Nothing pulls a living room together as nicely as a rug. The right rug size will anchor your living room’s other furniture items, while the wrong one will ruin the aesthetic design of your space.
In general, rugs are used to define a living space so determining the best placement under sectional sofas will enhance your living room and create a more inviting vibe.
When deciding on how to place a rug under a sectional sofa, there are some important decisions you need to make to fit everything into place.
If you are wondering whether your rug should extend the sectional or be positioned in the center of the room, we’ll look into these placements by putting rugs and sectional sofas under the spotlight.
The Ideal Rug Sizes to Enhance your Sectional Sofa
The rug dimension for your living room will depend on how you place it under the sectional sofa.
While there is no rule of thumb when it comes to determining the right rug size, the recommended rug dimensions are as follows:
- 5 x 7 feet living room = 3 x 5 feet rug
- 7 x 10 feet living room = 5 x 8 feet rug
- 10 x 12 feet or living room = 8 x 10 feet rug
- 11 x 14 feet living room = 9 x 12 feet rug
- 12 x 16 feet living room = 10 x 14 feet rug
- 14 x 17 feet living room = 12 x 15 feet rug
Let’s now delve more into the standard rug sizes to place under a sectional sofa:
– Rug Size 3 x 5 feet or larger: this rug size is small enough to be placed right beneath your sectional, with all the sofa legs outside of the rug. When arranging your furniture around small rugs, surround them on the rug borders. This is the best way to create a stylish look in your living space.
– Rug Size 8 x 10 feet or larger: this rug size is the most common dimension that can comfortably fit under your sectional sofa. The best positioning is to put the front sofa legs and other furniture items on the outer borders of the rug. This will give your living room a more aesthetically pleasing appearance as well as balance the entire room.
– Rug Size 9 x 12 feet or larger: larger rug sizes are ideal for more coordinated and spacious living rooms. The ideal rug arrangement is to place all the sofa legs on the large rug. This will bring a stronger sense of balance to your living room’s furnishings.
When determining your ideal rug size for a sectional, always take into account the size of your living room. The actual rug dimensions aren’t the deciding factor.
Look for the rest of the furniture sizes and the shape of your living room. It is only then that you can decide whether you want a larger or smaller rug to cover up your flooring.
The shape of your rug is another matter to think about. A rectangular rug, for example, works best in larger rooms as a styling accent.
A round rug, on the other hand, is ideal for smaller rooms, although there is no fail-safe rule of thumb to follow in terms of the rug shape and size.
When looking for the right rug size, remember to take into account the available floor space you want to be covered, not just the placement of the rug under the sectional sofa.
Best Rug Placement Under a Sectional Sofa
All the Sofa Legs on the Rug
The first rug placement under the sectional is to have all your sofa legs on the rug. This means you must encompass the rug under the legs of your sectional sofa and any other item of furniture in the living room.
The idea is not to have any of the sofa legs touch the floor outside of the rug so that all the furniture sits neatly on top of the rug.
The end result is an organized living space that’s polished and cohesive as shown in this example.
Only the Front Sofa Legs on the Rug
The second option is to partially place your rug under the sectional sofa with the front legs sitting on the rug and the other half of the sofa off the rug.
This is a common living room arrangement for smaller spaces as it allows you to include other furniture items, such as the coffee table on the rug.
By having the sofa partially sit on the rug, it will help frame the space and create a focal point by drawing the eye to the coffee table. With this rug placement under the sofa, you can put together an inviting seating arrangement for you and your guests to enjoy.
Match the Rug with the Short-Side of Sectional
Another option is to line up the rug with the sectional sofa’s short end to bring balance to the room.
This will create a geometric effect, especially if you place your coffee table in the center of the rug and use it as a focal point. If the sofa’s chaise is longer than the short end, add a side table for better flow of the space.
As you can see, this seating arrangement allows you to make better use of the sofa with the footrest in front of the chaise and the side table positioned on the longer side of the sofa.
Room-Centered Rug Placement
One of the most commonly used rug placement options is to center it in your seating area. Doing this will ensure there is adequate floor space around the rug in order to fit other pieces of furniture.
If your living space doesn’t make it possible to place the rug in the center, you may center it under the coffee table instead.
Go Asymmetrical or Diagonal
A creative and effective rug placement that provides flow from one room to the next is the diagonal or asymmetrical position.
If you have an open floor plan, or you want to give the illusion of open space, opt for diagonal or asymmetrical rug placement. This is where your coffee table isn’t centered on the rug, but rather next to the sofa.
This rug placement will allow you to decorate around the rug on the bare floor without looking out of place. The idea is to create a complimentary flow around the rug instead of the item taking center stage.
You can place the rug under the sectional in a diagonal position or simply angle it so the short end is under the middle part of your sofa, with the other end pointing to the room in which it connects.
The other option is to keep the sectional completely off the rug as shown here.
Round Rugs to Break Monotony
Rectangular rugs aren’t the only option for placing under your sectional sofa. Round rugs can be just as appealing with your sofa to break the monotony.
Place the rug in the center of your section to balance out the lines in your living room. These rugs are not only visually beautiful, but they also do a great job of bringing together smaller space without the need to use a coffee table.
When placing a circular rug under your sectional, make sure it is big enough to surround the sofa but without overtaking the space. You don’t have to place the entire sofa on the rug. It is better to have the front legs on the rug as shown here.
Creating Visual Interest with a Centered Table
If your rectangular or circular rug extends beneath the sectional and goes all the way to the rest of the room, use other furniture items to draw the eye. The idea is not to let the rug get weighed down by the sectional sofa.
See how the rug in this modern living room has framed the room beautifully without looking out of place. It blends very well with the rest of the furniture and has created visual interest as well as a cozy place for relaxing.
Why does Rug Placement Matter?
Whichever rug arrangement you decide for your sectional sofa, it is very important to bring the room together with your furniture items.
Depending on the shape of your living room, you may need to play around with all the above-mentioned rug positions to make the most use of the space.
Rug placement under a sectional sofa helps make good use of the space so that the living room looks well-balanced.
Our rug placement ideas for your sectional sofa should give you more confidence and inspiration to plan the layout of your living room.
While there are no set rules for placing your rug and sectional sofa in your space, you’ll want to make the room look balanced by placing an appropriate size rug under your sectional sofa.
