Getting a good night’s sleep is vital. And one often overlooked way to create a cozy bedroom sanctuary is to place a rug under your bed.
Rugs add warmth, comfort and style to any bedroom. However, there’s more to learn about properly positioning one so it enhances your space instead of making your room look smaller or feel cluttered.
In this comprehensive guide, as a professional custom rugs manufacturer, we’ll cover everything you need to know about placing a rug under your bed frame, from ideal size and layout recommendations to easy installation tricks.
Why Put an Area Rug Under Your Bed?
Before jumping into the nitty gritty details on size and placement, you may be wondering — why put a rug under there in the first place?
Here are some excellent reasons to add one:
- Warmth and comfort: Rugs add literal warmth and a softer surface underfoot, which is extra nice first thing on a cold morning.
- Style: Area rugs bring color, texture and patterns to your bedroom. They essentially act as artwork for your floor.
- Noise reduction: Rugs dampen sounds from footsteps and furniture shuffling around.
- Protects floors: Placing furniture directly on hardwood or tiles can damage them over time. Rugs add a protective buffer layer.
- Defines spaces: Rugs distinguish spaces within a room, like marking off your sleep sanctuary.
Now that you know why rugs under beds are so great, let’s explore how to choose the right size.
What’s the Best Size Rug for Under a Bed?
Selecting a properly sized rug is critical for achieving balance and proper proportions within your room.
Follow these rug size recommendations based on your mattress dimensions:
- Twin bed: Minimum size 6′ x 9′
- Full/double bed: Minimum size 7′ x 9′
- Queen bed: Minimum size 8′ x 10′
- King bed: Minimum size 9′ x 12′
As a general guideline, the rug should extend at least 18-24 inches beyond the sides of a bed frame. This gives you enough room to comfortably place your feet on the soft surface instead of cold hardwood when getting in and out of bed.
However, don’t stress about following exact size rules. Rugs can be quite pricey, so buy what best fits your space and budget!
Extra Large Rugs (12′ x 15′ or bigger)
Oversized rugs that span nearly wall-to-wall make a major design statement. They effortlessly fill large master suites or bedrooms with plenty of square footage.
Large Rugs (9′ x 12′)
A 9′ x 12′ area rug fits perfectly underneath a king-size bed. For queen or full mattresses, this generous size rug extends several feet on all sides to amply cushion alongside nightstands or extra bedroom seating.
Medium Rugs (8′ x 10′)
While medium rugs sufficiently anchor queen beds with space to spare, they generally only extend halfway underneath king-sized mattresses. Even so, centering an 8′ x 10′ rug under two-thirds of a king frame displays plenty of the beautiful rug design.
Small Rugs (6′ x 9′)
Petite area rugs measuring 6′ x 9′ work well under twin and full-size beds, especially in snug bedrooms. While offering less coverage, creativity comes in styling arrangements like perpendicular placement or pairing two small rugs.
5 Layouts for Positioning Your Rug
Where and how you place that rug makes all the difference in pulling off a polished, inviting bedroom that encourages restful sleep.
Take notes from these popular positioning layouts to find what best suits your personal style and space.
1. Full Coverage Under Bed and Nightstands
The classic rug placement method involves centering it evenly under the entire span of your bed frame and nightstands. This neat, balanced layout emanates harmony. It defines the bed as a focal point while allowing sufficient Cushion Zone margins from walls and other furniture.
While full coverage rugs wonderfully anchor beds plus side tables, the substantial rug real estate does command a larger overall bedroom size for ideal proportions.
2. Partial Coverage Under Two-Thirds of Bed Length
For a creative twist, set your rug to embrace only the bottom two-thirds section of the bed. Doing so keeps costs down with a smaller rug size, while still providing that essential Cushion Zone for stepping onto the rug first thing in the mornings.
This on-trend style brilliantly puts more of your beautiful rug on display. And it can welcome a bench or seating at the foot of bed to join the coziness.
3. Perpendicular Placement at Foot of Bed
Take rug positioning in an entirely different direction with perpendicular placement. Simply set your rug width-wise across the bottom section of your bed frame. Your feet will thank you for the ultra-plush area to land on.
The unexpected arrangement makes small rugs shine. And it can even work with wall-to-wall carpet by layering another rug texture and color on top.
4. Flanking Both Sides of Bed
Who says you need one gigantic rug? Get creative by using a pair of narrow runner rugs to cozy up practical zones on both sides of your bed. People tend to walk most frequently around these high-traffic areas.
Many homeowners specifically utilize 2′ to 3′ wide runner rugs to protect existing carpets or hardwood floors next to beds. And runners come in unlimited color and fabric options to complement your style.
5 Fluffy Rug Islands
When traditional rug positioning just won’t fly in your uniquely shaped small bedroom, improvise! Place a circle, oval or square rug a bit further away from your bed to create an inviting rug “island”. Step into the soft cushion first thing in the morning or when lounging in a nearby chair.
This creative method works wonderfully for studio apartments or kids’ rooms too. And you can have fun pairing colors and textures by layering two rugs together.
How to Smoothly Install Your Rug Under the Bed
Got your gorgeously cozy rug on hand? Let’s cover a few key tips to seamlessly install it under your bed frame.
Lift Bed Legs Onto Thick Book Stacks
Start by lifting your bed frame using sturdy stacks of books, wood blocks or other sturdy spacers under each leg. Raising it a few inches helps smoothly install the rug underneath by allowing clearance to maneuver it.
Unroll Rug Upside Down
For best results visually and safety-wise, always unroll area rugs upside down to avoid slips during positioning. The backing side usually has more grip and stability to stay put.
Roll Out Rug Perpendicular
When unrolling perpendicular positioned rugs, work progressively from corner to corner, smoothing any creases as you unroll. Use your hands to gently stretch and align rug edges under bed legs and furniture.
For positioning rugs lengthwise, unroll progressively from short end to short end. You may need an assistant on opposite sides of the bed to unroll, grip edges and finesse into place.
Allow Overhang Space Around Sides
As a standard rule of thumb, between four to eight inches of rug around the perimeter of your bed frame allows sufficient Cushion Zone stepping space when getting in and out of bed.
Styling Your Rug for Maximum Visual Appeal
You did it — that stunning rug is officially in the perfect spot under your bed!
Now let’s go over a few quick styling tricks to elevate its visual appeal:
- Try playing with rug direction, like placing stripes, lines or patterns vertically versus horizontally.
- Layer shapes by topping a rectangular jute rug with a round sheepskin one.
- Incorporate adjacent accents like a pouf, throw blanket or floor cushions in coordinating materials or colors.
- Allow furnishings like nightstands and benches to slightly sit atop the area rug to neatly anchor them.
- Experiment with bedding hues and patterns that tie to or contrast your rug colors.
Area Rug FAQs
Still have some questions about finding and fitting that dream rug in your bedroom sanctuary? Here are answers to some commonly asked queries.
Is it ok to put an area rug over carpeting?
Absolutely! Layering a cushy area rug over wall-to-wall carpeting adds colorful texture and protects high-traffic zones around your bed from daily wear. Just be sure your rug lays flat without rippling, or use a thin nonslip rug pad.
What size should rug be under queen bed?
An 8′ x 10′ area rug beautifully fits under a queen-size bed and nightstands. But a 9′ x12′ design makes an even bolder statement for larger bedrooms.
How do you keep area rugs from sliding on hardwood or tile?
Try these simple solutions to keep rugs firmly in place on smooth, slick surfaces:
- Use double-sided carpet tape around the edges and under furniture legs
- Install felt rug gripper pads in strategic spots
- Upgrade to a nonslip rug pad under the entire piece
When should you replace an old bedroom area rug?
It’s ideal to replace bedroom rugs every five to ten years. But immediately replace any rug with worn patches, visible backing threads, mildew smells or posing trip hazards from curled edges.
Give Your Bedroom a Cozy Rug Makeover
Now that you’re armed with expert guidance on ideal rug sizes, creative positioning layouts and top styling tricks, you’re ready to give your bedroom a beautiful makeover.
Refresh your space with a dash of color, softness and style by rolling out a plush area rug under your bed frame. Not only will it amp up coziness and visual flair, but it can boost your overall happiness, relaxation and sleep quality.
Hopefully these tips help you install your new rug securely, style it like a pro and better enjoy your morning wake-up stepping comfort. So start browsing for that perfect bedroom rug to tie your gorgeous sanctuary together!