Your choice of rug size for your living room might make or break the space’s appeal. A too-small rug can make the room feel disjointed, and a too-large one can overwhelm the area. To avoid these common pitfalls, try this simple trick: Run masking tape along the floor where you want your rug to sit. It will help you visualize the standard rug sizes and how they’ll fit in your space.
Shape
Despite the standard available rug sizes, room size is sometimes the most significant factor in rug selection. The furniture’s shape and arrangement can play a much more significant role in determining the best rug for your living room. The classic layout is to have all furniture legs rest on the rug to create a unified look and help separate the seating area from the coffee table or other decorative elements in the room. This setup often requires more oversized rugs than others, but using the painter’s tape trick to measure and gauge your furniture can help you find the perfect fit.
A less popular alternative is to place the rug underneath the seating area so that each piece only rests on its front legs. It can still create a unified look but is more flexible and can work in smaller spaces. Try to select kilim rugs with a different texture than the pieces in your living room to add visual interest to the space.
Size
If you’re shopping for a large rug that might be 8ft x 10ft or more significant, consider whether its color and pattern complement your living room furniture. While some stores will tell you that a specific color or style will go with anything, it’s best to follow your instincts and choose something that truly suits your taste. If your furniture is arranged so that the front legs of each piece rest on the rug, consider selecting a larger rug size (9′ x 12′ or more) to give your space a refined and elegant look. This method also allows more floor space around the edges of the rug instead of having a few inches of furniture sticking out past it. For more traditional arrangements, at least half of the furniture is usually recommended to be on the rug.
Texture
You may enhance the appearance of your area by using a rug to give a layer of texture. The right rug can make your furniture and décor feel cohesive, but the wrong rug can make the space feel disjointed and mismatched. Avoid choosing a rug that’s too similar in texture to your sofa or chairs. It can cause the space to look dull. Opt for a rug with a subtle pattern or textured finish that will complement your existing furnishings. To ensure you’re getting the right rug size, grab your blue painter’s tape and mark standard rug sizes in the space where you want to place it. It will assist you in avoiding making costly errors and give you an excellent concept of how the rug will seem. You can also experiment with orienting the rug with your living room’s shape to create visual flow. For example, place the rug lengthwise to frame the seating area if your living room is lengthy.
Budget
If you can’t afford a room-sized rug, try incorporating a smaller one into your space. It allows you to unify the seating area while keeping a room from feeling too cluttered or small. Also, consider placing just the front legs of your furniture on the rug and allowing the back legs to sit around the floor. It helps you avoid the “awkward rug” look, which interior designers say is a common decorating mistake in living rooms.
Lastly, suppose you need help visualizing how a particular rug size will work in your space. In that case, use painter’s tape to mark off a section of the floor corresponding to a standard rug size. Then, you can use that floor area to arrange your furniture in various ways to see how a particular rug would seem before you make the final purchase. Using this technique, you may locate the ideal rug for your living room while saving time and money.