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Rug Size Calculator

The right standard rug size for your room, table, or bed.

The most common decorating mistake in any room is a rug that is too small. This tells you the standard size that actually fits your room, table, or bed.

How it works

Rug size is driven by the furniture, not the room. In a living room, the rug should be large enough that at least the front legs of every seat sit on it. Under a dining table, it needs to extend far enough past the table that a chair stays on the rug when someone pushes back to stand up. Under a bed, it should reach far enough past the sides that you step onto rug, not floor.

Example

A dining table 72 inches long by 40 inches wide needs about 24 inches of rug on every side so the chairs stay on it — so a 9 × 12 foot rug, not the 8 × 10 that looks about right in the store.

Tips & common mistakes

  • When in doubt, size up. A rug that is slightly too big reads as intentional; one that is too small makes the whole room look like it is shrinking away from the walls.
  • At an absolute minimum, get the front legs of the sofa and chairs onto the rug. A rug floating in the middle of a seating group with no furniture touching it is what makes a room feel unanchored.
  • For a dining room, allow at least 24 inches of rug past the table edge on every side. Any less and chairs catch on the edge every time someone stands up.
  • Leave a consistent border of bare floor around the rug — roughly 10 to 18 inches to the walls. The rug should frame the room, not wall-to-wall it.

Frequently asked questions

What size rug do I need for a living room?

Big enough that at least the front legs of every piece of seating rest on it. In most living rooms that means 8 × 10 feet or larger — and 5 × 7 is almost always too small.

What size rug goes under a dining table?

One that extends at least 24 inches beyond the table on every side, so chairs stay on the rug when pulled out. For a standard 6-foot table that is usually 9 × 12 feet.

Should all the furniture legs be on the rug?

Ideally yes, but front legs on is a perfectly good and much more affordable standard. What does not work is no legs on at all.