Decorating Experts: Help me pick the right rug size!!!!

[neatfreak]

Anyone have tips on how the heck to choose what size rug to put in my space? It's a living room and am looking for something to go under the coffee table. We just got new hardwoods, so I don't want a huge rug that will block the entire thing. We have a 7ft sofa, and our coffee table is oblong. We'd be talking a rectangular rug here...

The other thing to consider is that this room is the same large room as our dining room, and in THAT space I have a large 8x10 rug. I don't want the entire room to be rugs since we just got nice new hardwoods.

I went to the store today and have NO idea what size will look appropriate. Ideas? Tips?

 

[Italiahaircolor]

What is the square footage of your room? What are you trying to achieve with the rug? Is this something to rest your coffee table on, or are you looking to put the sofa on it as well?

 

[neatfreak]

Let's see...the room is maybe 15x25 or something like that? But really cut it in half and that is the living room size. The dining room is the other half of the room.

I guess part of the problem is that I have NO idea what I want to achieve with the rug. I just want a rug darnit! And want it to look cute!

I guess most likely the sofa will not rest on it...

Before the floor replacement I had a 9x12 in here, and THAT purpose was to cover as much floor as possible because it was ugly. So that covered a large chunk of the living room side to give perspective for size.

I'm thinking maybe 5x8? My local store will let me take rugs home and try them, I am just trying to get it right the first time because I am preggo and don't want to deal with the back and forth!

 

[moremoremore]

break out the painters tape...my favorite little friend! Roll it out to an outline of a rug and play around with it!

i''m visual so a pic would help, but I really think that the rug should be at leat the same width as the sofa or it will look off....you can also do a google and just type in some different queries and I bet the answer from the experts is out there!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 8/10/2008 12:16:44 PM
Author: moremoremore
break out the painters tape...my favorite little friend! Roll it out to an outline of a rug and play around with it!


i''m visual so a pic would help, but I really think that the rug should be at leat the same width as the sofa or it will look off....you can also do a google and just type in some different queries and I bet the answer from the experts is out there!

Ohhh painters tape is a great idea...I''m going to do that right now!

 

[moremoremore]

I can''t live without the stuff! Depending on your side seating, just short of the couch width might look nice! Let us know!

 

[somethingshiny]

I agree with MMM on the painter's tape! It's like the duct tape for women!

But, I like a smaller rug in front of a seating area. Something that you can set your table on but still see your wood around the edges in front of the sofa.

Another thing I would try would be to create the same space as your dining room rug (8x10) in the living area. Kind of keeping the spaces symmetrical. So if your couch is 7 ft, orientate the rug so it increases that space to the 8 x 10. Maybe an 8 x 10 rug, but placed under the couch, would give you symmetry.

And, my last thought, if you want a patterned rug, go smaller rather than larger so you don't force yourself into a busy look.


eta- And, go HERE

 

[neatfreak]

Thank SS. Unfortunately those space planners do nothing for me, I am SO not visually inclined at all!

I agree about the smaller rugs...I ordered a 5x8 and the store said that it is something they often stock anyway, so if I don''t like the size, I can switch. It isn''t patterned but it does have a lot of texture.

At least I know that my 8x10 rug is too big because I put it in the LR to see how it looked the other night. I also know that my 3x5 rug I dragged in from the other room is too small. So 5x8 sounded like a good compromise! Have I mentioned that I am HORRID at visualizing anything??

 

[moremoremore]

Me too Neat...I need to see it...do you have your side seating (if any) in place....I would do that before planning a rug but since you ordered once, see how it goes and it''s great that it comes in diff sizes! Best of luck!


You know, if you ever wanted a plain rug (or even some patterns), you can get an unbound rug cut to size and bound...it costs since you pay for the eintire width even if you need less...I''ve had to do it out of necessity before...

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 8/12/2008 2:08:14 PM
Author: moremoremore
Me too Neat...I need to see it...do you have your side seating (if any) in place....I would do that before planning a rug but since you ordered once, see how it goes and it''s great that it comes in diff sizes! Best of luck!



You know, if you ever wanted a plain rug (or even some patterns), you can get an unbound rug cut to size and bound...it costs since you pay for the eintire width even if you need less...I''ve had to do it out of necessity before...

We do have it in place, but it can be moved if it doesn''t work. I''m flexible! The unbound rug is a good idea...I am just so picky that once I found a rug I loved I jumped on it (I have been looking for months!).

 

[moremoremore]

i totally understand that...when you know...you know...

 

[oobiecoo]

Here''s my advice as an interior design student... purchase a rug that will "anchor" your living room furniture. Or if you have furniture out in the middle of nowhere then get a rug that anchors the main seating/conversation area. Usually I don''t put sofas on top of rugs... I''d make it so the rug would be just large enough to go underneath the coffee table and then extend to the edge of the sofa. Of course it depends on a lot of things but thats kind of my rule of thumb. Good Luck!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I would go bigger is this is a room the kiddies are going to play in. Practical I know.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 8/13/2008 8:56:01 AM
Author: Tacori E-ring
I would go bigger is this is a room the kiddies are going to play in. Practical I know.

Hehe that was my thought too Tacori! I doubt we''ll be in the house long enough for them to be toddling around it, but they certainly will be on playmats/blankets on the floor in this room, so I went a bit bigger than I was initially thinking. Thanks!

 

[saltymuffin]

A 5x8 rug is usually a good size for a living room seating area, if you want it to sit in front of (and not under) your sofa. I find with hardwood, it is nice to be able to see a little strip of the wood in front of any sofas, chairs etc, rather than having the rug butt up to or extend under the sofa.

 

[miraclesrule]

Date: 8/10/2008 12:16:44 PM
Author: moremoremore
break out the painters tape...my favorite little friend! Roll it out to an outline of a rug and play around with it!

i''m visual so a pic would help, but I really think that the rug should be at leat the same width as the sofa or it will look off....you can also do a google and just type in some different queries and I bet the answer from the experts is out there!

Awesome suggestion!! Thanks for the one more..... :::::::thumbs up emotcon that I am too lazy to paste insert here::::::

 

[moremoremore]

LOL....no prob! I''m doing it as we speak to hang some pictures....

But even with that tip, it''s usually trial and error....

 

[Dreamer_D]

Will you post a picture when you get it? I''d love to see...

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 8/13/2008 7:49:59 PM
Author: dreamer_dachsie
Will you post a picture when you get it? I''d love to see...

Lol sure, if I can get over my complex. After seeing all the beautiful homes/rooms here on PS my mostly craigslist furnished apartment isn''t anything exciting!

 

[Dreamer_D]

LOL! I''m sure it is great! I love seeing people''s living rooms and how they decorate, it is really interesting to me how much variety in taste there can be.

 

[mela lu]

Hey NF! I'm in the market for a rug tooooooooooooo! my auntie's all chipped in towards a wedding gift for us; and we all decided that a Persian rug would be a lasting gift that was useful and beautiful. Fast forward a year and I STILL haven't found one!

Anyways, I have (i think) a simmilar size living room to you, and we're looking at two sizes: 5x8 or 6x9

They both 'work', but with different looks. the 5x8 gives us that hardwood trim while the 6x9 tucks under the couch. I'm not discriminating size because with the persians, you kind of have to be flexible (you may love the size but hate the colours or the other way round). anyways, that's my 2c!

Post a pic!

 

[mela lu]

Here''s a pic of my room in desperate need of a rug. I don''t mean to threadjack with this pic...just want to see if your room is ''similar'' size.

 

[neatfreak]

Mela, it''s hard for me to say, but I think the living space part is similar in size, at least it looks like it to me. How big is your sofa? That might help to scale it a bit for me!

I got a call from the store and my rug will be in tomorrow or the next day they think! So I will take pictures once it''s home and set up, probably this weekend.

 

[Deelight]

I always suggested to customers to use newspapers when trying to get an idea of what they want in their space, just lay them out on the floor in the shape and dimensions and it is a really good way to get a strong visual of how it will look in your space . Just an idea with rugs as well some can be really hard to vacuum look nice but a pain in the butt something else to keep in mind.

Love hardwood floors I can''t wait to rip up our ugly carpet and polish ours

 

[bebe]

Using newspapers is a great idea, I''ve done this before making big decisions.

Be careful not to buy too small. Just having a rug under the coffee table will often create
a cut, choppy effect. Usually a 8 x 10 is right if the sofa is not oversize.
oobiecoo is correct that the rug needs to be an anchor. The rug should go under the sofa about half way.
But without seeing the room, it''s hard to say what is right!! good luck and let us now what you end up with.

 

[mela lu]

Heya NF. To answer your question, our couch is 7ft wide. I''m not sure how "long" that chaise portion is...not that it matters. Our living room is 14 (long) x 10(wide). Smaller than yours!