Rug Size Calculator

What size rug do you need?

1Your room

Where is the rug going?

Room widthmRoom lengthm

Measure the clear floor area, not the footprint of the room — built-in storage and a door swing both take space a rug shouldn't cross.

2Your sofa

Sofa widthcmSofa depthcm

How should the furniture sit?

Front legs of each seat rest on the rug. The standard, and the safest choice.

Estimates only — rug dimensions vary slightly by maker, and hand-knotted pieces are rarely exact. Always check the listed size before ordering.

The rules

How to size a rug for any room

What size rug you need comes down to three ways furniture can meet it. The one you choose decides the size far more than the room does.

All legs on the rug

Every piece sits fully on the rug. The most generous look, and the largest size you'll buy.

Front legs on the rug

The front legs of each seat rest on the rug. The standard for most rooms, and the safest choice.

Floating rug layout

No legs touch. Works for small rooms and layered rugs, but can leave a scheme feeling adrift.

The method

Rug size guide: how to work it out

A rug is sized by what stands on it, not by the room. To work out what size rug you need, start from the furniture, add the clearance your layout demands, then check the result still leaves an even border of floor on show.

Measure the anchor piece — sofa, dining table or bed — and the clear floor area of the room.
Add the clearance your layout rule requires on each side: 90cm for all legs on, 30cm for front legs on.
Cap the result so at least 30cm of bare floor stays visible all round.
Round up to the nearest standard rug size in cm or feet, and check the size above and below.

When in doubt, size up. An undersized rug is the single most common mistake in a decorated room — it shrinks the seating group and makes good furniture look adrift.

What size rug for a living room?

200 × 290cm (6'7" × 9'6") suits most sitting rooms; 240 × 330cm in a generous one. The rug should be at least as wide as the sofa and ideally wider than the whole seating group.
What size rug under a dining table?

Allow 60–70cm beyond the table on every side so chairs stay on the rug when pulled out — a 180cm six-seater needs 240 × 330cm. A chair leg catching the edge is the fastest way to wear a rug through.
What size rug for a king or double bed?

Aim for 60cm of rug either side of the bed — enough to land on when you get up. A king takes 240 × 330cm from two-thirds down the bed, or 300 × 400cm for full coverage.

Rug sizes

Standard rug sizes

Every size checked against the room you entered above.

Size	In feet	Suits	For your room
120 × 170 cm	4' x 5'7"	Bedside, small hallway, under a coffee table alone.	Snug
140 × 200 cm	4'7" x 6'7"	Compact living room, floating layout, foot of a double bed.	Snug
160 × 230 cm	5'3" x 7'7"	Small sitting room, four-seat dining table at a push.	Snug
200 × 290 cm	6'7" x 9'6"	The default living-room size — front legs on a three-seat sofa.	Snug
240 × 330 cm	7'10" x 10'10"	Generous living room, six-seat dining table, king bed surround.	Recommended
300 × 400 cm	9'10" x 13'1"	Large open-plan room, eight-seat table, all legs on.	Works here
70 × 240 cm	2'4" x 7'10"	Hallway, galley kitchen, one side of a bed.	Snug
80 × 300 cm	2'7" x 9'10"	Long hall or landing.	Snug
80 × 400 cm	2'7" x 13'1"	Full-length corridor.	Snug

A large wool rug anchoring a sitting room — "Buy the biggest rug the room can carry. Nobody has ever walked into a room and thought the rug was too generous."

Frequently Asked Questions

What size rug do I need for a living room?

For most living rooms a 200 × 290cm rug is the default, moving to 240 × 330cm in a generous space. The rug should be at least as wide as your sofa — ideally wide enough for the front legs of every seat to rest on it.

Should all the furniture legs sit on the rug?

All legs on is the most generous and most expensive. Front legs on is the standard and works in nearly every room. Floating suits small spaces and layered rugs, but can leave furniture looking adrift.

Is it better to size up or size down?

Size up, almost always. An undersized rug is the most common mistake in a decorated room — it shrinks the seating group and makes good furniture look stranded.

Do round rugs use the same rules?

Use the longer dimension of your ideal rectangle as the diameter. Round rugs suit round tables, bay windows and entrance halls, where they echo the shape of the space.

What size rug for a small living room?

In a room under about 3.5 × 4m, 160 × 230cm or 200 × 290cm keeps the proportions honest. Resist the temptation to shrink further — a small rug makes a small room look smaller. A pale, low-contrast design will read larger than a busy one at the same size.

Can a rug be too big for a room?

Yes. Once the rug reaches the skirting the room loses its edges and reads as fitted carpet. Keep at least 30cm of bare floor visible on every side — that visible margin is what makes a rug look deliberate.

What size rug for an open-plan living and dining room?

Use two rugs, one per zone, rather than a single vast one. Size each to its own furniture — typically 240 × 330cm under the seating and 240 × 330cm under the table — and leave a clear run of floor between them so the zones read separately.

How do rug sizes convert between cm and feet?

The common equivalents: 120 × 170cm is roughly 4' × 5'7", 160 × 230cm is 5'3" × 7'7", 200 × 290cm is 6'7" × 9'6", 240 × 330cm is 7'10" × 10'10" and 300 × 400cm is 9'10" × 13'1". American listings quote 5x8, 8x10 and 9x12 for the middle three.

What size rug goes under a dining table?

Add at least 60cm — ideally 70cm — beyond the table on every side, so chairs stay on the rug when pulled out. A 180cm six-seater usually needs 240 × 330cm.

How much floor should show around a rug?

Leave 30 to 45cm between the rug edge and the wall in an average room, up to 60cm in a large one. An even border matters more than the exact figure.

What size rug for a king bed?

A 240 × 330cm rug running from two-thirds down the bed gives roughly 60cm either side to step onto. For full coverage under a king, go to 300 × 400cm.

Should the rug match the room shape?

Generally, yes — a rectangular room takes a rectangular rug laid the same way. Turning a rug against the room reads as a mistake unless the furniture is deliberately doing the same.

What size runner do I need for a hallway?

Standard runners are 70 or 80cm wide and 240 to 400cm long. Leave 10 to 20cm of floor either side and around 30cm clear at each end, and stop short of a door swing rather than running under it.

What size rug goes under a round dining table?

Take the table diameter and add 140cm — 70cm of chair clearance on each side. A 120cm round table therefore wants a 260cm round rug, or a 240 × 330cm rectangle if you prefer to keep the room square.

Do I need a rug pad?

On hard floors, yes. A pad stops the rug creeping, protects the backing from grit, adds softness underfoot and stops the edges curling. Cut it around 2cm smaller than the rug on all sides so it never shows.

Once you know the size, choose the rug

Hand-knotted wool, flatweave, jute and vintage Persian — filter by brand, colour and style.

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