The Do’s And Don’ts Of Placing Large Rugs In Your Home Décor 

It’s an exciting moment for your home décor when you’re in the process of shopping for large rugs, but things can get really complicated if you make even the slightest of mistakes when actually placing these large flooring options.

No rug shopper wants to make a rug placement or sizing mistake, because this will essentially throw your entire décor theme and ambience off. We’re here to help you avoid these types of mistakes by providing the below list of do’s and don’ts oriented around placing large rugs in your home.

So, if you’re in the process of shopping for a large area rug, check out the below sections to see what you should be keeping in mind—before you pull the trigger on a purchase! 

DO Extend Your Large Rug Underneath Your Space’s Furniture 

Coordinating your rug’s size with your room’s furniture is undoubtedly one of the most complicated aspects of placing area rugs within existing home décor, because a lot of people aren’t quite sure if their rug should go partially or fully underneath their furniture. 

Answering this dilemma often depends upon your space’s unique parameters, as well as your existing furniture setup. Here are some furniture placement tips based upon specific household areas: 

  • Living Room Rugs: Make sure that your new living room rug is at least large enough to go underneath the front legs of your main furniture pieces. You should also give at least a few inches of rug underneath these front legs for proper anchoring. Although you can keep your furniture back legs off your rug and still maintain a great aesthetic, it’s also possible to extend your rug size to the back legs as well—especially if your furniture is on the smaller size. 
  • Bedroom Rugs: A good tip for bedroom rugs is to place the edge of the rug against the room’s wall near the head of your bed, and make sure that you’re giving at least 18 inches of space on either side of your bed for placing nightstands on top of your rug. Bedroom rug placement is incredibly important, because it anchors your décor together and ensures a cozy atmosphere. 
  • Dining Room Rugs: Dining room rugs are supposed to be big enough to go underneath an entire table and chairs. This means that you chair legs should still be on top of the area rug when they’re pulled out, which usually requires about three feet of rug space along the edges of your dining room table. 

DO Choose Large Rugs When You Want Your Living Room To Appear Bigger 

This might seem like it wouldn’t work, but large area rugs go a long way to make residential spaces like living rooms seem bigger than they actually are. For example, if your living room has a sectional couch, you should consider placing the whole couch underneath your new area rug to create an aesthetic anchoring. 

Some of the most common living room rug sizes include: 

  • 7×9 ft.
  • 8×12 ft.
  • 5×7 ft. 
  • 9×10 ft. 
  • 9×12 ft. 
  • 12×18 ft.

DO Cover Your Home’s Most High-Traffic Spaces 

If your home has any pass-through areas or high-traffic spots, it’s important to fully cover these spaces with area rugs. Large rugs typically are a great option when your high-traffic areas entail a significant amount of square footage, because these investments will protect your floors from scratches and all sorts of wear and tear.

And just remember that area rugs are a lot easier to maintain as compared to wall-to-wall carpeting! 

DON’T Get A Bedroom Rug That’s Too Small 

Soft area rugs do a great job at adding comfort in your bedroom, so you won’t want to go too small with this rug purchase and miss out on those cozy first and last steps of each day! 

This is one reason why bedroom rugs should be noticeably larger than your bed size, and you’ll also want to leave enough space for your nightstands to be properly anchored as well. 

DO Leave Equal Spacing On Your Rug’s Sides 

It’s also important to leave the same amount of spacing on all sides of your area rugs, regardless of which room you’re decorating. A common example of this would be centering your sofa on top of your living room rug by giving about two feet of space on each side. 

And just remember that your main aesthetic goal is always to have your area rug centered within your room’s décor, because this will help ensure that it’s the focal point of attention. 

DON’T Put Your Fanciest Area Rugs In Danger 

It’s a common mistake for people to place their fanciest and most expensive area rugs in their living rooms or high-traffic areas. Our advice is to place your fanciest rug in a place where it can truly shine as a décor focal point; however, you should also be sure to avoid dangerous situations like stains, spills and daily wearing as well. 

Although rugs might be easier to clean as compared to traditional carpeting, it’s still tough to remove pesky stains that are often caused by pets and children. This is why you should consider easy-to-clean, low-maintenance rug options when you’re concerned about your lifestyle and commonplace stains. 

DON’T Let Large Rug Investments Scare You Away 

The most common home décor mistake regarding area rugs is going too small, and a lot of people are afraid of purchasing large rugs because they typically come with a higher price tag. 

What’s important to remember is that purchasing the correct rug size ultimately saves you a ton of time and hassles associated with replacing rugs that don’t fit correctly. Although you might have to spend a little more on a larger option, you’ll be much happier in the long run! 

DO Keep Rug Pads In Mind 

Every rug purchase needs to come with a proper rug pad, but a lot of rug shoppers don’t realize just how many rug pad options are out there. 

Rug pads are an important investment because they’ll protect your floors and provide added cushioning underneath your rug. Be sure to plan out your rug pad needs appropriately while you’re rug shopping, and a good idea is to purchase a slightly larger rug pad and trim it down to a perfect fit! 

Check Out Rug Source’s Vast Online Selection Of Large Rugs!

There’s a lot to think about when you’re in the process of shopping for large rugs online, because knowing your perfect size and aesthetic match can be difficult while browsing webpages. 

The good news is that there are renowned online rug outlets like Rug Source who’ve changed the game when it comes to browsing for rugs on the internet. What they do is team you up with one of their industry specialists, who’ll take the time to glance through your own household pictures and let you know which options are best for your unique needs and interests. 

Rug Source also features an industry-leading shipping and return policy that protects online shoppers from all sorts of common pitfalls. So if you’re currently in the market for new area rugs, check out Rug Source’s website via the link at the top of this page!