What size rug?
A rug is sized by the furniture it holds together, not by the room. Three rules, one for each room, and the standard sizes they lead to.
The short answer
Living room: the front legs of the sofa and chairs on the rug, and the rug about a foot (30 cm) wider than the sofa on each side. Dining room: the table plus 36 in (91 cm) in each direction, so pulled-out chairs stay on it. Bedroom: 18–24 in (46–61 cm) of rug beyond the sides and the foot of the bed. Leave about 18 in (46 cm) of floor showing round the rug, 8 in (20 cm) in a small room. These are retailers’ rules of thumb (Bed Bath & Beyond; Ruggable).
Standard sizes
| Rug | Feet | Centimetres |
|---|---|---|
| 3 × 5 | 3 × 5 ft | 91 × 152 cm |
| 4 × 6 | 4 × 6 ft | 122 × 183 cm |
| 5 × 7 | 5 × 7 ft | 152 × 213 cm |
| 6 × 9 | 6 × 9 ft | 183 × 274 cm |
| 8 × 10 | 8 × 10 ft | 244 × 305 cm |
| 9 × 12 | 9 × 12 ft | 274 × 366 cm |
| 10 × 14 | 10 × 14 ft | 305 × 427 cm |
Ruggable’s rectangular sizes; it also sells 2 × 3, 6.5 × 9.5 and 6 and 8 ft rounds. Sizes vary a little between makers.
Under a dining table
| Table | Rug at least | Smallest standard size |
|---|---|---|
| 60 × 36 in table | 96 × 72 in 244 × 183 cm | 6 × 9 ft |
| 72 × 36 in table | 108 × 72 in 274 × 183 cm | 6 × 9 ft |
| 84 × 40 in table | 120 × 76 in 305 × 193 cm | 8 × 10 ft |
| 96 × 40 in table | 132 × 76 in 335 × 193 cm | 9 × 12 ft |
Under a bed
| Bed | Rug width at 18 in each side | Standard size |
|---|---|---|
| Queen bed (60 in wide) | 96 in 244 cm | 8 × 10 ft; a 9 × 12 ft gives 24 in each side |
| King bed (76 in wide) | 112 in 284 cm | 10 × 14 ft; a 9 × 12 ft gives 16 in each side |
Worked examples: the flat on our home page
Living room. The sofa is 2.40 m (94 in) long; a foot wider on each side means a rug of at least 3.01 m (118 in) along it. The rug drawn in the plan is 2.30 m (91 in) along the sofa: by this rule it is short. An 8 × 10 ft rug with its 10 ft (3.05 m) side along the sofa would do it.
Primary bedroom. The king bed is 1.80 m (71 in) wide. Its rug reaches 0.50 m (20 in) and 0.60 m (24 in) beyond the two sides and 0.84 m (33 in) beyond the foot: inside the 18–24 in (46–61 cm) rule at the sides, and generous at the foot.
Check it at real size
In Floor Plan to Home the rug lies under your real furniture at its real size, so you see the border and the legs before you buy. See also the dining table guide and the sofa size guide.
Rug size, answered.
What size rug goes under a queen bed?
At least 18 in (46 cm) beyond each side: 60 + 36 = 96 in, so an 8 ft (96 in) wide rug, run across the lower part of the bed.
What size rug for a 6-seat dining table?
Table plus 36 in (91 cm) in each direction. For a 72 × 36 in table that is 108 × 72 in: a 6 × 9 ft rug.
Should the sofa sit on the rug?
At least its front legs, with the rug about a foot (30 cm) wider than the sofa on each side; otherwise the rug looks too small.
How much floor should show around a rug?
About 18 in (46 cm) all round, or 8 in (20 cm) in a small room. Ruggable suggests 12–18 in around an 8 × 10 and 18–36 in around a 10 × 14.
- Rug size guide (Ruggable) — standard sizes; floor border for 8 × 10 and 10 × 14
- Area rug size and placement guide (Bed Bath & Beyond) — living, dining and bedroom rules
Checked 2026-10-31. Guidelines change and local building codes always come first; measure your own room and furniture before you buy.