What Size Rug Do I Need? Measure Before You Buy

Buying one size too small is the single most common rug mistake, and it is entirely preventable.

The paper trick

Mark the size out on the floor with masking tape, newspaper or an old bedsheet before you order anything. Live with it for a day. Walk the route. Pull the dining chairs out. It takes ten minutes and it is more reliable than any amount of measuring on paper.

The rules by room

• Living room — front legs of all seating on the rug. Usually 155 × 230 cm minimum, 200 × 300 cm if the room allows.
• Bedroom — 50 to 60 cm of rug either side of the bed and past the foot.
• Dining room — 60 cm minimum beyond the table edge on every side, 75 cm is safer.
• Hall — leave 10 to 15 cm of floor showing each side of a runner.
• Kitchen — a runner down the working side, or a mat at the sink.

When in doubt, go larger

A rug slightly too large reads as generous. A rug slightly too small reads as a mistake, every day, until you replace it.

The washing consideration

One argument for smaller: 120 × 180 cm is the largest size that fits a standard 7 kg domestic machine. Above that you are looking at a launderette or cleaning it flat outdoors. In a kitchen or nursery that may be the deciding factor.