How to Choose an Area Rug
Unsure where to begin when choosing an area rug or is your current one feeling like it’s just not working with your interiors? Knowing what size, shape, style, texture, pattern, colour and where to buy them can be confusing… Luckily, it doesn’t have to be! Follow these tips and tricks to choose the perfect area rug!
#1 Foyer/Entryway
Ensure rug is in proportionate size to the entryway
Open and close the door several times and note the space between the bottom of the door and the entryway flooring - this will help you choose the depth and texture of your area rug.
Consider the ease of cleaning your rug when selecting material and colouring, as this area has a heavy traffic-flow.
Patterned rugs can be very forgiving when used in entryways.
Ensure you’re incorporating aspects of functionality (shoe storage, console table, bench etc.) prior to selecting your rug, as this will all impact the size and shape you choose.
Ensure your rug will be complementary to the scale of the space; too small will look minuscule and too large will make the entryway look poorly designed.
Always place your rug directly in front of the door so that you and your guests can take your shoes off prior to entering without getting your floors dirty.
Small entryway? Go with a square rug. Narrow hallway? Get a rectangular rug. Round, arched or double hallway? Stick with a circular shaped rug!
#2 Living/Family Room
First know that standard area rug sizes sold in stores are nominal 6x9 feet, 8x10 feet and 9x12 feet. If these sizes don’t suit your living room, you can always have one custom made to better suit your space (it isn’t necessarily more expensive).
The biggest mistake most people make is selecting a rug that is too small for the space. This is often referred to as “postage-stamp size.”
There should always be a clearance of 8” around all sides of the rug, so keep this in mind when selecting coffee tables or ottomans.
Neutral room? Choose a patterned rug to add colour and interest!
Eclectic room? Soothe it with a solid, more neutral rug!
When choosing texture, think of the feeling you want in the room and how it will connect with other elements within that space. Wool rugs will add warmth while jute style rugs will do just the opposite.
Area rugs are intended for comfort and to ground spaces. To assure your space is grounded, have the rug reach under the front legs for small rugs or all legs of the furniture for larger rugs. They should always connect by being under furniture and should never just be placed within a seating area.
#3 Kitchen/Laundry Room
First know that standard runner sizes are nominal 2.5x8 feet, 2.5x12 feet, 2x3 feet, 4x6 feet and 5x8 feet. Decide what size will best fit your kitchen or laundry room and how much flooring you intend on covering.
Runners are ideal for filling in narrow spaces between counters and can also make your space look bigger, cleaner and more comfortable.
For more open, spacious kitchens (usually without an island), larger rugs can be a perfect addition - think 4x6 and up!
Leave at least 6” of space between your rug and the cabinets or walls.
If your colour palette is neutral - add that pop of colour! If not, go with a more neutral rug.
Kitchens and laundry rooms are the perfect place to play around with coloured and patterned rugs.
When selecting a material, keep in mind that kitchens are a high-traffic area, prone to spills and mess. Indoor/outdoor rugs, polypropylene and durable polyester rugs are highly recommended.
#4 Dining Room
A dining room rug should have at least 24” of extra room on all sides of the dining table to allow for guests to pull out chairs without tripping over the rug. Therefore, it’s always recommended to go bigger, rather than smaller!
Spills and mess are inevitable - so choose something easy to clean; as well as a material which chairs can pull in and out on with ease such as a short-pile rug or a flat weave. Pure natural fibres like cotton and wool are far easier to spot clean than synthetic blends.
Lighter, more pale hues are more likely to show dirt and spots so it’s recommended to assess the frequency of use prior to selecting a light coloured rug.
When choosing a colour, keep surrounding fixed elements in-mind such as hard flooring, light fixtures, paint colour, furniture colour (dining room cushions), art and accent colours. If you are selecting your rug without any fixed elements in place, then you can use the rug as a jumping-off point for decorating the remainder.
Match your rug shape to your room shape! Round tables work with round or square rugs; rectangular and oval tables work well with rectangular rugs; and square dining room tables tend to work best with square shaped rugs.
#5 Bedroom
A square or rectangular area rug works best under any size bed!
If you have nightstands or a bench by the foot of your bed, you’ll want to connect those elements by grounding them with an area rug. Therefore, you will have to consider those pieces and size-up when selecting your rug!
You can opt to have just your bed frame on the rug, or the bed frame, nightstands and a bench all on the rug. If you have a bench and happen to be working with a smaller rug, you can place the rug under the lower two-thirds or third of your bed.
If you’re working with a smaller room, think big when it comes to an area rug but be sure to leave 2”-5” between the rug and the walls.
If you have a twin or full-sized bed with nightstands, go with a 6x9 foot rug, and if you happen to have two twin sized beds with a nightstand in between then a 9x12 foot area rug should fit perfectly!
For larger bedrooms, choosing a rug that is too small will throw the space off balance. You want your rug to fill up most of the room, while still leaving at least 8” of space between the rug and the walls.
A general rule for queen or king-sized beds is to have the area rug extend at least 18-24” from the sides and foot of the bed.
Rugs should not touch any furniture other than those previously mentioned and there should be a 2”-3” gap between the rug and any other furniture, as well as a clearance for opening the door.
#6 Outdoor
Outdoor area rugs can be a highlight and a focal point in most spaces, as it’s perfect for playing around with bright colours and fun patterns!
They can make outdoor living feel more comfortable and help to ground any seating arrangement.
Keep in-mind, there should be 18” of visible carpet for large spaces and 8” for smaller spaces when using a coffee table or ottoman.
Use synthetic fibres such as polypropylene or olefin to avoid mold and mildew.
All size requirements as mentioned for interior dining and living areas apply to the exteriors as well.
PRO TIPS:
Place rubber anti-slip padding under area rugs and double-sided carpet tape on edges to avoid any tripping hazards. It is also not recommended to place area rugs on top of carpet, as it is both a hazard and an eyesore. Lastly, to avoid carpet indentations, regularly move furniture and let a small ice cube melt on the indentation, then fluff the fibres with your fingers before drying the spot.