Interior design is all about maximizing the space you have at hand. And sometimes — particularly here in Florida — that space is small. Whether you’ve downsized into a smaller condo or apartment, built a “tiny house,” or moved into a historic building with hardwood floors for the first time, you need ways to make a small room feel bigger. The team of professional interior designers here atMatter Brothers Furniture is ready to help! Here, we’ll cover the “dos and dont’s” of area rug placement in a small room, and help youselect a new area rug, too. As always, if you have questions beyond the scope of this article, don’t hesitate tocontact us.
3 Tips to for Rug Placement That Will Make a Small Room Feel Bigger
1. Measure the Room and Use One Large Area Rug
One large area rug — rather than several small ones — makes a room feel larger. Measure the room’s dimensions first. Then select a rug that will rest within 12 inches of all four walls. Don’t forgetthat adage“Measure twice, cut once.”
If you were here in our Sarasota furniture showroom right now, we’d probably show you these area rugs to get started:
Of course, these are just two options. We have dozens more available for the rug placement. Once you decide on the size of the area rug, think about textures.
2. Select an Area Rug With Little or No Texture
Small rooms get crowded quickly. While texture in a carpet is visually interesting, it can overwhelm a small space. We love strongly textured area rugs but save those for the largest rooms in your home.
3. Choose Light Colors and Almost No Pattern
Light-colored rugs make a room look brighter and feel spacious. Consider pale pastels, natural-looking neutrals, and off-white to start. Patterns, like texture, are visually appealing but clutter a space quickly! If you like to paint your interiors every few years, we’d suggest pale grays, with a touch of metallic tones, to keep things interesting.
Check out these options to get your creative juices flowing:
Once you’ve decided on an area rug for a smaller room, it’s time to think about furniture. Maximize the space in a small room by combining storage wherever possible. For bedrooms, this could mean a bed with drawers, like thisQueen Complete Storage Bed. In a small living room, you could use anottomanthat doubles as storage space too.
Furniture & Interior Design Concepts for Small Rooms
We’ve already mentioned how quickly small spaces can be overwhelmed with intense area rugs. The same concept applies to furniture.
- Paint walls and trim in light colors.
- Keep furniture to a minimum in small rooms.
- Choose furniture with elegant, clean lines. Avoid ornate pieces or complicated woodwork.
- Select one or two necessary pieces, like a bed and dresser in a small bedroom. Then, skip the rest.
Use bright but minimal overhead lighting,like pendant lamps, for instance, rather than standing lamps. Indeed, you’ll be amazed at how much space large lampshades use. Take advantage of Florida’s natural sunshine, and use light, gauzy window dressings or vertical blinds to boost the natural light and “open” a room.
In sum, we know that small rooms can be challenging. If you’d like more help, try our room planner tool, or visit our Sarasota furniture store in person today! First, take some photos of the small room and bring them. Our team of professional interior designers would love to help you tackle that tiny space.
FAQs
Remember that the patterns you choose on your rugs are not too large. Placing rugs with big patterns will make your room look crowded and small. So, scale the patterns you use on your area rugs to make your room look bigger. The more carpet that is visible, the better.
How do you make a small room look bigger with rugs? ›
Remember that the patterns you choose on your rugs are not too large. Placing rugs with big patterns will make your room look crowded and small. So, scale the patterns you use on your area rugs to make your room look bigger. The more carpet that is visible, the better.
Where to place a rug in a small room? ›
There are several things to consider when placing your bedroom rug in a small bedroom. You can place a smaller rug at the foot of your bed—in fact, placing it there can increase your bedroom's Feng Shui. If you want to place a rug in front of your bed, it shouldn't be bigger or smaller than the width of the bed.
Where should a rug be placed in a TV room? ›
One option is to center the rug in the middle of the room, with the sofa and TV both positioned on top of it. Alternatively, you could place the rug at an angle, with the front legs of the sofa and any other seating on the rug, and the TV mounted on the wall above it.
Where to put an 8x10 rug? ›
An 8×10 area rug is one of the most common rug sizes people use. Aside from the bedroom, living room and dining room, you can also place an 8×10 rug in your home office, kitchen, entryway, porch—it just depends on the size of these rooms.
What makes a small room look bigger? ›
Light-colored walls and flooring will make a space feel roomier. If you like bold and bright hues, incorporate them through artwork, blankets, throw pillows and home decor accents. Add table and floor lamps. The more light you have, the bigger the space feels.
How do interior designers make small rooms look bigger? ›
- Use large artwork to create an illusion of grandeur. ...
- Mirrors are the most effective way to trick the eye and open up a room. ...
- When choosing paint shades for a small space, look for colors with an LRV of 50 or higher. ...
- Floor-to-ceiling curtains make your walls look much taller.
1. Choose a light-colored rug to open up your space. “Stick to light, cool tones as much as possible, as these will trick the eye into thinking the space is bigger than it is,” recommends Cristina.
Should you put a big rug in a small room? ›
Use 1 Large Area Rug
Some people try to use multiple small rugs to cover more area, but that will only make the room feel both smaller and more divided. Instead, you should opt for a larger rug that brings the room together and creates a unified space.
Do rugs go under couches or in front? ›
A couch can go entirely on a rug, front legs and back, but, if you opt for front legs only, make sure there is at least 3" of rug behind the legs. Do you center a rug with the room or the couch? Ideally, the rug is centered with both the room and the couch.
Where to put a TV in a bedroom? How to minimize its presence or make it a standout design feature
- Mount your TV above the fireplace mantel. ...
- Consider a drop down TV from the ceiling. ...
- Hide the TV behind closet doors. ...
- Invest in a bed with a built-in TV. ...
- Use A Modular Media Unit. ...
- Go for discreet built-in shelving.
When deciding where to put a TV in the living room, the logical place is across from a sofa. You can use swivel chairs on each side of the sofa if you would like to allow two arrangements – one for conversation, and another where everyone wants to see the TV.
What is the rule for rug placement? ›
The Living Room
As a standard but not as rule, the rug should be at least 10cm under the feet of the furniture. The rug does not need to go wall to wall, try to leave a gap of about 30cm between the wall and the rug.
Where should a rug be placed in a small bedroom? ›
In a small bedroom, a rug can be placed either under the bed, extending beyond the sides and foot of the bed, or at the foot of the bed. Both options help define the space and add a touch of style and comfort to the room.
What color rug will make a room look bigger? ›
Choose a light-colored rug to open up your space.
“Stick to light, cool tones as much as possible, as these will trick the eye into thinking the space is bigger than it is,” recommends Cristina.
What pattern makes a room look bigger? ›
One of the most popular types of peel and stick wallpaper is stripes. This style of wallpaper creates the illusion of a longer or wider room by adding horizontal or vertical lines. Vertical stripes will give the room the appearance of being taller, while horizontal stripes make the room look wider.
Does a round rug make a room look bigger or smaller? ›
Leave at least 20- 30cm from your walls as again this helps create the illusion the room is larger than it is, otherwise it will just look like wall to wall carpet. A round rug will always make a room appear more open and larger than it really is.
Do area rugs make a room feel smaller? ›
Consider the size and shape of your room when choosing a rug. A larger rug can make a room feel more spacious and cohesive, while a smaller rug can make it feel cramped and disjointed. Ensure there is some space between the rug's edge and any furniture or wall in the room.
