A rug that is too small makes a room look smaller. A rug that is the right size pulls the furniture together and makes the whole space feel calmer. Here is a simple way to choose, room by room.
Living room
Aim for a rug that the front legs of your sofa and chairs can rest on. For most UK living rooms that means 140 x 200cm or 160 x 230cm. If the room is small, 120 x 160cm under the coffee table still works well, as long as it is wider than the table itself.
Bedroom
Either place a large rug under the lower two thirds of the bed, so it shows on both sides and at the foot, or use a runner of around 80 x 160cm along one side of the bed. The runner is the simplest option and gives you somewhere soft to step in the morning.
Hallway and small spaces
Leave about 10 to 15cm of floor showing around the rug on every side. That border makes a narrow space look tidier and stops doors catching on the edge.
Measure before you buy
- Mark the size on the floor with masking tape and live with it for a day
- Check that doors clear the rug when they open
- Leave a walkway of at least 60cm around furniture
Colour and texture
A plain or softly textured rug in cream, sand or warm grey suits almost any room and will not date. The Narvik rug is made this way, with a fine brushed texture, and comes in four sizes from 80 x 160cm to 160 x 230cm.
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