Finding the perfect rug for a space can be very difficult if you do not know much about rug placement. When doing your research, you may find a few universal rules for rug placing. While these rules are a great starting point, there are plenty of ways to bend these rules so that you can get exactly what you want.
Rule 1: Only front legs on the rug
A common rug rule is that the front legs of furniture should be on the rug while the back legs remain off the rug. This can work in certain situations to craft good proportion of the room and help connect the pieces of furniture. However, sometimes having all of the legs of the furniture placed on the rug can help bring the room together and create a separation in the space. The room can look much more put together if all the legs of the furniture remain on the rug. For example, “in the dining room, all chairs should be on the rug even when they are pulled out for the person to sit down. The rug itself should be at least two feet bigger at both the length and width than the table,” says Essy Khansari, owner of Essy’s Rug Gallery
Rule 2: Keep I8 inches of floor on each side after placing the rug
Another rule is that there should be 18 inches of bare floor left around the rug once it is placed. This works well in bigger rooms, but sometimes the rule needs to be broken to give a particular room the right proportion. For example, a smaller room may looks better with less bare floor showing.
Rule 3: Extend the rug around a bed
Many designers suggest having rugs in your bedroom extend 12-18 inches around the bed. This rule helps balance out the room and can be very important in ensuring that the bed and the rug are equally significant in the room. One way to break this rule is to place a rug at the foot of the bed instead. This can help bring the room together without having to rely on finding a rug with such specific measurements.
Rule 4: Use Rugs in Your Hallway
It is often smart to place rugs in your hallway for comfort and safety. However, if you have trouble finding a rug that is as long as your hallway, you can always use multiple rugs, spacing them about a foot apart. This will make the walking area safe and comfortable without sacrificing design.
Rule 5: Combine Rugs
Sometimes it may be best to use multiple rugs in a room. This is often helpful if the room is very large and one rug simply does not fit the space. Instead of trying to find a rug that follows the other rules, buying multiple rugs that are either the same or match can help you have the design you want as well as the right proportions for the space.
Rugs can add a lot of interest to any room. Essy advises “Don’t overuse rugs. If you decorate correctly, the rugs and the hardwood floors will complement each other which will make your entire house look better.”
Essy’s Rug Gallery, offers hand-made Oriental rugs in a variety of styles. They are located inside The Factory at Franklin, at 230 Franklin Road.
