Rugs or carpets can also help you create the illusion of a larger room. Large area rugs (avoid placing several small rugs), can make your place look more prominent. They should be within 12 inches of the walls on all sides.
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 forget that adage “Measure twice, cut once.”
Add one large rug to create a transition from one part of a room to another. Add one large rug to create a transition from one part of a room to another. This creates the illusion of two smaller rooms. You also can place one or more rugs to create a further illusion of divided areas in the room.
The size of an area rug can dramatically alter the room's overall effect. A rug that is too small for your space can cause the room to feel uninviting. A rug that is too large for the room can, paradoxically, make the room feel smaller.
If a rug is too small, it will appear as if it is floating in the room. If it is too large it will overpower the room and make the room appear smaller than it is.
Make sure your rug is at least 6″ wider (8″ is ideal) than your sofa on both sides. Typically run the rug the length of the sofa. Give 30″ to 36″ of a walkway between large furniture pieces (if your living room allows for it) if not then at least 18″-24″. That will help to inform your rug size.
You can take out your measuring tape and map out a rectangular shape measuring 8 feet by 10 feet or 240 cm by 300 cm. This should give you an idea of how big the rug is when spread out on the floor. Therefore, the rug is around 80 square feet in an area rug size.
We suggest picking a rug size from 8×10 feet to 9×12 feet and ensuring that the rug you buy is at least six to eight inches wider than your sofa on all sides. Run the rug the length of the biggest sofa piece and give 30 to 36 inches of walkway between the larger furniture pieces if your space allows for it.
A light-colored flooring such as light oak or a light-colored carpet will make the room appear brighter and more open. The same applies to the ceiling—use a light color or white to "open up" the space above. Increase the appearance of the size of the room by adding wall mirrors.
Create an illusion with lines and stripes.
“Striped rugs also work if the stripes are perpendicular to the long walls of the room, visually widening it,” Cristina suggests.
During the cold winter months, they serve another important function: Rugs add a layer of insulation to the floor, trapping cool air underneath and keep it from seeping up and cooling the room. The warmth of the rug will keep your feet toasty, too.
Large rugs usually measure 8'x10′, 9'x12′, or more. These large rugs help define the style of the room. In an open space, large rugs can also define an area. The rugs help set a specific room design and cordons off the space for a specific use.
As a general rule, your dining room rug should be larger than your dining table by 24 to 30 inches on all four sides. The rug should sit directly under the dining table and centered in the room to make the space feel balanced.
The average size of a living room is three hundred and forty square feet (340 sqft). The average dimensions of a living room are 16 x 20 feet. A living room usually takes up about 15% of the space in a small home, but only 8% percent of the space in a large home.
An 8x10 rug is a good size for a table that sits between 6-8 people. All chairs should be able to stay on the rug while sitting. An 9x12 rug is a good size for a table that sits between 6-8 people. All chairs will comfortably fit on the rug and you will have much more of the rug visible.
In a small living room, a 5'x7' rug will fit underneath the coffee table, as well as in front of a fireplace with two comfy chairs sitting almost completely on the rug.
An area rug should be wider than the couch with a foot of space on either side showing. An area rug should have a minimum of 18" of space around where the bare floor shows. The front legs of the couch and any accent chairs should be on the rug. All legs of a couch and accompanying furniture should be on the rug.
Is it dumb to put a rug over a carpet? No, it's not. First, carpeted floors are expensive to clean.
A good rule of thumb to follow is that a rug should extend 12 to 18 inches beyond the furniture it's underneath. In a sofa and chair grouping, this means the rug should extend 12 to 18 inches beyond the ends of the sofa.