How to use rugs in your home

In an open-plan space, one rug under the sofa and another under the dining table separate the living room from the dining area with nothing in between. The two spaces stay connected, but each has its place. This and other ways of dividing without building work are in the guide 5 ways to divide an area of the home without a wall.

As a rule, use a single rug per area, sized to the furniture in that area. Several small rugs in the same area break the floor into pieces.

The living room rug brings together the sofa, the armchairs and the coffee table. There are 2 common ways to place it:

• Front legs on: only the front legs of the sofa and armchairs rest on the rug. This is the most common layout, and it holds the rug in place.
• All furniture on: the rug runs under every leg. It needs a large room and a larger rug.

To the sides, the rug should extend at least 15 cm beyond each end of the sofa, and about 30 cm looks more balanced. A LINE sofa, 240 cm wide, needs a rug at least 270 cm long: a 200 × 300 cm rug works. Between the rug and the walls, leave 20 to 45 cm of floor showing.

Here the rug does not serve only the table: it serves the chairs. When someone sits down or gets up, the chair moves back, and all 4 legs should stay on the rug. With 2 legs on the rug and 2 on the floor, the chair is uneven and catches on the edge.

So the rug extends 60 to 75 cm beyond the table on every side. Add 120 to 150 cm to the length and width of the table. A BELLE table of 180 × 113 cm needs a rug of at least 300 × 233 cm, and a 240 × 340 cm rug works. Before buying, pull out each chair as if getting up and see where the back legs land. The measurements of the table and the places are in the guide Dining table sizes.

In the bedroom, the rug is the first place your feet land in the morning. The reference is the bed. The rug runs under the two thirds of the bed towards the foot and extends 45 to 60 cm to each side and to the foot. For a Queen bed, a 200 × 300 cm rug, laid across, meets this measurement.

If the room has no space for a large rug, place a runner on each side of the bed, aligned with the foot of the bed. Bed sizes are in the guide Bed sizes in Portugal, and the rest of the bedroom in 10 essential items for your bedroom.

In a hallway, the runner follows the length and leaves floor showing on both sides: about 10 to 15 cm between the edge and each wall. At the ends, stop the runner before the thresholds, so it does not fold when the doors open. At the entrance, check that the door clears the rug without catching. More ideas for these spaces are in the guide How to decorate your hallway.

• Rug too small: it floats in the middle of the room, away from the furniture.
• Edge in the way: an edge in the middle of a walkway is where people trip.
• Chairs leaving the rug: in the dining room, the rug must allow for the chairs pulled out.
• Rug against the walls: with no floor showing, it looks like fitted carpet.

To see the pieces around the rug, visit the Living room, Dining room and Bedroom pages.

More pieces in the Living room collection.