What size rug for a living room?
A rug that is too small makes a room look smaller and the furniture adrift. The fix is simple: size the rug to the seating, not to the floor.
Rug size calculator
The three ways to place a living room rug
Every good living room rug follows one of three layouts. Pick the layout first; the size follows from it.
| Layout | Rug needs to be | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| All legs on the rug | About 40 cm longer than the sofa, and deep enough to reach under the chairs opposite | Large rooms, open plan where the rug defines the zone |
| Front legs on | About 20 cm longer than the sofa, tucked 15 to 20 cm under its front | Most living rooms; the safest choice |
| Rug in front only | Narrower than the sofa, sitting just in front of it | Small rooms, or patterned rugs you want to see |
Standard rug sizes in Australia
| Size | Fits under | Room it suits |
|---|---|---|
| 160 × 230 cm | A two-seater, front legs on | Up to about 3.5 × 3.5 m |
| 200 × 290 cm | A three-seater, front legs on | About 4 × 4 m |
| 240 × 330 cm | A three-seater and two chairs, all legs on | About 4.5 × 5 m |
| 300 × 400 cm | A corner sofa and chairs | Large or open plan |
Leave a border of floor
Aim for 30 to 60 cm of bare floor between the rug and the walls. Less looks like wall-to-wall carpet that shrank; more makes the rug feel like an island. In an open plan room, the border is to the edge of the living zone rather than to a wall.
Rugs in other rooms
- Dining room: the rug should be at least 60 to 70 cm bigger than the table on every side, so chairs stay on the rug when pulled out. See space around a dining table.
- Bedroom: a rug under the bottom two-thirds of the bed, showing 45 to 60 cm on each side, so your feet land on it.
- Hallway: a runner 15 to 20 cm narrower than the hall each side, stopping short of doors so they open freely.
Measuring for a rug, step by step
Measure the seating group, not the room
Measure from the back of the sofa to the front of the chairs opposite, and from the outside of one armchair to the other. That rectangle is what the rug should cover or nearly cover.
Decide which legs go on
Front legs only means the rug can be about 50 to 60 cm shallower than the whole group; all legs on means it must be at least as big as the group.
Check the doors
A door that swings over the rug needs about 1.5 cm of clearance under it for a flat-weave and 2.5 cm or more for a deep pile.
Round to a standard size
Custom sizes cost much more. If you are between two standard sizes, the larger usually looks better.
With a corner sofa
An L-shaped sofa forms two sides of a square on its own, so the rug should run under the front legs of both arms of the L. That usually means 240 × 330 cm or larger for anything bigger than a compact two-piece corner. A rug that stops short of the chaise looks like it slid out of place.
Pile, weave and how a rug wears
A short pile or flat weave suits busy living rooms with chairs that get moved; a deep pile is softer underfoot but shows furniture dents and is harder to vacuum. Wool hides wear and stains better than most synthetics; a rug pad underneath stops it creeping on timber and adds a surprising amount of comfort.
Questions
Should the rug go under the sofa?
Ideally the front legs, 15 to 20 cm under. It ties the sofa to the rest of the group.
Is a bigger rug always better?
Mostly, as long as it leaves 30 cm or more of floor around it and doesn’t run under doors that need to swing.
What size rug for a 4 × 4 m living room?
Usually 200 × 290 cm, with the front legs of the sofa on it.