Quick Guide: Choosing the Right Size Rug

If it’s a large, open area, how do you want traffic to flow from one end to the other? What activities do you enjoy in the space, and is there a specific area you designate for those things? With a large room, you might want multiple rugs for different areas, with space between them where people would walk through the room. A smaller room might require a single rug, meaning your rug will have to bear up under more foot traffic.

If you’re seeking help from an interior decorator or even the sales staff at a retailer, it’s useful to give them a visual sense of your space. You might even put down masking tape outlines of where you think the rug should go.

Just because the default for most rugs is rectangular, that doesn’t mean you can’t branch out. A dining room set might work well on top of an oval shaped rug. Your bedroom arrangement might lend itself to rug runners — particularly if you have twin beds with a space between them. And a sitting area might make a more dynamic statement with a large circular rug, since you won’t be as concerned with overlap in that context.

Just remember: it’s never a bad idea to “go big” in picking a rug, as long as it fits inside the room. A small rug can make furniture look awkward and ill-placed. A large rug makes the space more welcoming, and provides more flexibility for arranging the rest of the room’s elements.