Bedroom Rug Sizing Rules of Thumb
Finding the right size for your bedroom rug is the number one thing that will make or break your purchase. "If it's too small, it will be lost, and if too large, it can throw the design off balance and be visually off-putting," explains Julia Dempster.
It's all about fit — here's what the experts have to say:
- Don't overfill your room: "To frame the space, I recommend leaving 12-18 inches of exposed flooring around the rug's perimeter. If your bedroom is small, scale accordingly — maybe 8 inches of exposed floor is all you need," advises Chrissy Lesseig.
- Pick the right size for your bed: "An 8'x10' or 9'x12' area rug complements a queen-sized bed. If you have a king-size bed, look for a 9'x12' rug or larger," adds Lesseig.
- Measure everything: "Rugs are a powerful design tool, but it is always imperative to measure the room, the bed, and the bedside tables before choosing a rug. It's important to know standard rug sizes to see what your options are. You have to choose the correct dimensions to make the most impact," explains Dempster.
Using a minimum frame size is an excellent way to determine the largest rug you can fit in your bedroom. Here's how:
- Double the frame's dimensions (e.g., 12" becomes 24") and write down the measurement.
- Subtract this measurement from the length and width of your room's dimensions. The resulting dimensions will give you the largest rug size that can fit in your space.
If the measurements leave you with a rug that's too small, which is common with limited square footage, try a smaller frame of exposed floor (e.g., 6" or 8").
Bonus Tip: Test the Size Before You Buy
Once you've picked a size for your bedroom rug, test it before you buy. To do this test, use masking or painter's tape to outline the exact rug dimensions you've selected on the floor. This test allows you to see how the rug will fit in your room, how your placement looks, and whether or not you need to choose different dimensions.
You'll also need to select a placement before settling on a size and testing it. We've covered several layout ideas in the next section so that you can easily find your favorites.
Bedroom Rug Layout Ideas
Size isn't the only thing that matters when you're choosing an accent rug — placement and room layout are crucial. There are several options based on your square footage, bedroom layout, and overall style. Keep reading to find a good match.
Covering (Almost) the Entire Room
Remember the tip to leave a 12-18" border around your area rug? With this layout, that's all you need to focus on. "To ensure this style works well, you need a large enough rug to accommodate all or most of the furniture in your bedroom on top of its surface. This layout works amazingly well for smaller bedrooms, and if you have the budget for a rug that will fill the room, the results can look spectacular," Zara O'Hare, interior design consultant for Land of Rugs, told Living Cozy.
"This layout works amazingly well for smaller bedrooms, and if you have the budget for a rug that will fill the room, the results can look spectacular."
"You should leave the same amount of floor space on all sides of your rug. Most people seem to like 18 inches. If the space is small, you can go as low as 6-8". But, most importantly, the rug should be centered in the room," adds Allison Kersun.
Two-Thirds Under the Bed
"I prefer to provide a soft landing for bare feet when climbing out of bed in the morning, so I will place the area rug half to three-quarters of the way underneath the bed," says Kevin Francis O'Gara.
The two-thirds placement is the most common way to style a bedroom rug, and it's more budget-friendly than filling the entire room (unless your space is on the smaller side). "Placing the rug underneath the bed but in front of the nightstands is a great placement to create a comfortable 'buffer' zone around the bed," said Cameron Johnson.
"Placing the rug underneath the bed but in front of the nightstands is a great placement to create a comfortable 'buffer' zone around the bed."
Place the rug so that it's under the lower two-thirds of your bed, with the nightstands and legs closest to the wall off of the rug. You'll likely want to position the rug horizontally instead of vertically, as this ensures you'll have plenty of room on either side of the bed to step onto in the morning.
One-Third Under the Bed
"Another incredibly popular way of styling a rug in your bedroom is placing a rug under just one-third of your bed! It works very well in bedrooms designed with the Scandi style in mind — adding a rug under one-third of your bed can add a different dimension to the room's texture! You could even consider layering rugs for maximum impact," Zara O'Hare told Living Cozy.
"Adding a rug under one-third of your bed can add a different dimension to the room's texture."
The one-third placement works well when you're working with a tight budget, as it typically allows you to use a smaller bedroom rug. It provides a soft, insulated area at the foot of the bed and a bit on either side, so you're still protected from those cold floors in the morning. Like the two-thirds placement, you'll likely want to position the rug horizontally for the best effect.
Runner on Either Side
Placing a runner on either side of your bed gives you plenty of space to set your feet in the morning, and it's often less expensive than purchasing one larger rug. "This works well in traditionally designed bedrooms where the bed is placed on the back wall in the center of a room. Using this method to style rugs in your bedroom can add style and substance to your space," adds Zara O'Hare.
"This works well in traditionally designed bedrooms where the bed is placed on the back wall in the center of a room."
"If you select two runners, have them be shorter than your bed but wider than smaller-scale furniture like nightstands," advises Justin Soleimani. This is where the tip to measure everything, including your room, bed, nightstands, and other furniture pieces, comes in handy. Ideally, you'll have the furniture measurements as an easy reference, making it easier to find the right rug.
You can also opt for just one runner, especially if it's just you in your bedroom. And whether you use one runner or two, consider placing another runner at the foot of your bed for all-around padding.
Circular Rug to the Side
If you prefer a more whimsical style, a circular rug on one side of your bed is another excellent option. Smaller circular rugs can save you money over buying a sizeable rectangular rug, and they can even make your bedroom look larger, thanks to the rounded corners!
You might place a medallion area rug under one leg of your bed, like the two-thirds placement, with the bulk of the surface area exposed to one side. Alternately, you can place a small circular rug beside your bed without putting it under the frame.
Best Materials for a Bedroom Rug
The best material for your bedroom rug will depend on your household, preferences, cleaning schedule, and budget. Soft, natural materials and high pile textures are often more challenging to keep clean and beautiful, but they feel heavenly to put your feet on in the morning. Low pile textures and earthy natural fiber rugs (e.g., sisal or jute rugs) are often more durable, and synthetic fibers of all pile heights are typically soft and designed for easy cleaning.
Here are some materials to consider:
- Wool: Wool is soft, natural, and durable. It doesn't do well in high-humidity environments, though, and it can be somewhat challenging to clean.
- Faux fur: Faux fur is synthetic and uber soft but can become flat quickly in high-traffic areas. Most faux fur rugs require a vacuum with the option to turn off the beater bar to protect the synthetic fibers.
- Cotton: Cotton is natural, durable, and easy to clean. It's also soft and often blended with other materials.
- Bamboo viscose: Bamboo viscose is a soft, silky material made from bamboo, but it's highly absorbent, UV-sensitive, and challenging to clean.
- Silk: Authentic silk rugs feel super soft, but they're prone to damage, tough to care for, and UV-sensitive.
- TENCEL™: "TENCEL™ is a silk-like botanic fiber that is soft, strong, and makes stunningly beautiful rugs. More importantly, TENCEL™ is manufactured from sustainably grown forests in a closed-loop process, with 99.8% of the required chemicals reused," explained Chrissy Lesseig.
- Polypropylene: Polypropylene is an affordable synthetic material that's durable and usually easy to clean.
- Polyester: Polyester is another affordable synthetic option designed for durability and easy care. It's often blended with polypropylene in indoor/outdoor area rugs, which are durable and usually machine washable.
- Sisal: Sisal is a natural plant fiber material that's highly durable and often feels rough underfoot. Sisal rugs work well layered underneath softer rugs.
- Jute: Jute is another natural plant fiber that offers high durability. Like sisal, it's sensitive to humidity and can feel rough underfoot, but it works well as a layer underneath a softer rug.
"Texture and comfort are so important in the bedroom, "Kevin Francis O'Gara told Living Cozy. "You're more likely to be experiencing the rug with bare feet, so I like to look for rugs made with soft natural materials like knotted wool and tufted bamboo silk."
"Wool is a beautiful, sustainable material for bedroom rugs that also insulates for warmth and sound. A well-crafted wool rug is a timeless piece. Wool rugs come in monochromatic hues or a spectrum of colors, and all manner of patterns, from ornate and floral to simple and geometric," added Chrissy Lesseig.
Rug Pads and Backing
Rug pads help protect your floors, add insulation, and keep your rug in place — they're great on hard floors and can even add more cushioning underfoot. "If layering a rug on top of wall-to-wall carpeting in the bedroom, you'll want to select a rug without backing, so it sits nicely," advised Shoshanna Shapiro.