Rug size calculator

The rules behind the numbers

Living rooms

A rug should connect the furniture around it. The most forgiving layout puts the front legs of the sofa and chairs on the rug, roughly 15 cm (6 in) in from the edge, with the rug a little wider than the sofa on each side. If you have the space, a rug that holds all the furniture legs, with about 20 cm (8 in) to spare all round, makes a seating area feel generous and anchored. A small rug floating in front of the sofa is the option of last resort: it should be at least two-thirds of the sofa's length, or it looks like a mat.

Dining tables

Allow about 60–75 cm (24–30 in) of rug beyond the table edge on every side so chairs stay on the rug when someone pulls back to stand up. The calculator uses 70 cm (about 28 in). Flat-woven or low-pile rugs are much easier to clean and to slide chairs over.

Bedrooms

The usual approach is a rug that starts just in front of the bedside tables and runs under the lower two-thirds of the bed, showing 45–60 cm (18–24 in) on each side and at the foot, so your feet land on something soft. Runners on each side are a good alternative in narrow rooms.

Leave a border of floor

In most rooms, leave 30–45 cm (12–18 in) of visible floor between the rug and the walls, and never much less than 20 cm (8 in). A rug that runs almost wall to wall looks like fitted carpet that has shrunk. If you enter your room size, the calculator warns you when the border would be too narrow.

Read the full guide: rug size guide for living rooms, and our guide to dining table sizes.