SIZE + PLACEMENT BY ROOM
Living Room
Most living rooms can accommodate plenty of layouts and configurations. When integrating a new rug into a room there are two main options: choose a rug that covers the area under the coffee table and the front legs of your furniture (fig. 1), or choose a rug that’s large enough to sit under your entire seating arrangement (fig. 2).
Feeling adventurous? Use a hide instead of a rug (fig. 3). Hides are also perfect for smaller spaces.
Dining Room
In dining rooms, the rule of thumb is to have 18 inches of hardwood floor showing between the rug and the wall and two feet of rug on all sides of the table to accommodate chairs. If your room doesn’t allow for this, choose what looks best in your space. You want the ability to slide the chair in and out while keeping all 4 feet of the chair on the rug.
How much of the rug do you want to show?
Bedroom
Allow 18 inches of floor between the walls and the rug. You may want the entire bed on
top of the rug (fig.1), or you can set the rug under the bottom two thirds of the bed (fig. 2). A king bed would require a 9×12 size rug or larger.
Another option is to show off your rugs and have a soft pad for your feet when you get out of bed by surrounding the bed with 3×5 or 4×6 runners (fig. 3). Don’t forget: Sheep hides make great substitutes for runners.
kitchen
If you’d like to add a pop of color to your kitchen, add a rug in front of your sink. Since you’ll be standing there often, add a rug pad. Your feet will thank you.
If you have a casual dining area, use round or square rugs. Make sure you have approximately 18 inches from the edge of the table to the edge of the rug.
Entryway + Hallway
This is where smaller rugs can really shine. By utilizing 2×3 doormats, 4×8 area rugs and 5×8 runners in this space, you can set the stage as guests enter your home and introduce them to your style and taste.
In extra long hallways, a single rug could look lost. Instead, consider two coordinating runners in place of one long one. If you use the two-runner method, be sure your runners do not end in the middle of a doorway.
