Rug Size Calculator
Get the right rug size for a room — set the bare-floor border you want to keep, and see the ideal rug dimensions and the nearest standard size.
Recommended rug size
The ideal size leaves an even strip of floor to the walls. In a living room, size up so the front legs of the sofa and chairs rest on the rug; under a dining table, allow enough overhang that chairs stay on the rug when pulled out.
The rug that grounds the room
A rug that's too small is the most common decorating misstep — it floats like a stamp in the middle of the floor and makes the furniture around it feel adrift. Sizing the rug to the room, with an even border to the walls, anchors the whole arrangement and defines the zone within an open-plan space.
Start from the room and the border, not from a rug you've already seen. Once you know the ideal footprint, it's easy to shop the nearest standard size up or down and know exactly how it will sit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size rug should I get for my room?
A tidy look leaves an even strip of bare floor between the rug and the walls, so the ideal rug is the room shrunk by twice that border on each side. Enter your room dimensions and the border you want, and the calculator gives the ideal rug size plus the nearest standard size that fits inside it.
How big should the border of floor around a rug be?
Around 0.45 metres (about 18 inches) is a common target, and the tool defaults to it. A smaller border of 20–30 centimetres reads as a larger, more generous rug; a bigger border makes the rug float in the middle. Keep the border even on all sides so the rug looks centred.
Should furniture sit on the rug?
In a living room, a rug looks best when at least the front legs of the sofa and chairs rest on it — that ties the furniture grouping together. A rug too small to reach any furniture floats and makes the room feel disjointed, which is why sizing up to the room usually beats sizing to a single piece.
What rug size goes under a dining table?
Pick a rug large enough that the chairs stay on it even when pulled out to sit down — roughly 0.6–0.7 metres of rug beyond the table edge on every side. Measure your table, add that overhang all round, and compare it to the ideal size this tool suggests for the room.
Why does it suggest a standard size smaller than the ideal?
Rugs are sold in fixed dimensions, so the tool snaps to the largest standard size that still fits inside your bordered zone rather than one that would crowd the walls. If you'd prefer a fuller look, a slightly larger rug with a smaller border is fine — just check it won't reach under doors or into a walkway.
A general guide from the room size and border you enter. Standard sizes vary by retailer — measure the actual rug and lay it out with the furniture before you commit.