Design Guide: Area Rug Sizing

Area rugs usually come in a range of standard sizes.  The ratio of the length to the width for standard sizes is similar to the “Golden Ratio” of 1.6, which is a popular, visually-pleasing design parameter.  Size availability will vary by manufacturer and specific rug design.  Custom area rugs tend to cost twice as much as a similarly sized standard area rug.

Due to the variability of room size and shape, furniture arrangements, and limited standard area rug sizes, the best way to select a specific rug for a room is to use an interactive computer layout.  As a general guideline for area rug sizing, a rug should be sized to either have all of the furniture off the rug, all of the furniture on the rug, or to anchor the front legs of all the furniture on the rug.  For living rooms and family rooms, the best option tens to be having the front legs of the furniture on the rug to anchor the furniture to a cozy seating area.

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