Should Furniture Be On The Rug? [A Complete Guide]

Area rugs can really warm up your living room, adding that cozy, cohesive look. But placing your furniture just right is crucial to make the most of it.

Here’s what you need to remember:

• Make sure all four legs of your coffee table are firmly on the rug.
• Couches and chairs should at least have their front legs on the rug. If the rug is big enough, go ahead and get all four legs on there.
• Side tables should be completely on or off the rug—no half-hearted perching!
• The rug should always be wider than the couch.

Once you’ve got these guidelines down, arranging the rest of your furniture can be more flexible.

What’s The Rule Of Thumb For Area Rugs?

Most living room area rugs range from 5′ x 8′ to 9′ x 12′, which means they will most likely occupy only a small portion of the room.

The rug should be placed where people are most likely to convene and relax, so near your couch and coffee table is a good bet. 

Your furniture’s configuration will depend on the rug’s size, so consider that when planning your living room layout.

Here are some tips for how to arrange your furniture based on the size of your area rug. 

Large Area Rugs

Make sure to place your furniture entirely on the area rug if it takes up most of your living room. And don’t be afraid to space your furniture far apart if you can afford to.

This will highlight the size of the room and leave some space for kids to play or pets to run around.

Medium Area Rugs

The average area rug will be just big enough to fit a coffee table and the front legs of your couches and chairs.

This is a classic look, but it’s important to ensure every piece of furniture is included on the rug.

One outlying chair will seem odd if everything else has a spot on the area rug.

Small Area Rug

In the case of a small area rug, it’s totally fine to place your couches and chairs off the rug entirely.

In this situation, the coffee table should be the only piece of furniture touching the rug, but it must have all four legs placed on it.

Ideas For How To Fit Furniture On An Area Rug

With those rules of thumb out of the way, we can start to get creative. There are tons of different ways you can configure your living room furniture.

Check out some of our favorite ideas below. 

Sectional Sofa With A Square Area Rug

A sectional sofa works wonderfully with a medium-sized area rug. Find a rug that is a similar length as your sectional on both sides, and decorating will be a breeze.

Place all of the couch’s front legs along two sides of the rug for a seamless look. 

Pro tip: if you have a square area rug and an L-shaped sofa, then a circular coffee table or end table works well to offset all the rigid angles. 

Create A Separate Space In A Large Room

If you have a large, open living room and want to make it feel a little more cozy, consider this tip. Area rugs in different spots create an allusion to distinct sections of the room.

A rug at one end of the living room housing your couch, coffee table, and chairs, all facing each other, is its own little nook in an otherwise open space. 

The rest of the room can be used for whatever you please. A desk, a dining room table, and a play area for your kids. The possibilities are endless!

Nix The Coffee Table

For a casual twist on the classic living room layout, forget the coffee table altogether. This is a functional option for those who love to relax.

Opt instead for a footstool that matches your sofa. Since this leaves space for lounging on the floor, a cozy, shag-like rug is a great choice.

Switch Up The Angles

Square area rug, square table, L-shaped couch—too many right angles can get a little boring.

If you run into this problem, fix it by placing your coffee table or a small end table at an angle against your area rug. This creates dimension and adds more interesting lines to a room that’s feeling stuffy. 

Should Your Couch Be Longer Than A Rug?

The answer is no! Your rug should always be at least a few inches longer than your couch on either side.

This will make your living room appear more cohesive and put together. 

Check out this article to learn more: Should Area Rug Be Wider Than Couch?

Should End Tables Be On The Area Rug?

The answer to this entirely depends on the size of the rug and how much space you have.

If there’s a wide overhang of carpet on either side of your couch, it’s a good idea to put your end tables right on the rug. If there’s no space, then the end tables should avoid the rug and sit on the floor. 

One thing is for certain: don’t put only the front or side legs of an end table on the rug and leave the others off.

For a large piece of furniture like your couch or a recliner, it’s totally fine, but side tables are so small that they will look out of place if they’re only halfway on a rug.

Not to mention that a difference in height between the floor and the rug can cause the surface of the table to be uneven, which is bad news for a coffee cup or glass of water. 

Can A Rug Be Too Big For A Room?

There should be at least two feet of floor space around the perimeter of your area rug — so, yes, if your rug reaches too close to the wall, then it may be too big for the room.

But not to worry. Most rugs can easily be resized, and it’s not too difficult to do it yourself, either!

To learn how to resize your area rug, check out this article: What Can I Do If My Rug Is Too Big? [Resizing A Rug In 3 Steps]

How Many Rugs Is Too Many?

As we mentioned above, carefully placed rugs can be a great way to separate a big room into separate areas.

If you have a large living room, don’t be afraid to put down two or three rugs as long as each one corresponds to a different living section.

One by your couch and one under a dining room table are fine, but don’t go placing rugs in random spots where they have no purpose. 

In Closing

Now that you know our basic tenets of furniture placement, you are perfectly equipped to arrange your living room like a pro.

Remember: the way you arrange your furniture depends on the size of the rug in your area, so consider that before making any rash decisions. Happy decorating!