Many clients come to me for guidance on choosing an area rug for their living room. I’m always happy to help as an area rug is a crucial piece in a design that is often overlooked. The truth is that area rugs pull a room design together by connecting all the pieces, so you must choose the right one. There are many elements to consider when selecting an area rug, including color, texture, material, how it’s made, durability and cleanability. Unfortunately, in an attempt to save money, some buyers feel that size is an area for wiggle room.

The science of choosing the correct size area rug for your living room

Once you know this the rest is so much easier:

1. The edge of the area rug should be a minimum of 18 inches away from the walls. Any closer and it will look too big. Having it further away than 18 inches is entirely acceptable. 

2. Always place the longest side of the area rug in the direction of the longest side of your room.
3. If your room is square, opt for a square or round rug. 
4. Make sure you have at least all front feet of the seating in your room on the area rug. 

There are a few other rules that designers adhere to, but as we know, the design world is all about breaking the rules, so in my opinion, as long as you keep to these 4 pointers, you’ll do just fine.

Here are a couple of images to help you visualize the DOs of living room area rugs.

Here are a couple of images to help you visualize the DON’Ts of living room area rugs.

Once you see it visualized, it all makes sense. See how the top images make the room feel more grounded, and the items are connected by the rug to make the design cohesive. The lower two pictures show the opposite.

TIP: Before choosing an area rug, tape out the size you intend to buy on your floor with some masking tape. This will give you a great idea of how the rug will fit in your space.

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