Rug size calculator: the right rug for your room
This rug size calculator works out how big your rug should be from the room and the furniture that will sit on it. Choose a living room (with the front legs of the sofa and chairs on the rug, or all legs on), a dining table with chairs, or a bed. Enter the room, the furniture and the border you want to leave, and the page gives the smallest standard rug that works and the largest one the room can take.
The most common mistake is a rug that is too small, so the furniture looks as if it is floating at the edge. The rules below come from common interior-design guidance, and they are rules of thumb: sources differ on the border (12 to 24 inches) and on whether the front legs or all the legs should be on the rug. You can change every number to match your taste.
How to use the Rug Size Calculator
- Choose feet or metres and the place where the rug goes.
- Enter the room length and width, and the floor border you want to leave showing at the walls.
- Enter the furniture size: the seating group, the table, or the bed (pick a bed size to fill it in).
- Set how far the rug should extend beyond the furniture, or keep the default for that layout.
- Read the recommended standard size, the minimum by the rule, the largest the room allows, and the floor left showing.
Rug Size Calculator features
Four layouts
Living room with front legs on or all legs on, dining table, and bed, each with its own rule.
Standard sizes
Chooses from 3 × 5 to 12 × 15 ft and the 120 × 170 to 300 × 400 cm sizes sold in Europe, India and elsewhere.
Room check
Rejects a size that would leave less than your chosen border, and shows a custom size when none fits.
Feet and centimetres
Every size is shown in both units.
The rules used
Where these come from: a read of several retailer and design guides on 30 October 2026, which agree on 8 × 10 ft with the front legs on for an average living room and 2 to 3 ft of rug beyond a dining table. Border and extension numbers vary between sources, so they are editable.
- Living room, front legs on. The rug is wider than the sofa group by 15 cm (6 in) on each side, and extends under the front legs of the seating, so we leave the rear 45 cm (18 in) of the group depth off the rug. This is the common default layout.
- Living room, all legs on. The rug extends 15 cm beyond the whole seating group on every side. It is the more formal option and needs a larger rug.
- Dining. The rug extends 60 cm (24 in) beyond the table edge so that the chairs stay on the rug when pulled out. Guides suggest between 2 and 3 ft, so raise the number if you have deep chairs.
- Bed. The rug extends 60 cm (24 in) beyond the bed on both sides and at the foot, with the head at the wall.
- Room limit. Rug size ≤ room size − 2 × the border you leave showing at the walls (default 1.5 ft or 45 cm).
Common rug sizes and where they fit
The “typical use” column is a guide only; always run your own numbers.
| Rug size | Metric | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 5 × 8 ft | 152 × 244 cm | Small living room, desk, bedroom side |
| 6 × 9 ft | 183 × 274 cm | Small living room, home office |
| 8 × 10 ft | 244 × 305 cm | Average living room, 6-seat table, queen bed in a roomy bedroom |
| 9 × 12 ft | 274 × 366 cm | Large living room, king bed, 8-seat table |
| 10 × 14 ft | 305 × 427 cm | Large open-plan area |
Limits
- The tool assumes the rug’s long side runs along the room’s long side, and the furniture’s long side too.
- Rounded and runner rugs are not included; a runner is the hall width minus the border, in a length that suits you.
- Door swings, a radiator or a floor vent may limit the size; check them before you order.
- Measure the furniture, not the catalogue size, because overhangs and arms change the footprint.
Rug Size Calculator FAQ
What size rug for a 12 x 14 ft living room?
An 8 × 10 ft rug with the front legs of the seating on it, leaving about 2 ft of floor at the walls. If you want all legs on, use a larger sofa group or reduce the border.
Should the sofa legs be on the rug?
At least the front legs. Guides treat front legs on as the flexible default and all legs on as the more formal option. Having none on makes the rug look as if it floats, unless it is very large.
What size rug under a dining table?
The table plus about 60 cm (24 in) on every side, so a 6 × 3 ft table needs a rug of at least 10 × 7 ft. A round table needs a rug at least 4 ft wider than the table.
What size rug under a queen bed?
A 9 × 12 ft rug suits a queen or king bed in a larger room, and an 8 × 10 ft rug works in a smaller one with less rug showing at the sides. The tool checks your room.
How much floor should show around a rug?
Between 12 and 24 inches (30 to 60 cm) at the walls is the usual range. The border is editable here.
Does the tool choose runners or round rugs?
No. It covers rectangular rugs in standard sizes, which are the ones most people buy.