Rug Size Guide: How to Choose the Right Dimensions

The simplest rug size guide starts with your furniture, not your walls: in a living room, the rug should sit under at least the front legs of the sofa and armchairs, and extend 15 to 25 cm beyond each end of the sofa. Then leave 20 to 40 cm of bare floor between the rug and the walls. In practice, a 160 x 230 cm rug suits an average living room, a 200 x 300 cm rug suits a large lounge or a six-seater dining table, and a 70 x 140 cm rug suits most entrance halls. The sections below explain how to measure and which dimensions work room by room.

The correct rug size: three rules that always work

A rug that is too small floats in the middle of the room and makes the space feel smaller. A rug that is too large swallows the floor, runs into the skirting boards and starts to look like fitted carpet. Three simple rules will steer you to the right size in almost any home.

Rule 1: the furniture sits on the rug

A rug ties together the furniture of one area, so it needs to run underneath it, at least partly. In a living room, the front legs of the sofa and chairs rest on the rug. In a dining room, the table and chairs stay on it even when someone pushes back to stand up. In a bedroom, the rug slides under the lower two thirds of the bed. A small rug in front of the sofa with no legs on it leaves the seating area looking disjointed.

Rule 2: a border of visible floor

Keep a band of wood or tile showing around the rug: 20 to 40 cm in a living space, 10 to 15 cm on each side in a hallway. That margin frames the rug and lets its pattern and colour stand out. In a very large room, the border may widen to 50 or 60 cm without looking odd.

Rule 3: follow the shape of the room

The rug echoes the shape of the zone it dresses. A long room calls for an elongated rectangle, a round table for a round rug, a square space for a square rug. The rug should also be longer than the main piece of furniture: a 220 cm sofa needs a rug at least 250 cm long in that direction.

If you are torn between two sizes, choose the larger one. A generous rug makes a room feel bigger, while one that is too tight shows immediately. And since a 200 x 300 cm hand-knotted wool rug weighs several dozen kilos, it is worth measuring once more rather than sending it back.

How to measure: a floor rug size guide in four steps

All you need is a tape measure and a few minutes. Avoid working from the floor area of the room alone, which is often misleading: two 30 m² living rooms may need very different rugs depending on where the sofa and doors sit.

1. Define the area: arrange the furniture the way you use it every day (sofa, armchairs and coffee table, or table and chairs) and note the rectangle it forms.
2. Measure that rectangle: record the length and width of the seating group, of the table with chairs pulled out, or of the bed with its bedside tables.
3. Add the overhangs: 15 to 25 cm at each end of the sofa, 60 to 70 cm around a dining table, 50 to 60 cm on each side of a bed. Check that 20 to 40 cm of floor remains up to the walls.
4. Round to the nearest standard size, such as 160 x 230, 200 x 300 or 250 x 350 cm, going up a size if you are in between.

A showroom tip: before you order, mark the outline on the floor with masking tape or lay out sheets of newspaper. Leave it for a day or two. You will see at once whether the rug blocks a door, whether it reaches under the sofa legs and whether the proportions feel right.

Rug size by room: living room, dining room, bedroom and hallway

The guidance below is general sizing advice that fits most standard furniture. Always measure your own pieces before deciding.

Living room rugs

A three-seater sofa is usually 200 to 220 cm long and a coffee table around 120 x 60 cm. In a small or medium living room (20 to 40 m²), a 160 x 230 cm rug takes the coffee table and the front legs of a two or three-seater sofa. With a sofa longer than 220 cm, move up to 200 x 290 or 200 x 300 cm.

In a large living room of 40 m² or more, or around a corner sofa, aim for 250 x 350 cm or even 300 x 400 cm: every leg of the furniture then sits on the rug, which defines a clear seating area within an open-plan space. A 120 x 170 cm rug only works for a reading corner with one armchair, or under the coffee table alone in a very small room.

Dining room rugs

Under a table, the rug should extend 60 to 70 cm on every side so the chairs stay on it when pulled back. A four-seater table (about 120 x 80 cm) therefore needs a rug of around 200 x 250 cm, a six-seater (180 x 90 cm) a 200 x 300 cm rug, and an eight-seater a 250 x 350 cm rug. Under a round table 120 cm across, choose a round rug of 240 cm.

A low pile or flat hand-woven rug works best here: chairs glide more easily and crumbs come out faster than from a deep pile.

Bedroom rugs

Laid crossways under the lower two thirds of the bed, the rug should extend 50 to 60 cm on each side, so your feet land on soft pile in the morning. Allow 160 x 230 cm for a double bed, 200 x 300 cm for a king or super king, and 250 x 350 cm if the bedside tables should sit on the rug too.

A lighter option is a pair of bedside rugs of 60 x 120 or 70 x 140 cm, one on each side, or an 80 x 150 cm rug at the foot of the bed. This is where a long-pile New Zealand wool rug comes into its own, as you walk on it barefoot.

Hallway and entrance rugs

In an entrance, a rug must never catch the front door. Choose a low pile and a width close to the door frame: 60 x 90 cm for a small entrance, 70 x 140 or 80 x 150 cm for a wider hall. In a corridor, a runner 70 or 80 cm wide and 200 to 300 cm long leaves 10 to 15 cm of floor on each side; stop it 20 to 30 cm short of each end.

Rug size chart in cm and feet

Many rug sizes are still quoted in feet, especially on international sites. This rug size comparison chart gives the closest standard size in centimetres for each common format, with the rooms where it works best.

A 5 x 7 rug is therefore slightly smaller than the European 160 x 230 cm, and a 6'7 x 9 rug corresponds roughly to 200 x 275 cm. Whichever system the label uses, compare the centimetres with your own measurements rather than the name of the format.

Round rug size guide and other shapes

Shape matters as much as size. The rectangle remains the most versatile, as it follows the lines of a sofa, bed or table. A round rug softens an angular room and pairs naturally with a round table: its diameter should exceed the table's by at least 120 cm. A square rug suits a square room or four armchairs facing each other.

A runner is chosen on two measurements: the width of the corridor minus 20 to 30 cm, and its length minus 40 to 60 cm. In a long hallway, two identical runners laid end to end often look better than a single one that falls short.

Common rug size mistakes

• Choosing by floor area without considering the furniture.
• Placing a small rug in front of the sofa with no legs on it.
• Forgetting the chairs pulled out under a dining table.
• Laying a deep pile in a hall where the door scrapes the floor.
• Ignoring doors, radiators and floor vents.

Once the size is settled, the material makes the difference: hand-knotted Bikaner wool for a busy walkway, bamboo silk for sheen in a bedroom, hand-woven jute for an entrance with a natural texture. To compare designs in your dimensions, browse our rugs by size.

Rug size guide: frequently asked questions

What size is a 5 x 7 rug in cm?

A 5 x 7 ft rug measures 152 x 213 cm. In Europe, the closest standard size is 160 x 230 cm, a little longer and wider. It suits an average living room where the front legs of a two or three-seater sofa rest on the rug, or a bedroom with a double bed when laid crossways under the lower two thirds of the mattress.

What is the correct rug size for a living room?

Measure your sofa and add 15 to 25 cm at each end: that gives the minimum rug length. For a three-seater of 200 to 220 cm, 160 x 230 cm is enough if only the front legs sit on it, while 200 x 300 cm suits a layout where the armchairs rest on it too. Always leave 20 to 40 cm of floor along the walls.

What size round rug do I need under a dining table?

Add 60 to 70 cm on every side of the table, so the chairs stay on the rug when pulled back. Under a round table 120 cm across, that means a round rug of about 240 cm. For a smaller bistro table of 90 cm, a 200 cm round rug is generally enough. A low pile makes the chairs easier to move.

Should I choose a bigger or smaller rug if I am unsure?

Bigger, almost every time. A generous rug connects the furniture, makes the room look more spacious and gives the pattern room to breathe. A rug that is too small chops up the space and looks lost. The only limit is the border of bare floor: if the rug touches the skirting or slides under a door, go down one size.

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