Rugs add a necessary softness and warmth to any room in your home. Many people use rugs as showpieces that help to highlight a color scheme or carry a design identity through an entire space. While rugs add to the aesthetics of a room, it is important to know how to set up one properly so that it creates the desired effect.

Match the Size of the Room

One of the biggest mistakes people make is starting off with too small of a rug. Most average-sized living rooms need a rug that is at least 8x10 feet, and you might be able to go even bigger if you have a larger home. Nourison rugs come in a wide range of sizes that allow you to pick one that covers more of the room.

Center the Rug Based On the Furniture

Many rooms aren't perfectly rectangular. Placing a rug in the center of a room does have some benefits, but it could look off-balanced if walking paths are cut off. Centering the rug within the space where the main furniture sits helps you to create a more cohesive look.

Leave Equal Space On All Sides of the Rug

You should have an equal amount of bare floor showing on each side of the rug if you choose to center it. If you decide to use the furniture for centering, then you�ll want to leave the same amount of rug exposed behind and on the sides of the chairs or couches. Ideally, there should be at least eight inches of rug that show around the furniture.

Fully Cover High Traffic Areas

Make sure that high traffic areas in your home are covered properly with your rug so guests can walk on it. For instance, a rug that you use as a runner down a hallway should provide nearly wall-to-wall coverage. This ensures that people don�t wind up walking with one foot off and one foot on the rug, which can lead to uneven wear. 

Place at Least Two Furniture Legs On the Rug

You have the option of leaving all of the furniture off of the rug, which might help to fill out an expansive room. However, it is generally best to place at least two of the legs of each piece of furniture on your area rugs. This helps to pull the whole appearance together and create a feeling of coziness that works well in the living and bedrooms.

Find a Rug That Matches Your Space

The first step to setting up a rug is to find one that adds a sense of elegance to the room while also fitting the dimensions for the desired placement perfectly. Do you still have questions about how to find a rug or place it properly in a room? Give us a call to speak with our rug experts today, and browse our large inventory of Karastan area rugs and more!