various colors you used in your decor.

Now that you've decided you want an area rug, there are several factors to consider.

The color, style, and texture of your rug are all essential aspects to consider as you choose your rug.

Another very important aspect that is often overlooked is the size of the rug.

Below, we will talk about how to choose the right size area rug for your space.

Table Of Contents
Standard Rug Sizes
Determine The Size You Need
Hallway And Foyer
The Tape Trick
These Are Only Guidelines

The size of your area rug will dramatically alter the effect it has on your room.

A rug that is too big for your room can make the room feel crowded and small.

However, a rug that's too small for your room could make the room feel unwelcoming.

Picking the right size area rug will make your room feel warm and balanced, acting as the perfect finishing touch on your room.

But, how do you pick the right size rug? Let's find out.

Standard Rug Sizes
The first thing you should do when purchasing an area rug, such as a Persian or Oriental rug, is to consider the standard sizes.

Once you know what sizes the rugs are usually available in, you can move on from there.

Typically, area rugs are available in these standard sizes:
3' by 5'
4' by 6'
5' by 8'
7' by 10'
8' by 11'
9' by 12'
Keep in mind, some available rugs can vary in size either bigger or smaller than the measurements listed. These are just the sizes most often used.

Each rug manufacturer is likely to offer the rug in three to four of the standard sizes.

When shopping for rugs, be sure the rug you like is available in the size you need for your room.

Of course, you can always have your area rug custom made to be the perfect fit for your room.

Custom is always more expensive, but it affords you the luxury of having the rug custom fitted for your space, especially if the standard sizes don't fit your space.

Determine The Size You Need

When people buy an area rug, the most common mistake they make is picking one out that's too small for their space.

The area rugs are usually too small because they've just put down new flooring that they don't want to cover up.

This is an understandable concern, but the right area rug will enhance the floor underneath, not hide it.

The size of the area rug you need should be based on your furniture configuration.

Most people base it off of the size of the room, but that's not correct.

The layout of your room might look better if you allow a certain amount of floor to be visible around the edge of the room.

So, you should always consider furniture placement over the room size.

This is especially important when you're picking out an area rug for your living room, dining room, or bedroom.

Hallway and Foyer
So if you're supposed to base the size of your area rug off of your furniture configuration, what do you do in rooms with no furniture?

For areas like these, such as your hallway or foyer, you should base the size of your area rug on how much floor space to leave exposed on the edges of the room.

For larger areas, you can leave more of the floor exposed, usually from 12-24 inches.

If you're putting the rug in a smaller area, you should decrease the amount to 6-8 inches.

The Tape Trick
If you're a visual person like many of us are, and you need to "see" what the rug will look like in your space before you purchase it, I have a trick for you.

Before you go shopping, measure out a spot on your floor based on the size you think you need. Start out using one of the standard sizes listed above.

Then, using painters tape, masking tape, or another tape that won't damage your floor, tape off the area of the floor you just measured.

This will be the outline of your area rug.

This should help you visualize how the rug will look in your space, and determine if you need to go bigger or smaller with the rug.

You can remeasure and retape as many times as necessary until you've found a size you like.

Once you're satisfied with the size of the taped area, you're ready to shop.

These Are Only Guidelines
There is one last thing to remember before you go out to buy your new area rug.

As with moth things design and style related, rules are made to be broken.

What we've talked about above are only guidelines.

You are the only one that can determine what fits well into your space and the style that you like.

Break the rules if necessary. Prove the experts wrong.

The only person you need to satisfy is yourself.

The main thing you need to do is to take your time while deciding and shop around as much as possible.

Investing in a quality area rug is a significant expense, and it shouldn't be taken lightly.

Your home is a reflection of you, so if you're a rule breaker and want that to show through in your area rug, go for it.

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