Living Room Rug Placement Guidelines For Sofas & Sectionals

If you’re curious about the best and correct way to place your rug in your living room, then you’re in the right spot! In this post, I will go over a few simple guidelines so you know exactly where to place your area rug in your living room.

Rug Placement Guidelines Under A Sofa

How should an area rug be placed in a living room?

You want the area rug to go under your sofa and chairs. Place the longest side of the rug so it’s parallel with the sofa. Then make sure the front feet of each furniture piece are sitting on top of the rug. (see example images below)

How far should a rug go under a couch?

Ideally, you want at least the front feet on every piece of furniture (including the chairs, sofa, or sectional) on the rug. This will also help you determine the correct size rug you’ll need. You can also opt for a larger rug, where all the feet sit on the area rug.

Do you center a rug with the room or couch?

This depends on the shape and design of your room, however, you normally want to center the area rug with your couch or sofa. If you have an odd-shaped room where the rug looks weird once you center it with the sofa, try opting for a larger rug.

Should the living room rug be bigger than the couch?

Yes. You want the area rug in your living room to be larger than the sofa. Ideally, you want at least 18″-24″ of the rug showing on each side of your sofa or chairs. You also want to make sure the front feet of the couch and chairs are sitting on the rug. Most living rooms will require at least an 8×10 rug, if not larger.

Should a rug be up against the wall?

This will depend on the size and layout of your space, however, a general guideline is to leave around 12″-18″ of space between an area rug and a wall.

Rug Placement Guidelines For A Sectional

How do you place an area rug in a living room with a sectional?

You want to use the same guidelines for a sectional sofa as you would with a regular sofa. The longest side of the rug should run parallel with the longest side of the sectional.

How far should a rug be under a sectional?

At the bare minimum, you want to the front feet of the sectional to sit on top of the rug. If you go with a larger rug, you can also place all of the feet of the sectional on top of the rug. Make sure there is at least 12″-18″ of the rug showing on each side of the sectional sofa (not including the back side).

Pretty simple and straightforward, right? If you have any questions about rug placement in the living room, please leave your comments down below and I’ll answer them! Or if need help with your space, check out my e-design services where I can help you with space planning and more!