How to Choose the Right Bedroom Rug

My least favorite thing in the morning is the alarm clock. The second least favorite part is stepping outside my bed on cold floors. Ouch. If there is one room that needs a rug more than any other, it is the bedroom. This is why choosing the right bedroom rug is important.

Finding the right bedroom rug can be tricky. Beds take a lot of space and there are different ways to arrange your bedroom furniture. With this in mind, here are a few simple tips to help you choose the right bedroom rug.

Below I share a few general guidelines. Don’t take these measurements as rigid. 

• Have between 18-24 inches of your rug extend from the ends of your bed
• For Full sized beds, choose a 6x9 rug 
• For Queen sized beds, choose a 8x10 rug
• For King sized bed, choose a 9x12 rug

There are 3 main ways to place your rug in your bedroom:

• A rug fully underneath your bed and nightstands

This is a great way to style your bedroom visually. If you have a bigger bedroom and the budget for a rug to cover the entirety of your bed and nightstands, then go with this rug placement. 

Check out How to Choose the Right Area Rug for Under Your Bed for more details.

If you have a ton of extra space outside the bed, you may consider styling these areas separately with area rugs - check out our Guide on How to Choose the Right Area Rug. 

• A partial placement

If you are on a tight budget, you can choose a smaller size rug that covers most of your bed without placing any of the rug under your nightstands.

• 2 runners alongside the bed

If you have a smaller bedroom, a large rug might overwhelm the space. Instead, you can get two runners and place one along each side of your bed and in front of each of your nightstands.

To make this visually more appealing, you can place a small portion of the rug underneath the front of the nightstands. 

Choose a runner that is slightly larger than the width of your nightstands so it extends a bit. 

Make sure each runner extends to the end of the bed. A runner longer than the bed will look awkward.

Given that the bedroom is a low-traffic space for quiet comfort, you should pick a rug that is soft, comfy and plush. 

• High-pile rugs and shags are perfect for bedrooms. 

• Polypropylene and wool are also good options. They bring extra comfort to your feet.

As I’ve shared in other posts, the same interior decor rules apply for bedroom rugs. Here they are in a nutshell:

• If your bedroom has busy walls or bed sheets with patterns, it’s best to balance them out with a neutral, solid rug.

• Alternatively, if your bedroom decor is already muted and neutral, then your rug should bring some pop of color or an intricate pattern to spice things up a bit.

Now that you have the basics covered, I am curious to know - which rug placement do you have in your bedroom? Does that work for you?