What Size Rug Do You Put in a 12x12 Room

Area Rugs For A 12 x 12 Size Room

There’s no doubt, any space can be easily transformed with area rugs. Because rugs come in a wide range of sizes, colors, shapes, and patterns, it is easy to arrange rooms with comfort and design in mind. But how do you determine the size of an area rug for a room? It’s rather simple: choose the rug size based on room size. Let’s explore how to determine what is the most common size area rug you need for a 12’ x 12’ room and ways to make sure the rug isn’t too big.

How Big of a Rug Do I Need for a 12×12 Room?

Generally speaking, you want to leave about 18–24 inches of space between the edge of the rug and the wall of a room to frame it with the flooring. That means for a square 12’ x 12’ size room, you should, technically, go no bigger than a 10’ x 10’ square shape area rug.

Why shouldn’t it take up the whole space? You want to avoid stuffing the rug up against the wall, which can look less appealing, and can possibly damage the rug as well. The point of an area rug is not to replicate the look of a carpeted room. Rather, it is to be the center piece of the room and a way to design and rearrange all of the furniture to look good together.

What Size Rug Do You Put in a 12x12 Room - Nazmiyal Antique Rugs

What Size Rug Do You Put in a 12×12 Room

Sometimes the size of a rug you choose depends on the type of room it’s in, rather than the room size itself. Because each room has different kinds of furniture, placing and positioning an area rug in a room can be more difficult than simply measuring and getting the largest rug that will fit. Couches and coffee tables or a dining room table and chair set can all determine the rug size you use, because framing furniture is one of the most important aspects of making a room look great.

To decide on a rug size for a 12’ x 12’ room, you should answer the following questions:

Do you want all of the furniture legs on the rug? Or do you want them partially on it?
Do you want to cover the entire room? Or do you want to focus on a specific area?
Do you have a smaller rug that won’t fill out the room or space?

You should always orient the rug to match the flow of the space. But a major design consideration is the position of the legs of furniture, which can drastically change what rug you should choose for your room. For a living room rug, for example, when a couch has all four legs on the rug, you want the rug to extend about a foot past the edge of the couch to help center the area. If you want only part of the bed in the bedroom to be on a rug, it makes sense to go smaller, so things like nightstands are not placed on top of it.

Living Room Layout With Front Legs of The Couch and Tables Positioned On The Rug

To recap, for a 12’ x 12’ room, the largest rug you should buy is a 10’ x 10’, but the biggest consideration should be your room design.

How Do You Tell If a Rug Is Too Big for a Room?

As we mentioned earlier, placing a rug that is the exact size of the room is too large. So how much smaller should a rug be than the room? The best way to avoid going too big is to select a rug that is two feet less in dimension, in both length and width, than the room itself. For example, if a room is 11’ x 14’, the rug should be 9’ x 12’. If the room is 5’ x 7’, the rug should be 3’ x 5’.

Does a Large Rug Make a Room Look Bigger or Smaller?

A larger rug in a room does make the room look larger. Choosing a rug that is too small for a small living room or bedroom is a common mistake since it causes the rug to appear to float aimlessly in the space. But a larger rug anchors the room while providing strong design to the space.