Rug Size Guide
The plans below are drawn to scale, 1 unit to 1 cm, so you can see how each rug size sits with a sofa, bed, table or hallway. Every room is different, so check your own measurements too.
Which size rug goes under a sofa
Start with the sofa. A standard three-seater is about 200 to 220 cm wide, and a chaise sofa is 260 cm or more. On a 160 x 230 cm rug the sofa sits off the rug. A 200 x 290 cm rug comes right up to the sofa legs. With 240 x 330, 240 x 340 or 250 x 350 cm, about half the sofa sits on the rug. At 280 x 380 or 300 x 400 cm the entire sofa sits on it. It always depends on your exact sofa and room size.
160 x 230 cm
200 x 290 cm
240 x 340 cm
300 x 400 cm
These plans use a 220 cm three-seater in a 450 x 550 cm room. Your sofa and room size change the result.
Got a chaise? On a 160 x 230 cm rug the chaise end can sit on the rug.
What size rug for a queen or king bed
Run the rug across the bed so it shows on both sides. A queen bed is 153 cm wide and a king is 183 cm, both 203 cm long. A 160 x 230 cm rug under a queen leaves about 38 cm showing each side. A 200 x 290 cm rug under a king leaves about 53 cm each side. In a tight room, lay two 80 x 150 cm runners, one each side of the bed. In these plans the rug starts about 60 cm below the bedhead and the bedside tables stay off it.
Queen bed on a 160 x 230 cm rug
King bed on a 200 x 290 cm rug
Tight room option
Dining rug size guide: room to pull the chairs out
This is a guide, not a rule. Aim for the rug to reach about 60 cm past the table edge on every side, so the chairs stay on the rug when pulled out. A 170 x 80 cm table for six on a 200 x 290 cm rug works out at 170 + 60 + 60 = 290 cm one way and 80 + 60 + 60 = 200 cm the other. For a round table, choose a round rug about 120 cm wider than the table. Our round rugs come in 120, 160 and 200 cm.
Table for 6 on a 200 x 290 cm rug
Round table on a 200 cm round rug
| Dining table | Rug size guide |
|---|---|
| 4 seats | 160 x 230 cm |
| 6 seats | 200 x 290 cm |
| 8 seats or a long table | 240 x 340 cm |
| 10 seats | 300 x 400 cm |
| Round table | A round rug about 120 cm wider than the table |
Runner size guide for hallways and kitchens
Leave 10 to 15 cm of floor showing on each side of a runner. In a 110 cm wide hall, an 80 x 300 cm runner leaves 15 cm each side. In a 130 cm hall, a 100 x 300 cm runner does the same. 80 x 300 cm is our best selling runner. An 80 x 150 cm runner suits a short entry or the floor in front of a kitchen sink.
110 cm hall, 80 x 300 cm runner
130 cm hall, 100 x 300 cm runner
Kitchen, 80 x 150 cm runner
Leave 10 to 15 cm of floor showing each side. This is a guide. Runners we stock: 60 x 110, 80 x 140, 80 x 150, 80 x 230, 80 x 280, 80 x 300, 100 x 300 and 100 x 400 cm.
Check your rug size at home in 3 steps
- 1. MeasureMeasure the room and your sofa, bed or table.
- 2. Tape it outMark the rug size on the floor with masking tape or a folded sheet before you buy.
- 3. Leave a little roomRug sizes can vary by 3 to 5 percent.
Not sure? Send us a photo of your room and its measurements.
The right rug size depends on two things: the size of your sofa, bed or table, and the size of the room around it. This guide gives you the sizes we stock, what each one does in a room, and a quick way to check before you buy. Every size is in centimetres. If you want a second opinion, call 02 9166 3980 or send us a photo of the room and we will tell you what fits.
The sizes we stock
- 80 x 150 cm runner: beside a bed, in front of a kitchen bench, or inside the front door. Some designs come in 60 x 110 cm or 80 x 140 cm instead.
- 80 x 300 cm hallway runner: long hallways and corridors. Some designs also come in 80 x 230 cm, 80 x 280 cm, 100 x 300 cm and 100 x 400 cm.
- 120 x 170 cm: beside a bed, or a small space such as a study, an entry or a nursery.
- 160 x 230 cm: the most popular size in Australia. It sits under the coffee table and the sofa does not sit on the rug at all, unless the sofa has a chaise.
- 200 x 290 cm: the rug comes right up to the legs of the sofa.
- 240 x 340 cm: about half the sofa sits on the rug. Also sold as 240 x 330 cm and 250 x 350 cm.
- 280 x 380 cm and 300 x 400 cm: the entire sofa sits on the rug, with floor showing around the edge.
- Round rugs, 120 cm, 160 cm and 200 cm across: under a round dining table, in a reading corner, or to soften a room full of straight lines.
Living room: start with the sofa
Measure your sofa first. A standard three-seater is about 200 to 220 cm wide. A sofa with a chaise can be 260 cm or more. Then decide how much of the sofa you want on the rug. The sizes below are a guide, and the right fit always depends on your exact sofa and the size of the room.
Sofa off the rug: a 160 x 230 cm rug sits under the coffee table and stops just short of the sofa. This works in apartments and smaller living rooms where you want softness underfoot without covering the floor. A sofa with a chaise can rest its chaise end on this size.
Rug up to the sofa legs: a 200 x 290 cm rug comes right up to the legs of a three-seater and ties the sofa, coffee table and armchairs together. This is the size most people are after when they say the 160 x 230 cm "looks a bit small".
Half the sofa on the rug: at 240 x 340 cm (or 240 x 330 cm and 250 x 350 cm) about half the sofa sits on the rug, and side tables usually fit on it too. Open-plan rooms and bigger lounges are where this size belongs.
Whole sofa on the rug: a 280 x 380 cm or 300 x 400 cm rug takes the entire sofa, the armchairs and the coffee table, with floor still visible around the edge. Measure the room before you order one. You want at least 20 to 40 cm of floor between the rug and the walls, so a 300 x 400 cm rug needs a room at least 3.5 by 4.5 metres.
Shop 280 x 380 cm and 300 x 400 cm rugs
Bedroom: the rug should show on both sides of the bed
A queen bed is 153 cm wide. A 160 x 230 cm rug laid across the bed covers the lower two thirds and gives you about 60 cm of rug on each side to step onto. For a king bed (183 cm wide), go to 200 x 290 cm so the rug still shows past the sides. Two 80 x 150 cm runners, one on each side of the bed, do the same job for less if the room is tight.
Dining room: chairs should stay on the rug when pulled out
Allow about 60 cm beyond the table edge on every side. A four-seater table suits 160 x 230 cm. A six-seater needs 200 x 290 cm. An eight-seater or a long table needs 240 x 340 cm, and a ten-seater needs 300 x 400 cm. Round tables take a round rug about 120 cm wider than the table.
Hallways, entries and kitchens
A hallway runner should leave 10 to 15 cm of floor on each side. Most Sydney hallways are 100 to 120 cm wide, which is why the 80 x 300 cm runner is the one we sell most. For a short entry or in front of the kitchen sink, the 80 x 150 cm runner is the right length.
Shop 80 x 300 cm hallway runners
A quick way to check at home
Lay masking tape or a bed sheet on the floor in the size you are thinking of, then put the furniture back. If the sofa legs land where you want them and there is still floor around the edge, that is your size. Our sizes can vary by 3 to 5 percent, so leave a little room.
Keep it in place
Every rug on a hard floor needs an anti-slip underlay. It stops the rug creeping and stops the corners curling. We sell underlay cut to each rug size, and the Rug Care Kit adds a cleaner spray for spills.
Still not sure?
Send us a photo of the room with the sofa or bed in it and the room measurements, and we will tell you which size to buy. You can also walk on the sizes side by side at our Auburn showroom, 111 Station Road. Online orders come with 21-day returns if the size is not right once it is down.