Rug Size Calculator
What size rug should you buy? Pick your room, enter your sizes and see the best standard rug sizes with a to-scale preview, so the rug does not look too small or swallow the room.
How this rug size calculator works
We test the standard rug sizes (3 × 5, 4 × 6, 5 × 8, 6 × 9, 8 × 10, 9 × 12, 10 × 14, 12 × 15, plus round 6, 8 and 10 ft for round dining tables) against the common interior-design rules of thumb, then rank the ones that pass.
| Room | Rule of thumb used |
|---|
| Living room | Leave about 12–18 in of bare floor around the rug. The rug is at least as long as the sofa. With all legs on, it extends about 6 in past each end of the sofa and gives about 7 ft of depth. With front legs on, the rug needs about 5 ft of depth. |
| Bedroom | The rug shows about 18–24 in beyond both sides of the bed and beyond the foot of the bed. Under the lower two-thirds of the bed is the most common placement. |
| Dining room | The rug extends at least 24 in, ideally 24–30 in, past the table on every side so chairs stay on it when pulled out. |
Mattress sizes used: twin 38 × 75, full 54 × 75, queen 60 × 80, king 76 × 80, California king 72 × 84 inches. These are standard U.S. mattress sizes; a bed frame, headboard or footboard makes the bed wider, so add a couple of inches if yours has a wide frame.
These are design guidelines, not rules. They come from widely published interior-design advice, and many designers will go a size up or down. Always lay painter's tape on the floor at the rug size before you buy. The preview is drawn to scale with the sofa wall at the top, and furniture is simplified.
Sources and further reading
Estimates only — not engineering, legal or code advice. Check requirements with your local building department and a licensed professional before you build.
Common questions
What size rug do I need for a living room?
Most designers aim for a rug large enough that at least the front legs of the sofa and chairs sit on it, with about 12 to 18 inches of bare floor showing around the edges. In a typical 12 × 14 ft living room that is an 8 × 10 or 9 × 12 rug. Small rugs that float in the middle of the room tend to look undersized.
What size rug goes under a queen bed?
An 8 × 10 ft rug is the usual choice for a queen bed. It leaves roughly 18 to 24 inches of rug showing on each side of the bed and at the foot. A 5 × 8 or 6 × 9 rug placed under the lower two-thirds of the bed also works if the room is smaller.
What size rug goes under a king bed?
A 9 × 12 ft rug is the usual pick for a king or California king, since a king bed is 76 inches wide and the rug should extend about 18 to 24 inches beyond each side. An 8 × 10 is workable if the bed sits only partly on the rug.
How big should a dining room rug be?
The rug should extend at least 24 inches, ideally 24 to 30 inches, past the table on every side so the chairs stay on the rug when pulled out. A 6-foot-long, 40-inch-wide table needs about a 9 × 12 rug (8 × 10 for a smaller table).
How much floor should show around a rug?
In a living room or bedroom, leave about 12 to 18 inches of floor between the rug edge and the walls. In a large open room, 18 to 24 inches looks fine. Less than 8 inches can look like a cheap wall-to-wall carpet.
Should the front legs or all legs of the sofa be on the rug?
Either works. All legs on the rug gives a unified, cozy look and needs a larger rug (usually 8 × 10 or 9 × 12). Front legs on the rug is the budget-friendly option and works well with a 5 × 8 or 6 × 9 in smaller rooms. Avoid leaving all furniture off the rug in a seating area.