Short answer: Start with the width of your sofa, not the size of the room. A two-seater up to 77.2 inches (196 cm) wide suits a 5 by 8 foot rug. A three-seater, or a two-seater with a chaise, suits 8 by 10 feet. An L-shaped sectional needs 8 by 10 feet with three seats and 9 by 12 feet with more. At minimum, the front legs of the seating should sit on the rug.
A sofa and a rug are bought separately, so they often end up the wrong size for each other. Our room-by-room rug size guide covers bedrooms, dining rooms and hallways. This guide is only about the rug under your seating.
On This Page
- How should a rug sit under a sofa or sectional?
- Which rug size fits which sofa or sectional?
- How does an L-shaped or U-shaped sectional change the rug?
- Where can I buy large washable rugs that fit under modular seating?
- Our recommendation
- Explore our rugs and seating
How should a rug sit under a sofa or sectional?
There are three ways to place a rug, and they need different sizes.
- Front legs on: the front legs of the sofa and chairs sit on the rug and the back legs sit on the floor. It is the approach in our area rug guide and it needs the smallest rug.
- All legs on: the whole sofa sits on the rug. It suits larger rooms, where a bigger rug does not crowd the edges.
- Rug in front only: the rug sits under the coffee table and stops before the sofa. We do not recommend it, because the rug floats on its own instead of tying the seating together.
Measure the outer edges of the whole group, not only the sofa. A chaise sticks out in front of the seats, so measure from the back of the sofa to the front of the chaise. A Ciello Regular two-seater with a chaise is 74.75 x 68.5 inches (190 x 174 cm), far deeper than the same sofa without it. Our sofa size guide explains width and depth.
If your sofa opens into a bed, compare its open depth with the rug. A Neptune three-seater opens to about 60 inches (152 cm) from the back of the sofa, and an Orian opens to 80 inches (202.5 cm) as a queen bed. A 5 by 8 foot rug is 60 inches deep and an 8 by 10 foot rug is 96 inches deep, so you can see whether the open bed will sit on the rug or reach past it.
Which rug size fits which sofa or sectional?
Our washable rugs come in five sizes, and three of them can sit under seating. A 5 x 8 foot rug measures 60 x 96 inches (152.4 x 243.8 cm), an 8 x 10 foot rug measures 96 x 120 inches (243.8 x 304.8 cm), and a 9 x 12 foot rug measures 108 x 144 inches (274.3 x 365.8 cm). The 3 x 5 foot rug and the 2.5 x 8 foot runner suit entryways and corners.
The table uses the overall sizes on our sofa pages, with arms at both ends. Run the long side of the rug along the sofa and pick the smallest size that is longer than the sofa and deep enough to reach its front legs. That is a layout guideline, not a product specification, so tape the outline on the floor first.
Which rug size fits which sofa or sectional?
| Layout | Overall size (width x depth) | Rug to choose |
|---|---|---|
| Two-seater with arms | 60.6 to 77.2 inches (154 to 196 cm) wide and 34.8 to 41.0 inches (88.5 to 104 cm) deep across Cassini, Neptune, Gaia, Orian, Ciello and Atmosphere | 5 x 8 feet |
| Two-seater with a chaise | Neptune 64.6 x 59.4 inches (164 x 151 cm); Gaia 67.7 x 65.4 inches (172 x 166 cm); Ciello 74.75 x 68.5 inches (190 x 174 cm) | 8 x 10 feet, because a 5 x 8 foot rug is only 60 inches deep |
| Three-seater with arms | Neptune 89.8 inches (228 cm); Gaia 99.2 inches (252 cm); Orian 103.7 inches (263.5 cm); Ciello 105.9 inches (269 cm); Atmosphere with rounded arms 106.7 inches (271 cm) | 8 x 10 feet |
| L-shape, three seats and a corner | From 96.5 x 71.3 inches (245 x 181 cm) for Neptune to 108.3 x 77.4 inches (275 x 196.5 cm) for Orian | 8 x 10 feet holds the whole footprint |
| L-shape, four seats and a corner | From 96.5 x 96.5 inches (245 x 245 cm) for Neptune to 108.3 x 108.3 inches (275 x 275 cm) for Orian | 9 x 12 feet |
| Five seats with a corner | Neptune 121.7 x 96.5 inches (309 x 245 cm); Atmosphere 136.2 x 106.7 inches (346 x 271 cm) | 9 x 12 feet |
| Seven seats with two corners | Neptune 153.5 x 96.5 inches (390 x 245 cm); Atmosphere 165.7 x 106.7 inches (421 x 271 cm) | 9 x 12 feet under the main run, front legs on |
Two details matter. The Orian four-seat layout is 108.3 inches square, a fraction over the 108 inches of a 9 x 12 foot rug. And our largest layouts are longer than 144 inches, so no single rug of ours covers them end to end. For those, ask our team to review the plan in a free design consultation.
How does an L-shaped or U-shaped sectional change the rug?
A sectional has two runs of seating, so the rug has to reach under both. Place it so the front legs of each run, and the corner between them, sit on the rug. On a chaise layout, check that the chaise end is covered, because it is the part most easily left on bare floor.
Our open-plan layout guide recommends the biggest rug size for a large sectional or a U-shape, so the whole group sits on the rug. Our sofa configuration guide helps you choose the layout first. Because our sofas are modular, you can add seats later, so size the rug for the layout you expect to end up with, or choose a size that works for both.
Leave some bare floor around the rug and keep walking paths clear: as a general guideline, at least 30 inches (76 cm), and 36 inches (91 cm) is more comfortable.
Where can I buy large washable rugs that fit under modular seating?
Our washable rugs come in the two large sizes a sectional needs, 8 x 10 feet and 9 x 12 feet, and each design is offered in all five sizes, subject to stock. A soft polyester chenille layer of about 8.5 mm comes with a cushioned modular pad of about 4.5 mm, for a combined thickness of about 13 mm. Our rugs include the pad, which is sized for the rug and slides into the pockets on the rug, and its grip material helps the rug stay in place. We have no formal slip-resistance rating, so we make no promise that a rug will stay put on any floor.
Size also decides how you wash it. The 2.5 x 8 foot runner, 3 x 5 foot and 5 x 8 foot rugs fit a standard home washing machine. The 8 x 10 foot needs a washer of at least 4.5 cubic feet without a central agitator, and the 9 x 12 foot needs a commercial 60 to 80 lb washer. Our washable rug checklist and care guide cover the steps.
Our recommendation
Pick by the biggest piece of your seating, then check the washer.
- Two-seater, or a small living room: 5 x 8 feet with the front legs on. It is our smallest size that sits under a sofa, and we do not make a size between 5 x 8 and 8 x 10 feet.
- Three-seater, a chaise, or an L-shape with three seats: 8 x 10 feet.
- Larger corner sectional or a U-shape: 9 x 12 feet, and plan how you will wash it.
- Between two sizes: tape both outlines on the floor, sit on the sofa and look at the edges before you order.
Explore our rugs and seating
Product specifications can change. Check the current dimensions on the product page before ordering.