One of the most common questions our designers encounter is, “What is the appropriate size rug for my space?” Whether it is opting to not go with a rug or going with a rug that is too small, it is a common decorating mistake that many people make. Why is it something so simple as choosing a rug can be so complicated? Well, as it turns out, rugs play a huge role in how our home’s style looks and even how our furniture is arranged. 

So, without further ado, let’s break it down to the nitty-gritty of picking the perfect rug for your home. 

Mistake #1: The One When A Rug is Too Small or Too Big

Our interior designers see this common mistake over and over. Choosing a rug that’s too small will make the room feel crowded as you’ll try to fit it all within the rug’s borders. However, when the rug is too big, the room can also feel fragmented. When the rug is not the right size you can break up the space and cause a disconnect between your furniture, the different textures, and the overall feel.

Solution: A good rule of thumb for choosing the correct rug size is to ensure that all major pieces of items can touch the rug. This will ground the room without making it feel to cramped or like the room is floating.

Mistake #2: The One When you Chose the Wrong Type

When you’re rug shopping you’ll notice that there’s so much more to rugs than textures and colors. Rug materials can be nylon, wool, jute, polyester, sisal; the list goes on. There’s a purpose for these different styles of materials. For example, a wool rug has a more luxurious feeling, they’re incredibly durable, but they also retain water, so any humid space is not the right one for a wool rug. 

Solution: Be selective of the type of rug you choose. Think about durability, but most importantly, purpose. If you’re buying a dining or living room rug, you’ll want one that’s stain-resistant and probably waterproof versus a rug for the bedroom that could be more plush and comfortable. 

Mistake #3: The One When You Don’t Know to Place the Rug

Even if you’re able to spare, making the first two mistakes, most people fail to succeed. Most people think everything should sit on top of the area rug, and they call it a day. Then, the only problem is that you don’t get to showcase the rug. Part of making sure this doesn’t happen is avoiding the first two mistakes. When in doubt, always go bigger; after all, you can always add more furniture or decorative elements. 

Solution: Your goal should not be to cover the entire surface area of the rug, you want to leave enough open space to avoid crowding. Be creative, some people like to style their furniture that slightly overlaps the rug and the bare floor. For example, the front legs of your living room sofa can hover over your rug, there’s no need to put the entire sofa on the rug. 

Mistake #4: The One When You Forget the Rug Pad

FiberSoft Extra Thick Rug Pad from Overstock

Most of the time you’re so focused on finding the perfect rug that you forget about the pad. An area rug is meant to provide comfort. However, when you skip the rug pad, that so-wanted comfort is often missing. These pads are there to offer additional padding and support. They also help prevent slippage and extend your rug’s life. Without a rug pad, your rug is set ree to move, slide around your floors, and loose its position.

Solution: Whether you’re buying a rug for an indoor or an outdoor setting, you want to invest in the right rug pad. Trust us, the difference is significant. Not only will your rug stay in place, but it will feel more comfortable and cushioning.

Mistake #5: The One Without the Cleaning Instructions

Even when you’re the cleanest person, unless you’re Monica Geller, odds are you don’t pay close attention to the cleaning instructions. to care for your rug you have to make sure you’re using the right cleaning products. Otherwise, you run the risk of ruining your beautiful rug. Most rugs will do well with water and soap. However, you can ruin a natural fiber area rug if you let it sit with too much moisture.

Solution: Take the time to read through the best cleaning instructions. Perhaps your natural rug needs a dry carpet cleaning solution. Maybe you need to send your carpet to professional cleaners. All of these are huge factors to consider when choosing the best area rug for your home.

How to Choose the Right Rug

Now that you’re aware of the most common design mistakes, it’s time to learn a few tricks on how to choose the right rug in the first place. Let’s walk through each room you’ll want to add an area rug to designate the space better and ground the furniture. Don’t worry, even if you still have questions after reading these guidelines you can always consult with our designers when you go rug shopping. to avoid falling for rug design mistakes. 

The Bedroom Rug

When it comes to your bedroom rug, it genuinely depends on the type of style you’re looking for. Generally speaking, you have two different options, to start with the basics:

• You have all legs of the bed and surrounding furniture—like nightstands and a bench at the foot of the bed—on the rug. Leave at least 18 to 24 inches of space around the outer edges of the furniture.
• You have two-thirds of the bed on the rug—meaning the rug should start just slightly in front of your nightstands.

When it comes to the bedroom rug, you can get away with a more cushioning style. Don’t be afraid to choose a plush style, after all, you want this to be beyond comfortable on your feet. You also don’t need to worry as much about stains and spills in the bedroom, which gives you more fabric options.

The Living Room Rug

Rug styling for the living room is eerily similar to bedroom rugs, it all depends on the furniture available. You can have all the furniture legs sitting on the rug. With this layout, the rug should extend at least six inches past each piece of furniture. If you have a smaller living room, opt to have only the front legs of the furniture on the rug. 

Keep in mind that you living room is an area prone to tons of stains, wear and tear, and spills. Food, drinks, coffee, so many things can damage your rugs. So, while you’re rug shopping for your living room, look for water-resistant and stain-resistant fabrics that can resist this type of damage. Usually, these fabrics will be less porous and you’ll be able to clean the mess with a damp cloth and call it a day.

The Dining Room Rug

Once you finally add a rug to your dining room, you’ll see a difference. The rule is clear and simple: Make sure that all chairs sit comfortably on the rug, ensuring that the rug extends 36 inches beyond all sides of the table. Period. 

Similarly to your living room rug, you want to invest in a stain- and water-resistant rug for your dining room. Whether you have children or not, we all know that food always falls at one point or another. When you invest in the right type of fabrics, you can prevent these accidents from permanently damaging your beautiful rug.

Need a Rug Expert? Say No More!

If all these rug placing rules are giving you a headache, don’t worry, we’re here to help. Okay, we might not be rug experts per se, but we can definitely help you figure out what’s the best rug solution for each room in your home. We’ll leave the cleaning instructions and care solutions to the experts though. 

Stop making these common rug design mistakes and start a project today. Answer a few questions and consult with our interior designers to find the perfect rug and furniture accents to create your dream space and spark a little joy in your home.