A Deep Dive Into Area Rugs

Area rugs are a frequently asked question, so this article covers most of the basics and includes a couple of professional tips at the end.

The Golden Rule of Area Rug Sizing

The number one golden rule to remember when buying an area rug is this:

Make sure there is a four- to six-inch border around all of the furniture pieces and all of their legs on anything that the rug is going to go underneath.

How to Measure

The easiest way to do that is:

• If the furniture is already in place, take a tape measure and go from one end of the sofa all the way to the other.
• Figure that out.
• Add six inches on each side.
• Do the same for the width.

What to Watch For

When measuring, make note of anything on the floor that might cause the rug to be a different shape or need to be a different size, such as:

• A raised hearth
• Bookshelves that project into the room
• An oddly shaped corner that your seating arrangement accommodates, but your rug may interfere with

If you are doing a new layout or plan and need to figure something out without the furniture pieces there, sketch something up. A simple plan makes it easier to know exactly what size rug to get.

Why Rug Size Matters

The area rug defines the space.

It separates one area of the floor from the rest of the room.

• In the living room, it defines the living area away from traffic patterns.
• In the master bedroom, it defines the sleeping area.

A very small rug in front of a bed does not really work. You do not get off the bed in the front. You get off the bed on the side, and when your feet hit the floor, you want them to hit a carpet.

So the area rug should hold the whole space, including the bed and nightstands, if you have them.

Standard Rug Sizes

Once the measurements are down, most prefabricated area rugs will be close to these basic sizes:

• 3 × 5
• 4 × 6
• 5 × 8
• 6 × 9
• 10 × 12
• 10 × 15

These measurements are in feet.

Rugs are made all over, so they can vary a little from those dimensions, but these are the general referral sizes when looking for an area rug.

For living rooms, the three big sizes are usually:

• 9 × 12
• 10 × 14
• 12 × 15

Those sizes typically fit everything into that space.

For open plans or great rooms, the solution is different, and that gets addressed later.

Choosing the Right Material

The next thing to think about is the material.

That depends completely on how the rug is going to be used.

• If it needs to be performance-oriented, such as for kids, pets, or heavy use, choose accordingly.
• If it is going into a master bedroom suite and will mostly be walked on in bare feet, something delicate, silk, and soft may make sense.

There are two basic categories:

1. Synthetic Materials

These include:

• Polyester
• Nylon
• Olefin

These are manmade fibers used in carpets and rugs.

Synthetic products are the real champions if you need an area rug that is performance-oriented.

Some are specifically made to be stain-resistant and wear-resistant.

They are not quite as soft and luxurious as natural fibers, but depending on the construction, they can still feel pretty good.

2. Natural Materials

These include:

• Wool
• Silk
• Jute
• Cotton
• Rayon

Rayons and silks tend to fall into the natural category, even though they can have a little bit of manmade content as well.

Comparing Rug Fibers

Wool

Wool is the granddaddy of all natural fibers and one of the better performers in that category in terms of stain resistance.

It has softness and luxury, and depending on construction, it can feel either very luxurious or kind of firm underfoot.

The biggest drawback is the price tag, because wool is really expensive.

For a legacy rug or a rug for a forever home, wool is often worth looking at.

Cotton

Cotton is another common rug fiber.

It is soft and takes dye well, but it is more delicate than wool and does not perform well in a high-traffic situation.

Cotton area rugs are usually much less expensive than wool products, but they also tend to be almost disposable.

They are good for things like kitchen area rugs by the sink.

Jute, Sisal, and Seagrass

These natural grass woven goods are really good performers in terms of wearability.

They may stain a little more, but they are great for high-traffic situations because they are:

• Relatively low maintenance
• Usually reasonably priced
• Easy to clean

Rug Construction

Another thing to think about is construction.

There is a huge range of categories, including:

• Flat weaves
• Low piles
• Medium piles
• Berbers, which are a loop construction
• Cut and loop, which is a tuft-and-loop construction
• Carved carpets
• Wovens, often known as Wiltons
• Animal hides, real or fake
• Carpet tiles
• Shags, which are still tufted products but have super long piles

Each type has a very specific use.

What Works Best in Different Spaces

The highest-performing product is often carpet tiles.

These are made of synthetic yarns and often come in decorative patterns. They are cut into squares that can be replaced easily when one gets damaged.

They are great for:

• Children’s playrooms
• Garages
• Workspaces
• Mudrooms

For an entry hall, you want something still performance-oriented, fairly low pile, and good with staining and high traffic.

A flat weave or low pile construction in a synthetic product is usually a strong choice.

For a master suite, you can go to the other end and choose a very luxurious wool or silk shag, which is soft underfoot and feels great.

Rugs in Dining Rooms

Some people want rugs in dining rooms underneath dining tables.

A synthetic product is usually best there because staining can be significant.

One drawback is that rugs can make chairs difficult to move back and forth.

One advantage is that they help dampen the sound.

So it can go either way, but those points should be kept in mind.

Rugs and Acoustics

If there is a lovely instrument in the space, such as a grand piano, it is important to put an area rug underneath it.

Stone floors and wood floors often ruin the acoustics.

So make sure there is an area rug underneath the piano.

Don’t Forget the Rug Pad

Another thing that is easy to forget is the rug pad.

You always want to put a pad under almost every area rug situation.

At minimum, it needs to be a non-skid or slip-proof mat.

Anything other than a super deep pile or a shag will definitely need a pad.

Where to Shop

There are many online resources for area rugs.

Some popular options include:

• rugs.com
• Stark
• allmodern.com
• Dash & Albert

For rug pads, places like Home Depot are a practical option.

Rugs are usually a fairly significant purchase, so if you are investing in a legacy rug, it is smart to wait until something may be on sale.

The Pro Secret for Large Living Spaces

A common question is how to deal with area rugs for large living spaces and open-plan layouts, especially when the required sizes are really big.

One way to handle that is to look at suppliers of wall-to-wall carpeting and select a product from there.

Wall-to-wall carpeting is fabricated on a huge roll, typically 12 or 13 feet in width, and unending in terms of length.

People often need sizes like 15 × 18 or even 16 × 20.

Those are very large area rugs, so they would be extremely expensive if made from wool or by a custom rug company.

But if you use a synthetic product fabricated by a wall-to-wall company, you can keep the price point down and still get a generously sized area rug.

How It Works

• Decide on the total square footage, such as 16 × 20.
• Order the roll goods in that size.
• Have the roll cut to the needed amount.
• Send it to a local rug fabricator, or let the mill fabricate it.

Big manufacturers like Shaw and Stanton can make area rugs right at the mill, so a third party is not always necessary.

If there is a seam that needs to be stitched in to make it wider than 13 feet, that is fine. It is done from underneath and will not show.

Finishing Options

There are two common finishing approaches:

• Serged edge: good for deep pile rugs, so the edge is not visible and the pile flows over the sides
• Binding: good for flat weaves like sisal, adding a couple of inches around the edge as an accent strip or blending color

That creates a custom product in exactly the size needed, usually for much less than a fully custom-made rug from a rug manufacturer.

Final Thoughts

Area rugs are a huge subject, but these are the basics:

• Measure carefully
• Choose the right size
• Match the material to the use
• Pick the right construction
• Always use a rug pad
• Consider custom fabrication for oversized spaces