Under no circumstances should your sofa be wider than your rug. Even in small living rooms, you still want the relationship between rug and sofa to be right. We're after a balanced look, after all, so ensure the rug extends beyond the width of the sofa.
At least two legs of all main furniture pieces should rest on the rug. The rug should extend 12-18” beyond the sides of the furniture underneath.
We suggest picking a rug size from 8×10 feet to 9×12 feet and ensuring that the rug you buy is at least six to eight inches wider than your sofa on all sides. Run the rug the length of the biggest sofa piece and give 30 to 36 inches of walkway between the larger furniture pieces if your space allows for it.
You need to make sure that your rug is first and foremost proportioned to your sofa – if your sofa is 7′ long (standard is 7′ or 8′) then your rug better at least be 9′ wide so you have a foot on either side.
Too big of a rug may spoil the look of your room making the accents you add less visible and appealing. The second issue you face when the rug is too big for the space, is the risk of creating a trip hazard in your home or workspace. When a rug has an unsuitable size or shape, the rug may be folded to fit into a space.
Changing floor surfaces provide visual stops and starts for the eye. By contrast, having a carpet extend from wall to wall means there is nothing to stop the eye, thereby giving the impression that space is larger than it is.
One large area rug — rather than several small ones — makes a room feel larger. Measure the room's dimensions first. Then select a rug that will rest within 12 inches of all four walls.
Since area rugs are such an important feature in a room, it's better to go big than small. “Rugs that are too small make a room feel smaller,” Andra DelMonico says.
In a living room, for instance, all of the furniture should be on top of the rug. If this isn't possible, it's okay to have the front legs of major upholstered pieces on the rug and the back legs off.
Living room rugs
The width of the rug should be at least equal to the width of the sofa, but ideally be 15 - 25 inches wider than it on both sides.
Use 1 Large Area Rug
The key to using rugs to make a room look bigger most often comes down to size. A correctly sized rug gives the illusion that your room is bigger than it is, though other factors contribute to that vision.
Large sectionals, around 7' x 8' or so, pair well with 8' x 10' rugs. Smaller sectionals that are 6' pair well with 6' x 9' rugs.
If your sofa is a light neutral and all one color, go for a patterned rug to break up the solid block of color. If your sofa is patterned or more than one shade, choose a solid-colored rug. A light-colored rug will make the room look bigger while a dark color will close it in more.
Carpet padding is a type of foam cushion used underneath carpeting. Without the right padding, a new carpet may not lay as well or can be uncomfortable. Choosing the correct padding thickness will depend on your carpet's style and purpose.
The entryway is one of the most high-traffic areas in the home, so placing a small rug by the front door is a great way to not only add style to the space, but keep your floors clean and dry. Try a small 2'x3' or 3'x5' entry rug just inside the front or back door of your home where people can wipe their feet.
Is it dumb to put a rug over a carpet? No, it's not. First, carpeted floors are expensive to clean. But layering an area rug adds a stylish shield allowing you to clean a spillage before it stains.
Use Round or Oval Rugs
To make your room look bigger, swap the traditional rug shape for an oval or rounded one. Applewhite explains that oval or round rugs don't define the floor space like a rectangular rug would typically do, giving the illusion of more space.
The rug should be large enough that the entire front of the couch is on it. With few exceptions, the rug should be big enough that at least two legs of all other furniture in the room are on the rug. If all the furniture in the room is entirely on the rug, the rug is probably too big.
Too much darkness can make a room look smaller. So, if you have a small room, then choose a light-coloured carpet. Another way to maximize the use of carpet in a small room is to make the rooms appear wider. This can be done by choosing a patterned carpet or using vertical stripes on the floor.
Typical living room rug sizes are 8'x10′ and 9'x12′. Make sure your rug is at least 6″ wider (8″ is ideal) than your sofa on both sides. Typically run the rug the length of the sofa.
Use light-colored rugs
They are ideal to make a room look bigger and plusher. With dark colors and patterned floors, you make the eye look inward thereby giving it a narrower look.
Jeanette Fusco, interior designer at HiHomePicks says, 'generally speaking, lighter carpets will make a room look bigger, while darker carpets can make a room feel cozier and more intimate. Neutral colors like beige, gray, and taupe can help to make a room look bigger and brighter.
“Buyers like carpet in bedrooms, especially in basement bedrooms, for comfort and warmth.” Carpet is also much quieter to walk on than other types of flooring and can help absorb noise. It can mask sounds, such as footsteps and squeaky floors, Fisher adds.