EASY GUIDE FOR RUG PLACEMENT
Our new living room rug is too small. Apparently, I did not memorize the guidelines and suggestions for rug placement.
Like reviewing my biology notes before a quiz, I skimmed over the sizing guidelines. It turns out a 5×8 rug is noticeably shorter than an 8×10 rug.
And it is never a good rule of thumb to
eyeball a rug’s size. I skipped my own blue painter’s tape. tip.
And now I have a rug that shows a little too much flooring.
I repositioned the rug (and the furniture) in an attempt to make the rug work in our living room.
Instead, my rug looks like a snug dres that needs spandex.
No amount of stretching would extend the length and width of my rug purchase.
And then I had to face the truth: I needed a larger rug.
I wish I had thought to return the rug, but the hassle of returning a rug to Costco was not my idea of a Saturday. And I really like the rug!
I knew I could use the rug, but it just was not going to work in our living room.
GUIDELINES FOR RUG PLACEMENT
Here are some general guidelines I have picked up from rug sites. Pottery Barn is a great resource – I shared their guidelines below!
Expert Tip: To make sure your rug defines the space (and doesn’t look like wall-to-wall carpeting), a good rule of thumb is to have 12″ of floorspace between the wall and the edge of the rug.
Place the front legs of the sofa and/or chair on the rug.
I don’t think I have ever placed the front legs of a chair on the rug without the back legs sharing the space. Does that mean my Home Goods chairs need to be repositioned?
Of course, my favorite mid-century style chairs are in my living room.
If you have extra chairs, size up the rug to keep the front legs on the rug for every chair and side table.
Sectional Sofa
I love a fabric sectional. Currently, we have a sectional in our lower level. It does not overwhelm the space so a rug adds a little bit of cozy.
A 9×12 size rug typically works with a sectional.
Unless you have the “apartment” size couches offered at Pottery Barn or Ikea.
TIP: Always measure twice and then add blue tape to the floor to get a visual.
Place your sectional on the edge of the rug and align the front-facing legs on the rug.
Layering a Rug
Just like layering clothes, it is okay to layer rugs.
Layering rugs helps to define a nook, entry, or small office.
The top rug (the smaller one) should show a few inches of the larger rug.
A roll of blue tape is your best friend. It is a great way to adjust the base rug (the larger one on the floor). Add the smaller rug so that both share the attention.
Does that make sense?
TIP: When layering rugs, make sure you are not layering over different flooring types.
Sometimes, rugs are centered in entries or hallways. Layered rugs are best in moderation so they don’t look too busy or bulky.
Use them on a neutral floor like hardwood or vinyl floors. Tiles are a heavy flooring, so layering with a rug might look busy.
Layered rugs make me nervous. Rugs can be tripping hazards, and adding a second rug increases the risk.
This is a quick read on tips when choosing a rug.
TIP: If a room gets direct light with an 8×10 rug, your wood floors will fade. There is nothing fun about your seller telling you their floor has a perfect rectangle of darker stain where their rug was located.I get caalls from sellers freaking out when they move a rug (to make the room look larger) only to find the wood under the carpet is a darker stain.
My go-to floor cleaner is Murphy Oil Soap cleaner.
In my experience, Murphy’s oil soap worked well on faded wood floors.
I love rugs for their warmth and for defining a space.
This post offers tips when choosing a rug!
Pottery Barn has rug-buying tips on their website.
Speaking of Pottery …
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Where do you find your rugs?
