What size rug for your living room? The calculator
Enter the room, the seating area and the sofa: the calculator gives the rug size to buy, in feet or centimetres, following designers’ rules.
A rug that is too small is the most common mistake in a living room. It floats in the middle of the room, away from the furniture, and the room looks smaller than it is. The right size comes down to three measurements: the room, the seating area and the sofa.
The calculator
Enter your measurements, in feet or metres. The result changes with every number.
Recommended rug
6 × 9 ft
Passes the sofa by 1 ft on each side.
Floor around it: 3 ft to 3 ft 6 in.
Also works: 8 × 10 ft, 9 × 12 ft.
The four rules behind it
- Floor all around. Leave 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 in) between the rug and the walls. In a small room, 20 cm (8 in) is enough.
- Longer than the sofa. The rug passes each end of the sofa by at least 15 cm (6 in).
- Front legs: 15 cm under the furniture. This is the most common layout. The front legs of the sofa and chairs stand on the rug, the back legs on the floor. The seating area holds together without needing a very large rug.
- All furniture: 15 cm more all around. The rug passes every piece by at least 15 cm (6 in). It feels more enveloping, but the room has to be big enough.
How to measure
- The room: wall to wall. In an open-concept space, measure the living area only.
- The seating area: to the outer edges of the furniture. Across, from one end of the sofa and chairs to the other. In depth, from the back of the sofa to the piece facing it.
- The sofa: its length, arm to arm, and its depth. The maker's spec sheet often gives them in inches.
Standard sizes
The most common sizes for a living room, with the longest sofa each one passes by 15 cm (6 in) on both sides:
| Size | In centimetres | Longest sofa |
|---|---|---|
| 5 × 8 ft | 152 × 244 cm | 84 in (7 ft) |
| 6 × 9 ft | 183 × 274 cm | 96 in (8 ft) |
| 8 × 10 ft | 244 × 305 cm | 108 in (9 ft) |
| 9 × 12 ft | 274 × 366 cm | 132 in (11 ft) |
| 10 × 14 ft | 305 × 427 cm | 156 in (13 ft) |
Some stores sell metric sizes, such as 160 × 230, 200 × 300 or 240 × 340 cm. Choose “Metres” in the calculator to see them.
Three mistakes to avoid
- Sizing it to the coffee table. The rug dresses the whole seating area, not just the table.
- Going wall to wall. With no floor around it, a rug looks like carpet.
- Centring it on the room rather than the furniture. In an open-concept space, centre the rug on the seating area.