Finding The Right Size Rug Plus a Summer Decorating Tip
This past month I have been shopping online for area rugs for two separate clients and thought I would share some tips with you. One project was finding an area rug for a home office and another for a family room. It’s important get the dimensions of the room when you begin the project so you know how large the room is. But how big of a rug to use? To purchase ready made rugs, not custom- sized, there are standard sizes that are easily found online to purchase. I always think visual is best, so here is a guide below:
When measuring for your area rug, first question to ask: Do you want most all of the floor covered, because you have more that one seating area in room? Then I suggest getting a rug size from the recommended rug size guide in the above chart. That will give you approximately 18-24” between end of carpet and wall. If you are looking for just an area rug around a seating area, using the first common size chart above, measure out 8 x 10 or 9’ X 12”, etc. and see which works best. My client measured the space and outlined with masking tape which was a great idea.
I shared a visual measurement rug guide here on where best to place furniture on rugs.
Kelly’s Tips:
To accommodate a mid - to large size living room, an 8’ X 10’ rug is the most popular layout with maximum comfort to add proportion and balance. Place the front legs of your sofa or chair on the outer edges of the rug to maintain stabilization and to void a cluttered look and feel.
For a large room, showcase a stunning 9’ x 12’ or 12’ x 14’ area rug to make a grand statement in a living space. Place your sofa, sectional or accent chairs with all legs on top of the rug for a much more pulled together look and feel in large spaces.
Should a rug be lighter or darker than couch? The rug under couch can be lighter or darker depending on your personal and design preferences. Dark sofas are usually chosen for light rugs and light sofas for dark rugs. If you have a light sofa, a dark rug can provide amazing contrast and vice versa.
If your primary furniture, such as a sofa, is a solid color, consider selecting a patterned rug.
If your primary furniture is upholstered in a pattern or is elaborate in design, a solid-colored rug would work really well together.
Don’t skip the rug pad. A rug pad prevents slipping and sliding and adds a layer of comfort underfoot — especially to a flat weave rug. Rug tape does not work, and will ruin your hardwood floors with its stickiness.
If you have solid- colored neutral walls and sofa, a bold, statement-making area rug is an great choice. You can let your rug decide the color scheme for the room and bring in pillows and accessories with colors taken for the rug.
BUT, if you love your colorful walls or bold print wallpaper, try a light color rug with a low pile. Entering the room, your eyes will be drawn to the walls and the floor space will seem larger. White, cream or light grey would be perfect for rooms with heavy colors on the walls.
Below are a few of my favorites!
And if money is not an issue, you can afford a luxury statement rug like this:
What a great idea for a different summer look. So I tried it out in my guest room and folded up the comforter:
You can really jazz it up with a cool complementary color for the blanket, violet and yellow, blue and orange, etc! Simple but easy and looks great.
Have a great week everyone. Thanks for stopping by!