How To Choose The Right Size Rug For A Twin Or Full Bed

Rugs serve multiple purposes in a bedroom. Not only is it nice to have a soft and cozy surface to place your feet on in the morning, but a rug in the right spot helps your room to feel cohesive and anchors the space. Even if you have the perfect flooring that you're hesitant to cover up, a rug can still be a great addition as a simple way to decorate your bedroom. Unfortunately, trying to figure out the right size and placement for a rug in your room isn't always easy. Thankfully, there are a few simple guidelines to follow. 

Based on standard bed sizes, you should choose a rug that measures about 5 by 8 feet or 6 by 9 feet for a full. However, if you have a bulky bed frame, you may need to increase the size by an inch or two. The measurements could also change with extra-long versions of twin beds, though a 6-by-9-foot rug can work if situated correctly. If you're confused, another way to think about it is that generally, you want to have 24 inches of rug on all sides of your bed, not pressed against a wall. Once you know what size you need, it's easier to find the perfect rug for your home, and you can work on finding a pattern or color you enjoy.

Sounds easy, but there's a catch. Unfortunately, it's not as simple as looking at the size of your bed and determining the rug you need. You also have to consider the space and shape of the room.

A room looks best when you have around 2 feet of open space between your wall and your bed on three out of the four sides. You also want a small gap between your rug and the trim on the final side. So, while you could just pick a huge rug and be done with it, you want to make sure you give yourself enough open floor space as well.

Thankfully, for each bed size, you have a few options. You can choose to go with a large rug, which should be able to hold your bed and any bed-related furniture, including a bench and nightstands. Then, there is a medium option, which usually just sits underneath the bed. Finally, the smaller rug fits perpendicular to your bed and sits at the bottom third of the bed and under the bench, if you have one. 

For even smaller spaces, you can go for just small rugs on either side of the bed where you would put your feet to emerge in the morning. Or, if you have very limited space, a small runner rug right at the bottom of your bed is also an option. With runners, there is an additional rule, which is that you should have at least three inches of space between the rug and the wall. You'll also want to factor in door clearance around your bedroom door, as forgetting this is the rug-size mistake that can ruin the functionality of a room.