Have you ever gone shopping for a new rug and been absolutely floored by the number of options you have? With all the materials, sizes, and patterns available, you could easily spend a day getting lost among the choices. While that’s certainly something we’d enjoy doing, we know that you have more important responsibilities than your floor decor. That’s why we took the liberty of creating a comprehensive guide — guaranteed to introduce cozy cohesion to all of your spaces.
Whether you’re decorating a living room, nursery, or dining space, there’s a rug that meets your needs. As you search, you might notice that 8×10 feet is a common size for area rugs. Here’s why they’re favored and what they can bring to your home.
Is 8×10 feet the average-sized area rug for a living room?
There’s a big difference between the rugs made to rest on your porch and those crafted for your living room. While size is one obvious differentiator, the vibe the rugs bring is just as important. If your next rug is for one of your larger living areas, you’ll want to pick a size to match the dimensions and energy of the room. Your most-used rooms should be filled with style and comfort! When decorating one of your family’s favorite spaces, it’s worth investing in a cozy, bigger piece. It’s no wonder that the average size area rug for a living room is 8×10 feet. This standard size can create a cohesive look within your home, without overwhelming your senses. The same dimensions exist for outdoor rugs, dining room rugs, and more!
What does an 8×10 area rug mean for a space?
When you’re rug shopping, the “8×10” descriptor describes the dimensions, in feet, of the piece you’re looking at. If you’re looking at 8×10 rug designs, you can expect the product to be eight feet long and ten feet wide, forming a rectangle.
That’s easy enough to understand, but what will those numbers truly mean within your home? Here’s some context: an 8×10 rug occupies 80 square feet, while the average living room is 330 square feet. While it’s always wise to do measurements of your own, unique home, you can estimate that a rug of this size will take up about one-fourth of your available floor space.
This is an excellent proportion for a living room! Because rugs rest on the floor and can go underneath furniture, you don’t have to worry about having 80 square feet of completely open space. Instead, the 8×10 design is perfect for adding comfort, texture, and color to your space without disrupting existing designs or dealing with wall-to-wall rugs.
Is a 5×7 rug large enough?
After reading about the perfection that is the 8×10 rug, you might be a little worried. If you’ve already fallen in love with a 5×7 design, do you have to completely abandon your dreams of owning it?
Not necessarily. A 5×7, or similar shapes like the 5×8, are certainly smaller. While the 8×10 is considered a standard large size, a 5×7 would fall more into the “medium” category. For a better visual, remember that a 5×7 and a 7×5 really have the same dimensions, depending on how you rotate it. When we compare a 7×5 to an 8×10, you can more easily imagine these smaller rugs as one inch shorter length-wise and half as long in terms of width.
They’re a popular option and perfect for smaller spaces, like an office or laundry room!
Integrating your 8×10 rug into a space
Now that you’ve found your perfect fit size-wise, it’s time to make your new rug feel at home! In some situations, it may be as simple as laying the covering down on your floor. In other cases, you may want to take advantage of our tips below, which help to ensure that your rug is introducing coziness into your space, not confusion!
Should rugs be wider than your couches?
It is a decorating best practice to have your area rug be wider than your couches. If your new addition seems dwarfed by your furniture, it may look out of place and disrupt the flow of your living space. Fortunately, the average three-cushion couch length is about 6.5 feet, meaning that an 8×10 rug should have you covered no matter how you choose to position it!
Having a rug that is wider than your couches also ensures that those using your seating will have a soft spot to rest their feet, regardless of what cushion they’re sitting on.
Can a rug be too big for a room?
Purchasing and placing your rugs is all about balance. While an oversized rug would certainly be wider than your couches, it may completely dominate smaller spaces. Your rug should aim to fill the heart of a space, occupying the middle area where people congregate in the room. You should also aim to have a minimum of 18 inches of hardwood between an exposed rug edge and a wall.
Should the living room rug go under the furniture?
Your home’s busiest rooms may not have 80 square feet of completely open space. Fortunately, smaller furniture pieces like coffee tables or ottomans are perfect for placing on top of the rug.
It’s also standard for the legs of larger furniture to go on top of an area rug — whether all four or just the front two. Not only does this ensure that the piece is effectively tied into the rest of your decor, but it reduces the chances of tripping by firmly anchoring the edges of the rug to the floor.
How far should a rug go under a couch?
If you have smaller loveseats or chairs, it’s wise to place all four legs onto the rug. It can make your decorating seem more deliberate and reduce the chances of instability.
It can be difficult to fit an entire couch onto a rug without completely overtaking the space. If you’re struggling to make things work, aim to have at least two legs on and the rug pulled at least halfway under the seat.
We’re confident that an 8×10 will make your space a 10 out of 10! Happy decorating from RugsUSA.com.
