What Size Rug For Living Room With Sectional?

A new couch is a big and often room-altering purchase. If you upgrade from a standard sofa to a sectional you may notice a transformative change in the living room. The sectional is likely roomy and comfortable, and leaving you in want of nothing. That is until you look down and realize your old rug doesn’t seem to fit with your new sectional at all.

When you select a rug for your living room that has a sectional you need to consider several factors, including the size of the room and the sectional itself. In general, 5’x7’ and 6’x9’ rugs work well for smaller sectionals and 8×10’ work well for average-sized sectionals. For larger living rooms with bigger couches, 9×12’ or 10×14’ rugs are your best options.

Your rug should always be wider than your couch, but the big question is – how much wider? When you are looking for a new rug, you can rely on your instinct to a degree. There are, however, several general design rules and concepts that can help you a great deal. Understanding the basic rules of balance for rugs underneath sectionals will help you a great deal on your search.

Perhaps the biggest factor you need to consider when you are rug shopping is how big your sectional is. The larger the sectional, the larger the rug. Your rug should be at least 8 inches (or more) longer on both sides of your sectional. This means you should only look at rugs that are at least 16 inches longer than your couch.

Remember at least two of the four legs of the four legs of all your furniture should rest on the rug. This is important to remember for those who purchased long L-shaped couches. It forces you to consider both the length and width of the rug.

The type of floors you have can greatly impact the size of rug you should purchase. If you have beautiful finished hardwood floors then you likely want a rug to help protect and tie the room together, but don’t want to cover them up entirely. This means you will want to allow more than the standard 6 inches between rug and wall. This will allow you to show off the great floors while also enjoying the style and protection of the rug.

If you have tile or laminate floors, or flooring that is less inviting and stylish, you may want to consider a larger rug. In order to brighten up a room that has depressing flooring, larger earth or warm toned rugs can bring life into a room without creating a bold distraction that a patterned or bright color rug would bring.

Your room size plays a huge role in how large of a rug you can and should purchase. If you are putting your sectional in a fairly small room, you should purchase a rug that covers most of the room. Try leaving only 6 to 8 inches of space between the wall and the rug on all sides. In small rooms, this often means going with a smaller rug, like a 6’c 9’ or even a 5’x7’.

When you have a larger room, you have many options. You can still go for a smaller rug, but be sure the majority (or ideally all) of the couch is underneath the rug. As a rule, make sure at least two of the four legs of each couch piece are placed on the rug.

The amount of furniture you have in your living room can also play a role in what size rug you get for your living room with a sectional. If your room is rather bare other than the couch and maybe a coffee table or TV stand, you have the flexibility to go large, or a bit smaller. The key is to make sure the rug is large enough to be at least one foot to 18” wider on either side of the couch.

If you have a lot of furniture in the living room, it is best to get a rug that covers up the bulk of the space. Remember to leave at least a 6 inch gap on all sides of the wall. Otherwise, you should consider covering most of the floor. This allows the bulk of the furniture to rest on the rug. No furniture should have all four legs on the hard floor when you have a rug in the room.

The color and textures of your rug also play a part in how large a rug you should purchase. A very busy ors shaggy rug, while bold and exciting to the eye, is best in a smaller size paired with more neutral tones. In other words, if you go with a bold rug, be sure to allow ample space between the rug and the wall, and make sure your other furniture has more neutral tones.

If you select an earthy tone or warm toned rug with simple texture, you can get away with a larger rug (while still following the basic rules). These rugs act more as a canvas to the floor. They also help bring warmth to the room without being distracting to the eye. You can even consider putting a small busy rug over the larger neutral rug. This will allow you the best of both worlds, while not breaking any of the rules.

Rugs are known to tie rooms together. Selecting a great rug for your living room that has a sectional can bring a new life to an otherwise plain space. For rooms with smaller sectionals, it is often best to go with a smaller, but still substantial rug (often a 5’x7’ or 6’x9’ rug works great in smaller spaces). For larger rooms with bigger sectionals, an 8×10’ all the way up to a 10×14’ or larger should work best.

Remember to always allow some space between the rug and your wall, at least 6 inches. Your rug should also be wider than your couch by at least 8 inches on either side. Make sure all your main furniture has at least two legs on the rug. These are all basic rules to help prevent you from getting a rug too big or too small for your space.