The age-old question: should your living room rug be wider than the couch?
As a professional custom rugs supplier, it’s something I get asked a lot. And there are some good arguments on both sides. Ultimately, there is no definitive “yes” or “no” answer. But there are a few guidelines you can follow to make sure your rug perfectly complements your couch and living room.
Why Rug Size Matters
Let’s start with why properly sized rugs are so important in the first place.
First, a rug that’s too small can make your living room feel disjointed and awkward. On the flip side, an oversized rug might overwhelm a room.
Second, rugs can define spaces within a room. A nicely sized rug under and around a couch helps distinguish that as the primary sitting/conversation area.
Finally, the right rug dimensions help balance out proportions in a room. If your couch takes up a 8′ x 10′ area, a 3′ x 5′ throw rug probably won’t cut it.
The “Wider Than The Couch” Debate
The old rule of thumb is that a rug should be 36-48 inches wider than the couch. In other words, about 3-4 feet extended beyond either side.
For example, if you have a standard 8′ couch, a good target rug size would be a 10′ x 14′ area rug. That gives you 3 feet of rug on both sides of the 8′ couch.
However, more designers are bucking that trend, saying that exact proportion isn’t always necessary. Sometimes, having a rug the exact same dimensions as a couch can work perfectly fine.
Tips For Getting The Rug-To-Couch Ratio Right
Rather than obsessing over specific proportions, focus first on practical considerations:
- Make sure bare floor isn’t exposed when you’re sitting on the couch. Extending rug borders 12-18 inches beyond the couch usually does the trick.
- If possible, make sure furniture front legs sit on the rug without stretching to reach it.
- Leave enough bare floor exposed for walkways/traffic flow around seating areas. Around 18-24 inches of bare floor between rug and nearest obstacles is good.
Once functional needs are met, you can tweak based on visual aesthetics:
- Balance proportions based on room size. Oversized rugs can overwhelm small rooms and vice versa.
- Try different rug placements and visualize each. Seeing it in the space is better than measurements.
- There are always exceptions. Floating minimalist couches on a small rug can work with the right layout.
The most important thing is that your eyes like the rug-to-couch dynamic. If it looks good to you and functions well, specific size guidelines matter less.
Key Takeaways
To wrap things up, focus first on practical considerations when choosing living room rug dimensions. Then tweak based on aesthetics and proportions within the space. Sticking to the old “36-48 inches wider” rule isn’t always necessary.
The Bottom Line
The debate on whether a rug should be wider than a couch has compelling arguments on both sides. But by focusing on functionality first and visual cohesion second, you’re more likely to find rug dimensions that work perfectly for your space.