What size rug for a living room? The complete guide

In short: in a living room, the rug should be big enough for at least the front legs of the sofa and armchairs to rest on it. For most living rooms that means roughly 160 x 230 cm (small room) to 200 x 300 cm (medium to large room). Ideally leave 20 to 60 cm of visible floor between the rug and the walls. A rug that is too small is the most common mistake: it “floats” and makes the room look smaller.

Three ways to place a rug in a living room

• All legs on the rug: sofa, armchairs and coffee table sit entirely on it. The cosiest option, ideal for large rooms – it needs a large size.
• Front legs on the rug: only the front legs of the seating rest on it. The most common compromise: it ties the furniture together without requiring a huge rug.
• Rug in front of the sofa: no furniture rests on it except the coffee table. This works in small spaces, as long as the rug is at least as wide as the coffee table and extends well beyond it on each side.

Measure before you buy: the tape method

The easiest way is to outline the future rug on the floor with masking tape. Leave it for a few days: you will see at once whether the furniture legs sit on it, whether you can walk around it and whether the door opens freely.

Measure the clearance under your doors too. Thick wool Berber rugs such as Mrirt rugs are noticeably taller than industrial rugs, so check that a door can swing over them.

What size for which living room?

These figures are a guide. Furniture layout matters more than square metres.

• Small living room (under 15 m²): around 120 x 180 to 160 x 230 cm, in front of the sofa or under its front legs.
• Medium living room (15 to 25 m²): around 160 x 230 to 200 x 300 cm, with the front legs of the seating on the rug.
• Large living room (over 25 m²): 200 x 300 cm or more, so the whole seating area fits on the rug. In a very large room, two rugs can define two zones.

In the bedroom

Under a bed, the rug should extend about 50 to 60 cm on each side and at the foot of the bed, so your feet land on wool when you wake up. For a 140 or 160 cm bed, that usually means at least 160 x 230 cm, laid crosswise under the lower two thirds of the bed.

Alternatively, use two small rugs on either side of the bed, or a runner at the foot. A small Berber rug of around 120 x 180 cm works well beside the bed or in front of a chest of drawers.

Dining room, hallway and study

• Dining room: chairs should stay on the rug when pulled back. Allow about 60 to 70 cm more than the table on each side.
• Hallway: a long, narrow runner leads the eye. Leave a strip of floor visible on each side.
• Study: the desk chair should roll without dropping off the edge of the rug.

What is special about handmade Berber rugs

A hand-knotted rug is not accurate to the centimetre: it can vary by a few centimetres from one side to the other. Always check the dimensions given for each piece. Sizes are also less standardised than in mass retail: at TAKNAJ, rugs range from about 180 x 120 cm to 320 x 210 cm.

For a medium living room, the large Taj Mahal Mrirt rug (260 x 164 cm) takes the front legs of a three-seater sofa and two armchairs.

For a large living room where the whole seating area should sit on wool, the Mocca Mrirt rug (320 x 210 cm) offers a very large size.

Browse all our generous sizes in the large Berber rugs collection, and to pick the right style for your room, see our guide decorating with a Berber rug.

Mistakes to avoid

• A rug that is too small, stranded in the middle of the room: when in doubt, go one size up.
• Forgetting the walkways: you should be able to walk past without tripping on the edge.
• Ignoring the height: a thick rug under a door that rubs will wear quickly.
• Centring on the room instead of the furniture: the rug aligns with the seating area, not necessarily with the middle of the floor.