| Room or furniture | Rug size | The rule |
|---|---|---|
| Living room, small (10 x 12 ft) | 6 x 9 or 8 x 10 ft | Front legs of the sofa and chairs on the rug |
| Living room, medium (12 x 16 ft) | 8 x 10 ft | Rug a little wider than the sofa |
| Living room, large | 9 x 12 or 10 x 14 ft | All furniture on the rug |
| Twin or full bed | 5 x 8 ft | Under the lower two-thirds of the bed, sideways |
| Queen bed | 8 x 10 ft | 18 to 24 in showing on each side |
| King bed | 9 x 12 ft | 18 to 24 in showing on each side |
| Dining table for 4 (48 in round or 60 in long) | 8 x 8 round or 8 x 10 ft | 24 in past every edge of the table |
| Dining table for 6 (72 x 38 in) | 8 x 10 ft | 24 in past every edge |
| Dining table for 8 (84 to 96 in) | 9 x 12 ft | 24 in past every edge |
| Entry | 3 x 5 or 4 x 6 ft | Clear the door swing |
Leave a border
Leave 12 to 18 inches of floor showing between the rug and the walls in most rooms; up to 24 inches in a big room. A rug that runs almost wall to wall looks like carpet.
Try it with your room
The rug size calculator picks the biggest standard rug that fits your room and your furniture, and draws it. More detail: rug for a queen bed, rug for a king bed and dining room rug size.
Sources
- Room & Board: how to choose a rug size (24 in around a dining table; 18 in to the wall)
- Nebraska Furniture Mart: rug buying guide (8 x 10 for a queen, 9 x 12 for a king; 18 to 24 in beyond the bed)
Sources last checked 1 November 2026.
