Choosing The Best Sized Rug For Your Home

• 02 April 2024
• 5 Min Read
• By Jaipur Rugs

A one-size carpet doesn’t fit all rooms, so let our experts at Jaipur Rugs help you choose the perfect one for your home

So you’ve selected the perfect hand-knotted rug, a beautiful pastel, a perfect rectangle that fits snugly under your dining table. Everything is in place except that one end of the rug snags the door each time it is opened. It’s heart-breaking that after spending days, and perhaps weeks, looking for the perfect piece, its dimensions are awry regarding the bigger picture. But using this size guide, you will be able to prevent any pitfalls when it comes to choosing the best area rugs

Measure before you begin the search for area carpets

Bring out the measuring tape before you start searching for area rugs online. You need to have the room dimensions with you beforehand and keep in mind any constraints, such as over-extending sideboards, doors, etc, that will affect the size of the rug. Once this is resolved, you can go on to the next step.

Bigger is usually better

When in doubt, stick to the maxim that the bigger it is, the better it is. A postcard-sized rug or its iterations can make a room look insignificant, and each element seems disconnected. A larger rug, however, plays the role of a canvas, tying in all the decorative elements together and adding depth to a room. So this brings us to…

The 18-inch rule

Not all rules are meant to be broken. The general rule of thumb while selecting area rugs, as most interior designers recommend, is to leave approximately 18 inches of bare floor around a rug for people to move around quickly, keeping the space open. For compact apartments and smaller rooms, you can tweak this rule, however

Don’t be afraid to experiment

Rules aside, these guidelines can be followed when choosing floor rugs. We show you some of the typical rug shapes and sizes that will be ideal for each room of your home

The Living Room

The focal point of your home is a living room—a space for entertaining friends and spending time with family. For enormous rooms with ample seating at the center, a large area rug that is spacious enough to fit furniture across its length without overcrowding is preferred.  And for larger rooms, placing two rugs is not unheard of. (Standard Sizes:  9’x12’ and 11’x14’) If the seating skirts the periphery of the space against the wall, then a smaller rug, where the front legs of the furniture rest on the carpet, is advisable. (Standard Sizes: 6’x9’ and 8’x10’) In a snug living area with a coffee table, opt for a smaller rug, which will be more suitable for space. (Standard Sizes: 4’x6’ and 5’x7’) In rooms with charming floorings, such as wood, choose Indian area rugs that expose at least eight inches (twenty centimeters) of wood around their borders.
 

The Bedroom

In the bedroom, naturally, the bed will be the cynosure of attention, occupying maximum space. So, instead of picking a room-sized area rug, select multiple dhurries that won’t get hidden under the bed. You can’t go wrong with an area rug at the foot of the bed and two runners on each side, making the room look snug or a handful of smaller rugs scattered across the space. (Standard Sizes: 2’6”x8’ and 3’x5’) But if you still fancy the idea of a rug that fits under the bed, it should extend around three feet or so, all around the bed or extend outwards on either end only. (Standard Sizes: – 8’x10’ (queen) and 9’x12’ (king)).

Aisles and Entrances

For narrow corridors and hallways, a runner made of wool is an elegant addition. Atlantis, Jaipur Rug’s hand-knotted wool runners, handcrafted by master artisans and available in traditional patterns and vibrant colors, are perfect picks. Durable and elegant, these works of art are matchless in a high-traffic space. Remember that darker colors are more suited because there are more footfalls. (Standard Sizes: 2’6’x8’ and 3’x12’) The center alignment of a rug is not always necessary. Slide the runner to one side of the hall and place a beautiful console opposite it, leaning against the wall. (Standard Sizes:  2’6”x8’ and 3’x12’)

The Dining Room

The carpet must be chosen carefully in the room where you break bread. The rug should be expansive to accommodate all the chairs while seated and when one pulls a chair out from under the table. It’s prudent to shortlist a carpet whose area extends about two feet beyond each side of the table. (Standard Sizes: 8’x10’ and 9’x12’)

The Kitchen

Another high-traffic area where you work with the elements of fire and water is the kitchen. The best-suited rug is a small one fitted in front of the sink. (Standard Size: 2’x3’) For a narrow, compact kitchen, we suggest you choose a runner, preferably velvety underfoot, which adds color to space. (Standard Sizes – 2’6”x8’ and 3’x5’)

 

FAQs

How do I figure out what size rug I need?

If you want to find the perfect rug for your space, the first thing you should do is measure it. Most rugs are indeed rectangular or round, no matter how large or small they may be, but different-sized rugs will feel different when walked on. The key to getting a beautiful floor covering that’s just right for your space is to know your square footage (length x width) in square feet.

How do you measure space for a rug?

Measuring accurately is crucial when choosing a rug because few rooms are strictly quadrilateral. Consider any alcoves or locations where the walls slope off when assessing your room for an area rug so that you may cover as much floor space as feasible. However, you must ignore these until you are left with a quadrilateral aspect (i.e., four walls). Your room's width and length, measured in meters, may be multiplied to determine its square footage. From here, you're in a perfect position to choose the size you want for your new rug. Or you can also stick with common area rug sizes too.

How much space should be left around a rug?

Your area rug shouldn't be placed any closer than 18 inches from your walls or baseboards, regardless of the room you're working with. Don't blanket the floor thoroughly to overwhelm the space. Avoid letting too much of the surrounding floor show detract from the rug. For the safer side, consult our rug experts or go with standard sizes for area rugs.

How many inches from the wall should the rug be?

Most interior designers agree that when choosing rugs, the usual rule is to leave around 18 inches of bare floor around the carpet to allow people to walk about comfortably and keep the room open. You can measure the room dimensions & choose the rugs in the desired size accordingly.