Of all the spaces in your home that could use the warmth, character, and softness that comes from rolling out a rug, bedrooms are at the top of the list. They’re your private escape away from the world, your place to recharge and feel at peace—AKA, the perfect spot to make as cozy and as personal as possible with a rug. Here, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about picking out the best bedroom rug, from sizing to placement to material type.
How to Pick the Right Size Rug for Your Bedroom
Go as big as your budget allows. In the bedroom, bigger is better! We like large rugs here, which will help foster that cozy, luxurious atmosphere we all want to achieve in our bedrooms. One “big” benefit of large rugs is that you get to achieve the luxurious effect that comes from placing the full rug under your bed, as in the photos above and below. For more about this, please read Rugs Under Beds: Dreamy Decorating “Do’s” for the Bedroom.
That being said, we have some suggestions! Every space, every furniture setup, and every taste is different. But here are the general rug sizing guidelines we like to abide by for each bed size (but do feel free to go larger!):
Smaller sizes will still work. If a larger rug doesn’t float your boat, no worries! Try a rug that is wide enough to extend about 1.5’ beyond each side of your bed, and place it at the bottom third of your bed so it extends beyond its edge. (We’ll get into more talk about placement in a bit!)
Runners are also a good bet. Another smaller-sized option is to place runners on one or both sides of your bed instead of (or layered on top of!) a larger style. It’s an unexpectedly chic move that feels very unique and stylish—and a budget-friendly one at that.
- Learn more about bedside rugs if this idea piques your interest!
If you’re still unsure, break out the tape. Painter’s tape is our BFF for figuring out the right size rug. Grab a roll and tape off exact rug dimensions to better envision what size will look best in your space.
Where to Place a Rug in Your Bedroom
Now that you’ve mastered sizing, it’s time to figure out where exactly to place your rug. We know, we know—it might seem like an obvious answer (under the bed, of course!). But there’s an art to getting it just right—keep reading!
Frame your bed. No matter the size rug you choose, we like to follow these guidelines for placing it under the bed.
- The long side of the rug should run parallel to your headboard. This will allow you to show off as much of your gorgeous rug as possible on both sides of your bed!
- Make sure the rug is centered under the bed, unless your bed is flush against the wall on one side, or you’re working with a smaller bedroom that doesn’t allow enough room to center the rug.
- Place the rug so that it extends beyond the bed, ideally by at least a few feet. Again, you want to see as much of that beautiful rug as possible! If you have a large rug, this could mean you place it underneath or close to your nightstands. And if you have a small rug, it may mean the rug is only under the bottom third of the bed. Anywhere in between will work too, depending on your bed, rug, and room size.
Think about legs. Furniture legs, that is! You’ll want your chairs, nightstands, dressers, and other pieces to be level, so make sure you’re placing all legs on or all legs off the rug—and not half on, half off.
Look out for immovable obstacles. This means making sure doors that open into the room can clear the rug (plus rug pad!), and not covering vents or any other important features on the floor.
Yes, you can roll out a rug over carpet! For better or worse, wall-to-wall carpeting is a common feature in bedrooms. If you’re wanting to cover yours up, or simply want a more exciting look for your space, consider placing a rug on top of existing carpet. Just make sure you secure it in place with carpet tape!
Protect with a rug pad. Every rug in your home needs a rug pad, and the bedroom is no exception! They’re absolutely essential in keeping both your floors and your rug in good shape.
(Psssst: It’s ok if you need to reevaluate your size choice after reading the above section about placement—these things often go hand-in-hand. We’ll be right here when you’re done!)
The Best Materials and Patterns for Bedroom Rugs
We have some good news: Because bedrooms tend to be lower traffic spaces, really any rug material and weave type works well here. Plush shags that might get matted down in busier areas are perfectly cozy under bare feet in the bedroom, as are luxe wool and silk styles. If your bedroom floors do see a little more action—think playtime with kids, or a high-energy pet coming through—durable cotton flatweaves, jutes, and synthetic rugs are also great options.
The same thought goes for patterns: pretty much anything goes! Just keep in mind what your bed might cover up. For example, rugs with centered designs like medallions will likely be mostly covered by the bed, depending on the size of the rug and where you’ve placed it under the bed.
