Area Rugs. They add so much to the overall look and feel of a room.  They can be the starting point for the color scheme for the entire room, they add softness and visual interest, muffle sound and anchor the furnishings.  They are often one of the largest pieces in the room.  For all these reasons, it is very important that the rug you ultimately purchase be the correct size for your room. Too small and it will look like a postage stamp and your furniture will be floating awkwardly around it. So how do you determine the best size? Your rug should be big enough to fit under the large pieces of furniture such as the couch and chairs.  It should extend at least halfway between the front and back legs. This should not be a problem with wobbly seating as most rugs are not thick enough to cause that to happen. The rug can also be completely under the furniture.  If you have nice floors you want to be sure that you do leave a border of the floor showing around the rug.  In large rooms a border of between 12 – 18 inches is a good amount to leave between the edge of the floor and the rug.  In smaller rooms it is better to leave only 6 – 12 inches of space between the edge of the floor and the rug.

So that all seems pretty straightforward, right?  Well, there are a few other things which should be taken into consideration when determining the size.  Where are the main walkways – where do people walk when passing through the room? You want to be sure that you are not creating tripping hazards with the placement of your rug.  The rug should either cover that walkway entirely or not at all.  You do not want to have it on only part of the pathway since that will most likely cause people to trip on it.  Also, there is one room that is an exception to placing the large pieces of furniture with the front legs on the rug and the back legs off it.  That is the dining room.  If you choose to put an area rug in your dining room (but that’s a whole other decision!), it needs to be large enough so that you have room to push back your chair when getting up without it being off the rug.  This ensures that you will be able to slide your chair in and out easily without getting caught on the edge of the rug.  

With so many patterns and sizes to choose from, I am sure that you will be able to find the perfect rug for your room.  Need help choosing the correct size rug for your home?  Call Carolyn at (609) 618-2863 for assistance.