How to Place Your Rug in Your Home

A rug is an easy way to add colour, cosiness and personality to your home. We are totally biased, but we would always recommend having a rug if budget allows. A rug helps you create zones within a space, which is especially useful when you love open-plan living. And if nothing else, a rug really pulls everything together.

You may feel like your rug is sitting oddly in your living room but you just can't quite work out why. Well, it's most likely because of the rug size — perhaps it's a touch too small, or just too big for the space. Rug placement isn't rocket science, but it is important to get it right. We've put together these tips and visuals to help you understand the thinking behind rug placement in interior design.

1. Do the planning

Planning goes a long way when it comes to purchasing furniture. Consider the sizes before you buy your sofa and your rug. Ideally, you want the rug to sit just behind your sofa legs, with enough space to spread out on either side and accommodate the coffee table. Depending on your space, you may also want to include an armchair — and if so, the rug should be large enough to anchor that too.

2. Don't be stingy

We don't mean on price — we mean on size. Don't be stingy with the rug size; go big or go home. An undersized rug makes a space feel smaller and does nothing to visually extend the room. So if you're adding a rug, let's do it properly. And of course, if a smaller rug is a deliberate design choice, that's absolutely your prerogative.

3. Measure it out

Seriously — get your measuring tape out and physically map out how the rug would sit in your living space alongside your sofa and the rest of your furniture.

Here is a visual guide on how to best position your rug. 

Our favourite online retailers for rugs

Temple & Webster: A huge range of rug sizes, materials, colours, designs and price points. Great for flexibility and budget-conscious shoppers.

Ruggable: Beautiful rug designs in a variety of sizes, with the added bonus of being machine washable. They also provide helpful visual guides to assist you in choosing the right rug size. 

IKEA: Limited rug range, but very accessible price points and the added benefit of being able to see and feel the rug in store before you buy.

As always, we're here to help. We offer a space planning service that covers floor planning and furniture placement, and our furnishing design package helps you choose the right furniture, textiles, artwork and lighting — making sure everything works together in terms of both design and proportion. You can explore our full range of Design on Demand services here.