Where To Place Area Rugs In A Living Room

Finding the perfect area rug to anchor your living room decor can be an exciting opportunity to add warmth, texture and style to your space. But simply tossing a rug into the middle of the room won't do. Proper area rug placement is crucial for creating a pulled-together, inviting living room.

From choosing the right size rug to optimal furniture arrangement, we'll cover everything you need to know to beautifully blend form and function.

Benefits of Proper Area Rug Placement

Before diving into the specifics, let's first look at why mindful rug placement matters in this main gathering space of the home:

• Defines spaces and zones. Area rugs delineate seating spaces, entryways and other zones within an open floor plan.
• Adds comfort underfoot. Rugs make hard surface flooring like tile, wood and laminate more comfortable and warmer.
• Unifies decor. Area rugs pull together furniture, accessories and accent colors into a cohesive style statement.
• Anchors furniture arrangement. Rugs ground and stabilize the layout of seating areas.

Given their transformative design power, it's clear why carefully positioning living room rugs is so important for both form and function.

Key Principles for Living Room Area Rug Placement

To harness the full decor potential of area rugs, there are some fundamental placement principles to follow:

Leave A Border

Rugs should not abut walls. Allow for a border of visible flooring about 10-12 inches wide between the rug's edges and surrounding walls. A rug crammed wall-to-wall makes a space feel smaller and cluttered.

Front Legs On The Rug

In seating areas, the two front legs of chairs, sofas and ottomans should rest atop the area rug. This visually "grounds" the furniture on the rug. Leaving the back legs off prevents the rug from looking too small.

Proportional Scale

Choose an area rug size that's proportional to the size of your furnishings. A rug that's too small gets lost, while an oversized rug overwhelms the room.

Allow Walkways

There should be enough area rug space to allow walking between seating areas without stepping off the rug. This ensures comfort underfoot.

Choosing the Right Rug Size

One of the most important rug placement decisions is choosing the best size option for your living room's floor plan and furniture layout. Here are some size guidelines:

Minimum Size

At minimum, the rug should be large enough that the front legs of all major seating pieces can fit on the rug. For example, both front legs of a sofa and facing loveseat should rest on the rug to anchor the seating area.

Moderate Size

A moderately sized rug extends under the full footprint of primary seating. For a sofa, the entire base of the sofa sits atop the rug. This creates a more polished, pulled-together look.

Maximum Size

For a grand, expansive look, choose an area rug that extends underneath all furnishings in the space. This "wall-to-wall" rug makes the living room feel larger and more flowing.

Arrangement Styles for Living Room Rugs

Where you ultimately position the area rug depends on your desired layout. Here are some of the most popular area rug arrangement options:

Floating

A floating rug arrangement places the area rug centrally in an open seating area. The rug is not tucked under any furniture, appearing to "float" freely. This creates a casual, eclectic look.

Anchoring

This traditional placement anchors area rugs underneath the front legs of sofas, chairs and other seating. It makes furnishings feel grounded and stable.

Defining

For a polished finish, defining rug placement situates the entire footprint of all furnishings atop the same rug. The rug visually defines and unifies the furniture grouping.

Tips for Planning Your Layout

Ready to find the perfect rug and arrangement for your living room? Here are some tips to make the process easy:

• Measure your room size and furniture dimensions.
• Sketch possible layout options on grid paper first.
• Browse for rug sizes and shapes to suit your floorplan.
• Finalize the arrangement before purchasing the rug.

Choosing the Right Rug Style

Beyond placement and size, selecting a rug style that fits your living room's aesthetic is key. Here are some popular options:

Textured Moroccan-Style

Hand-knotted Moroccan rugs add global flair with their colorful geometric patterns. The thick pile and textured look bring depth to boho, eclectic or traditional spaces.

Scandinavian-Inspired

For modern, minimalist interiors, consider a simple Scandinavian-style jute or wool rug. Their natural tones and textures complement mid-century and contemporary decor.

Vintage Persian

Antique Persian rugs telegraph old-world elegance with ornate medallions, arabesques and intricate detailing. They bring a well-traveled, collected look to formal living rooms.

Tips for Layering Rugs

Layering two area rugs can add visual interest while reinforcing your layout. Here's how to layer with style:

• Anchor with a larger foundation rug, then layer a smaller accent rug on top.
• Choose contrasting textures, patterns or shapes for definition.
• Overlap rugs by at least 18 inches so they don't appear disjointed.
• Keep layered rugs within the overall furniture footprint for cohesion.

Living Room Area Rug Do's and Don'ts

To recap, here are some key dos and don'ts for area rug placement in living rooms:

Do:

• Do leave a 10-12 inch rug border around walls.
• Do position front legs of seating atop the rug.
• Do select a size proportional to your furnishings.
• Do allow walkways between furniture groupings.

Don't:

• Don't cram rugs wall-to-wall.
• Don't choose rugs that are too small or too large.
• Don't inhibit traffic flow between seating areas.
• Don't layer mismatched or disjointed rug sizes.

Defining Your Space With Area Rugs

Area rugs are about more than just softening hard flooring. Though their functional benefits are plentiful, rugs placed with purpose create defined spaces within open floor plans. They allow you to designate entryways, anchor seating arrangements, and divide large living rooms into intimate zones for conversation and entertaining.

For example, a brightly colored rug underneath a seating area immediately livens up the space while making it feel like a destination. Or placing a rug in front of the fireplace both protects the floor from errant sparks while visually framing the focal point. Use area rugs to create vignettes and give your living room personality.