What Size Rug Goes With A Sectional?

A sectional sofa provides a comfy and unique seating area for your living room, but finding a rug to complement its size often proves to be difficult.

We’ve found some expert advice on choosing the perfect size for your needs.

Small minimalist themed living room with a gray sectional sofa, gray rug, and a small coffee table inside a white living room, What Size Rug Goes With A Sectional?

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In general, match your rug size with your sectional sofa using these suggestions:

Large sectional sofas (around 10-14’W x 14’L) need the largest rug you can afford like a 10×14 or 9×12 rug.
Average-size sectional sofas (around 8-10’W x 10’L) need a 9×12 or 8×10 rug.
Small sectional sofas (around 6-8’W x 8’L) need a 4×6, 5×7, or 6×9 rug.

Can you use a different size rug if your living room is large or small? Can a rug sometimes be too big or small for a room? Should the rug underneath the sectional sofa match another rug in the living room?

Continue reading for a complete guide on buying the best rug for your sectional sofa in your living room.

Finding the Perfect Rug For Your Sectional Sofa

First, measure your sectional sofa and your overall space.

Also note if your room includes all four walls or if the living room combines with another room(s) in an open-concept.

For a comprehensive guide on how to take correct measurements for your sectional, read our post, How To Measure A Sectional Couch [Detailed Guide].

Create cohesiveness in a large or open-concept room by grouping furniture around or on a large rug measuring 9×12 or 10×14.

To create the illusion of a larger space in a small living room, purchase a small rug (4×6 or 5×7), and place it only underneath your coffee table.

For average-size rooms with average-size sectionals, choose between a large or small rug.

Place masking tape on the floor to help determine the size rug that will enhance your space.

Large Sectional Sofas In Large Or Open-Concept Rooms

In large, open-concept living rooms with large sectionals (around 10-14’W x 14’L) make sure that the sectional sits away from any walls.

Then, purchase a 10×14 or 9×12 rug to set completely underneath all of the furniture.

Or you may choose to have only the front legs sitting on the rug. As pictured below, this helps bring all of the furniture together to create a cozier space.

A gorgeous modern contemporary living room with an off white colored sectional couch and gray rug inside a white living room

Average-Size Sectional Sofas In Large And Small Rooms

If your average-size sectional sofa (around 8-10’W x 10’L) fits perfectly in your living room, then you have options.

Your options range from choosing a large rug to encompass all furniture all the way down to choosing a small rug just for the coffee table.

Most of the time, though, an average-size sectional sofa either in an open-concept room or in a smaller room tends to fit best on a 9×12 rug.

Opt for an 8×10 or smaller only if your living room is on the small side and there is minimal furniture.

Small minimalist themed living room with a gray sectional sofa, gray rug and a small coffee table inside a white living room

Small Sectional Sofas In Different Size Spaces

If your small sectional sofa (around 6-8’W x 8’L) is part of an entire collection of furniture in a large or open-concept space, you probably want a large rug like a 6×9 all the way up to a 10×14.

This scenario tends to not be the case since larger sectionals look better in large spaces.

Most of the time, your small sectional (around 6-8’W x 8L) completes a small room.

In this case, decide if your rug should include all of your furniture’s legs on a 6×9 or if you want to enlarge your space with a small 4×6 or 5×7 rug underneath the coffee table.

Living room with a modern canvas painting in the wall, blue sectional sofa and a round table incorporated with a retro design

Can A Rug Be Too Big For A Room?

Beware of purchasing a rug too big for your space. Be cautious if the room is not open-concept or contains a small amount of furniture.>

Your rug is too big if:

It touches more than one wall
Makes your room look empty
You can hardly see the original flooring in the room

Tip: If your couch touches a wall, forgo purchasing an area rug that touches the back wall. This will save you money.

Can A Rug Be Too Small For A Room?

On the other hand, purchasing a rug too small for your space causes your furniture to feel disjointed.

Your rug may be too small if:

You see too much original flooring
Your furniture looks jumbled
You can’t differentiate the living room from another room

Modern two storey contemporary living room with white painted walls, gray sectional sofa and wooden laminated flooring

How Do You Arrange A Rug Under A Sectional?

Now that we’ve covered size, how about placement? For small rooms, find a rug that fits in the blank rectangular space where your coffee table resides.

Put the front legs on the rug, leave a couple of inches clear around the rug, or a combination of both.

Traditional inspired living room with a gray sectional sofa, a small area rug and wooden cabinets on the side

For average-size to large rooms, place a large rug underneath all of your furniture or underneath the front legs of the furniture. This creates a complete living room area.

A white modern minimalist themed living room apartment with a gray sectional couch, a small rug and wooden backsplash kitchen area

If you want a more comprehensive guide, you’re in luck!

We’ve already gone in-depth about arranging a rug under a sectional sofa on our site Home Decor Bliss: How To Place A Rug Under A Sectional Sofa.

Should Rugs In The Same Room Match?

Rugs in the same room should at least complement one another in tone and color.

However, they do not need to be identical in design, size, or shape. On the contrary, different rugs in the same room help create more textures and interest.

Gorgeous living room mixed with a retro and contemporary design with a large rug under a section sofa

Layer your rugs for another way of adding texture to your space.

Place a simpler design and texture underneath a more eye-catching, smaller rug. For a luxe, posh look, place a faux fur rug on top of a large wool rug.

A white modern minimalist themed living room with a small gray sofa and white curtains in the side

See this fluffy sheepskin fur rug on Amazon.

How Do You Match A Rug And Couch?

Thankfully, the sizing of your rug for a couch, as opposed to a sectional, follows the same principles.

For a large room with a lot of furniture, choose a large rug like a 9×12 or 10×14.

For smaller spaces with less furniture, it’s best to go with a smaller rug. Read on for tips on matching a colorful rug.

Matching Design and Color

When it comes to matching your rug, what about color? Look around your room and analyze the colors it already contains.

Choose a neutral rug to make sure a colorful sectional becomes the statement of the room.

A contemporary living room with retro inspired pictures frames on the wall and velvet brown sectional sofa

Otherwise, a colorful area rug could liven up your space. Colorful rugs bring warmth and coziness to an otherwise bland room.

A craftsman inspired living room with walls painted in white, gray sofas and chairs incorporated with a red floral rug

For a complete guide on choosing the right color of your area rug, check out our post on our site Home Decor Bliss: What’s The Best Area Rug Color For The Living Room?

Now You Know What Size Rug Goes With Your Sectional Sofa

With this complete guide, you’ve learned how to size your rug for your sectional sofa.

You’ve learned that the size of your rug also depends on the size of your living room and whether or not you want all furniture or just a few items to sit on it.

Now, go style your living room using these helpful guidelines!