Like shopping for clothes, shopping for rugs is all about fit. How does a rug fit in the space where you want to put it? And—just as importantly—how does it fit with your style? If you consider both of these things, you’ll have an easier time narrowing down your choices (we know, there’s a lot) and you’ll be happy for years to come.

To start, grab your measuring tape and get a basic idea of the width and length of both the floor spaces you’re shopping for and any major furniture items—like sofas and tables—that share those spaces. This may seem like a skippable step, but it is not. Don’t worry though! You can take all the measurements you need in less than five minutes, and then when you’re browsing, you’ll have this info to help guide your purchases and more accurately envision how your new rugs will look and feel in your space.

Nomad Kilim Rug in Sand by Ethnicraft

Bonus: If you know the make and model of any of your furniture pieces, you can usually get their dimensions from the manufacturers online—easy!

Once you have your measurements, you can plan your layout. You don’t have to decide this up front, but you’ll be doing yourself a favor if you start considering how much room you want your rugs to take up. Do you want a full-sized rug that covers most of the floor space, or do you want smaller area rugs that go around and in between furniture? Different layouts can have different effects on rooms, so here are the most common layout choices to consider.

Full-Size Layout

In this layout all furniture is placed on the rug | The rug featured in the photo is the Anissa Hand Knotted Rug by Loloi

Your rug doesn’t have to entirely fill your space. Ideally, you should keep at least a one-foot border between the edge of your rug and your walls. You want your rug to anchor your furniture, so in a full-size layout for your living room, that could mean choosing a rug that covers the entire seating area as well as any areas where you have coffee tables or side tables.

In this layout all furniture is placed on the rug | The rug featured in the photo is the Mulholland Hand Knotted Rug by Amber Lewis x Loloi

In this layout all furniture is placed on the rug | The rug featured in the photo is the Amara Hand Knotted Rug by Loloi

In your dining room, look for rugs that extend at least two feet beyond the table so there’s room for when you’re pulling out chairs. And in your bedroom, look for rugs that are two to three feet wider than your bed, to have enough space for stepping into and out of bed.

In this layout all furniture is placed on the rug | The rug featured in the photo is the Ojai Hand Loomed Rug by Amber Lewis x Loloi

Offset Layout

If you want to keep more of your flooring exposed, offset layouts are your best friend. In this case, search for similarly sized rugs or slightly smaller rugs and plan to organize your furniture so it overlaps with the rug’s edges in some places. In your living room, make sure to have at least the front legs of your sofas on the rug, and in your bedroom aim for having two-thirds of your bed overlapping.

In this layout the rug is in front of the nightstands. Be sure to leave 8-10” of space between the rug and nightstands. | The rug featured in the photo is the Reyla Hand Woven Rug by Loloi

Offset layouts let you incorporate the character and design of a rug for often slightly less money (if you’re buying a smaller size). And if you’re a little short on space, an offset arrangement can make the room feel larger by leaving more space between the edges of the rug and the walls. 

In an offset living room layout, simply arrange furniture half on half off the rug | The rug featured in the photo is the Marco Hand Knotted Rug by Loloi

Area Rug Layout

Everyone loves a cute little area rug, and for good reason. They’re an easy and affordable way to add personal touches to every space in your home. And unlike larger rugs, you can move or swap them around whenever you want to refresh your decor.

If you want to add a few area rugs to your home, this is where having all your room measurements really comes in handy. Think about where you want to place them—whether that’s around furniture, like next to a bed, or directly under furniture, like beneath a desk or coffee table.

For a kitchen that is along a wall or with an island use a runner rug for depth. Remember when picking a rug for the hallway allow no more than 5 inches and no less than 3 from the walls. | Rugs from the Amber Lewis x Loloi collection

Area rugs also let you add more diversity to a room’s design scheme because you can have rugs of different patterns, colors, and materials co-existing in the same space. Area rugs can be super useful in creating boundaries within or between rooms by assigning certain styles or color schemes to certain areas.

Rug Size Cheat Sheet

Finding Your Style

After you know what size rugs you’re looking for and have an idea of your layout, you can start shopping. If you don’t already know what style rug you’re looking for, don’t worry! Not only will you start to get a sense of what you like and don’t like as you browse, but you can look to your existing home decor for inspiration.

For instance, which colors would complement or create an interesting contrast with the paint colors on your walls? Are there any textures in your seating that you might want to represent or offset in your rugs? Are there any patterns or designs that are missing from your home that you want to add?

Asking yourself these kinds of questions can help you more quickly decide what you are looking for—and just as importantly, what you’re not looking for—so that you’ll find your perfect rug.

Rugs for Your Style

Ready to shop? Here are three Urban Natural partners that are all committed to creating beautiful and sustainable rugs that meet your size and style needs.

Loloi

Loioi is committed to producing artisan-quality, ethically-sourced textiles, which makes their rugs one of a kind. All of their rugs are handcrafted in India, and through their partnership with GoodWeave, Loioi guarantees three things: 1. All of their goods are made without child labor. 2. All of their goods are made by people in free working conditions. And 3. All of their materials come from transparent supply chains.

By working with expert weavers and dipdyers, Loioi offers rugs in many different styles. From simple solid colors to ornate patterns and modern designs that incorporate minimalist or maximalist styles, their rugs are statement pieces you can cherish forever. Check out their new Amber Lewis collection for looks that are refreshingly modern but undoubtedly classic.

Ethnicraft

Ethnicraft has industry-leading sustainability practices for their natural wood furniture, and these production ethics extend to textiles, where they use 100% wool in all their rugs.

Because Ethnicraft maintains full control over the design, production, distribution, and recycling processes, they can consistently maintain high quality across all sectors. They begin by choosing the right materials and focus on making rugs from yarns that incorporate traditional loom weaving practices. For their Kilim collection, they work with Pakistani artisans to incorporate traditional craftsmanship with timeless colors and patterns.

Earth Weave

Their 100% organic natural fiber rugs come in a wide range of down-to-earth colors. Ideal for adding a neutral base to any room, these rugs help ground both your furniture and wall decorations so they feel cohesive.

Earth Weave exclusively uses either raw natural colored wool or OrganoSoftColor™ dyes in all their rugs, and they don’t add any toxic stain or fire retardant treatments.

Have a look at all our rug offerings and prepare to upgrade your space with texture and style. We’re excited for what you’ll find!