When it comes to selecting a rug size, it can feel daunting because there are so many sizes to choose from. Whether you’re looking to transform an existing color palette in your living room or are seeking to effortlessly fold a new rug with neutral colors into your living room, selecting the right size rug should be your starting point.
How Do I Find the Right Area Rug Size?
So, should you go with a small rug, large rug, round rug, or square rug for your living room? What’s the perfect rug to make your living room feel complete?
Finding the right rug size is actually a lot simpler than you might think, and our rug sizing guide makes it effortless. Here, we break down a few of the most popular rug sizes for living rooms, from small spaces to large rooms, and share how to incorporate them successfully into your living room.
One of the most important things to consider when selecting a rug for your living room is what components are at play in your living room and what kind of aesthetic moment you are looking to create with your new rug. When it comes down to it, a rug that is too small for your living room can change the entire flow of the room and throw the interior design off-balance.
You want to make sure that the rug you select offers enough space for all of your living room components to be incorporated or that it’s small enough to create a subsection within your larger living room area.
8x10 Living Room Rug Size
This is the most common and versatile size for large rugs that can be brought into a living room’s seating area. The edge of the rug will easily fit the front legs of your sofa or sectional while still leaving more floor space than a larger rug will.
With ample room to play with, an 8x10 rug is big enough to bring in multiple furniture components and types of couches of larger sizes. It’s also big enough to give a small living room a cohesive look and make the room look cozier.
As a general rule, this rug is large enough to accommodate an L-shaped couch or seater sofas that have two to three seats on them. Additionally, an 8x10 rug can be used with a coffee table, accent chairs, and side tables. However you choose to incorporate your 8x10 rug is up to you, but making sure that it is placed in relation to your living roomfurniture pieces and other home decor is key.
Other rug sizes, such as 5x7, 6x9, and smaller sizes such as 3x5 rugs, can work for living rooms, but the 8x10 area rug size is relatively standard for living rooms. The smaller the rug you choose, the more intentional you may have to be with incorporating it with other elements in your living room.
If your living room is adjacent to your entryway or front hallway, where you might have a runner rug, it’s important to consider how a smaller rug might be best incorporated into your living room space.
5x7 and 6x9 Living Room Rug Size
While we generally recommend 8x10 rugs for living rooms, that is far from the only option. If the room is not quite large enough to accommodate an 8x10, a 5x7 or 6x9 rug can also look incredible.
5x7 Living Room Rugs
In a living room, a 5x7 rug looks its best under a coffee table, with or without any accompanying chairs. It is also well-suited to sitting by otherwise empty spaces, like in front of a fireplace. In that case, opt for a 5x7 machine washable rug so that you don’t have to worry about ash from the fireplace destroying your rug.
6x9 Living Room Rugs
A 6x9 living room rug is ideal for smaller or mid-sized spaces. Not only do they look wonderful with a two to three-seater couch, but they are small enough to really let the flooring take center stage. This size also works well with an L-shaped couch or a chair and a half accent piece.
Picking the Best Rug for My Living Room: Color and Pattern
Though the size is an important component to consider when selecting a living room rug, the aesthetic aspects of the rug are found in the color palette and pattern.
If you’re looking to keep it neutral, bring in a rug that is subtle, yet covers a decent amount of area in the room to connect disparate design elements together.
If you’re looking to bring in a maximalist element or a pop of color, opt for a patterned rug and strategic rug placement that connects with at least one other element or statement piece in the room. Bridging between color, pattern, and size, you can successfully incorporate your new ruginto your living room aesthetic.
Another consideration, of course, is material — whether you get a shag rug, wool rug, or other high-pile option, these might not be best for a high-traffic area like your living room. These make better bedroom rugs that stick out slightly from under the side of the bed to provide a soft surface for waking up. For a living room, we recommend a more durable (yet soft) material such as polyester.
You Don’t Have To Compromise Quality for Design
One of the most difficult parts of looking for a new rug in your home is whether the furniture you want is aligned with the lifestyle you lead. You may have an eye for design but might have to compromise on what you select because you have young children, pets, or high traffic in your home.
But what if you didn’t have to choose between quality and design anymore? Tumble makes it effortless and removes the stress of choosing between quality craftsmanship and lifestyle needs with their spillproof, machine washable rugs.
Each rug comes with a nonslip base pad and spillproof rugs in a select design of your choosing. Offered in numerous patterns, colorways, and sizes, Tumble rugs make it easy for you to make a decision about what you want.
Why Spillproof Rugs Make Sense for Living Room Spaces
Living rooms are often spaces for entertainment, family time, or areas where young children and pets like to enjoy spending time. Whether you’re a busy parent, an animal lover, or are keen on entertaining guests in your living room, it’s important to make sure that you’re considering your lifestyle needs.
A spillproof rug changes the game in a number of ways, the first being that you no longer need to stress or worry about whether a house guest is going to spill food or drink on your rug, ruining an expensive investment.
Not only that, but spillproof rugs make messes even easier to clean up. Tumble’s nontoxic rugs actually repel liquid, meaning that a spilled cup of coffee or red wine will hover on the rug’s surface rather than seeping in.
Not only that, but if a guest forgets to remove their shoes, Tumble rugs are designed to remove the hassle of cleaning rugs at the dry cleaner since they are machine washable. Simply remove the rug from the nonslip rug pad, toss your rug into the washer, and then return it to its spot once washed and dried.
Spillproof and machine washable rugs save you valuable time and money since you no longer have to take a trip to the dry cleaners if your pet has an accident or if food or drinks spill on the rug.
The Bottom Line
Whichever rug size you choose, be sure to remember the three most important components of your interior design scheme. Color and pattern need to work together to create an atmosphere, and whether you’re introducing a pop of color or folding a neutral rug neatly into an existing color palette, selecting a rug for your living room should be a joyous process.
With spillproof and machine washable rugs, Tumble offers the best of both worlds. Selecting handcrafted designs and craftsmanship that are built to handle any lifestyle means that you don’t have to compromise between quality and design.
Sources:
Tips for Decorating with Rugs | The Spruce
Choosing the Right Living RoomArea Rug for Your Home | The Spruce
How to Create a Color Palette for Your Whole Home | Architectural Digest