A living room is one of the most important rooms in your house. It’s where you drink your morning coffee, relax after work, and gather for movie and game nights. As one of the most used rooms in your home, it’s important to make it cozy and comfortable. And a big part of that is grounding the space with a rug!
But it can be difficult to know the right rug size for your space. There are so many variables and living room design ideas to consider—your room shape and size, the furniture in your space, and the overall layout. And then there are the inevitable questions of, “Why are rugs so expensive?” and “Should I skimp or splurge on a rug?”
But today, we’re hoping to simplify the process. Let this blog post be your guide to walk you through living rooms with rugs—from the various living room rug size options to ways to design them within your space—so you can determine which is right for you.
What Rug Sizes To Consider
First, let’s talk about rug sizes. In most cases, you’ll be choosing between a 6×9, 8×10, or 9×12 area rug. You might think that the size you choose depends on the size of your living room—but as we’ll show you below, you can actually opt for any of these sizes in the same room. But each size will have a different look and feel.
A 6×9 area rug, being the smallest area rug size you’d want to go for, will typically sit in front of your furniture—or, at most, you’ll just have two legs of an accent chair sitting on top of the rug. Since you want it covering as much visible floor space as possible, you won’t want this sitting under the front legs of your sofa. This is a great option if you have a special vintage or heirloom rug that you want to showcase and not partially cover up with furniture. You could also layer a 6×9 rug over a larger flat-weave rug if you want more surface area covered. (Here’s our guide to natural fiber rugs if you want to explore that option.)
An 8×10 area rug is the most common rug size used in a home. It gives you the dimensions you need to create some overlap with your sofa and other furniture, which gives a cozier vibe than a 6×9 rug. And, since it’s the most common size throughout homes, it also offers the versatility of being able to swap rugs to different spaces throughout your home when and if you want to switch up your look!
Since a 9×12 is one of the largest rug sizes, it’s also going to be the most expensive choice.
However, if you have the square footage and budget for it, this is a great option for covering and protecting large floor areas. It also gives you lots of room for lounging or for your kids to play on the rug! (Kids love the coziness of a plush rug.)
