how to position bedroom rug

How to position an area rug in my bedroom? [A Quick Guide]

When it comes to decorating your bedroom, an area rug can be a great addition to tie the room together and add some warmth and texture.

However, it can sometimes be tricky to figure out the best way to position your rug, especially if your bedroom has slanted walls or is a unique shape – trust me, I’ve been there before!

In this article, we’ll look at what an area rug is, the different kinds of area rugs, and finally how best to position your area rug in your bedroom for the best look possible.

Let’s take a look!


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What is an area rug?

An area rug is a type of rug that’s designed to cover a certain area of your room – usually a section of your floor that’s not already carpeted (although don’t be afraid to place an area rug on carpet!).

Unlike wall-to-wall carpeting, which is installed and affixed to the floor, area rugs are typically laid on top of hard surface flooring such as hardwood, tile, or concrete.

Area rugs come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and patterns, and they’re a popular choice for adding warmth, texture, and color to a room, as well as for defining separate areas within an open floor plan.

NOTE: If you want to see how else you can divide a bedroom both permanently and temporarily, take a look at our article here.

What types of area rug are there?

There are quite possibly too many types of area rug to list all in one article, so we’re going to focus on the three main, most popular types: antique rugs, vintage rugs, and modern rugs.

Antique Rugs

antique English rug

Antique rugs have a timeless appeal that can add both sophistication and class to any room.

To qualify as an antique rug, the rug must be at least 80 years old – if it’s younger than this, it’s not an antique rug, but rather a vintage rug trying to look like an antique rug.

Some examples of antique rug types include Angora rugs, English rugs, and Mongolian rugs.

Vintage Rugs

Vintage Persian rug

Vintage rugs offer a nostalgic touch to your décor, and usually will be somewhat cheaper than antique rugs.

Typically, vintage rugs come from the mid-20th century and are characterized by their artistic styles – they really do have their own unique looks!

Popular types of vintage rugs include Scandinavian rugs, Moroccan rugs, and vintage Persian rugs.

Modern Rugs

modern rug

Finally, we have modern rugs.

Modern rugs are rugs that have been produced within the last few decades, right the way up to the current day. They often draw inspiration from a variety of sources, including various art movements and contemporary designers.

Popular types of modern rugs include Swedish rugs and modern Moroccan rugs.

Tips on positioning your bedroom area rug

Choose the right size

The size of your rug will depend first and foremost on the size of your room, but also on the size of your bed.

A good rule of thumb is to choose a rug that is large enough to fit under the bottom two-thirds of your bed, with at least 18 inches of rug visible on either side and at the foot of the bed.

Center the rug

Once you’ve chosen the right size, center the rug under your bed so that it’s symmetrical and balanced.

This will create a cohesive look and make your room feel more put together, as opposed to a disparate look we want to try and avoid.

Consider furniture placement

If you have other furniture like a dresser or nightstand in your bedroom, make sure they’re positioned on the rug, even if just partly (the front two legs on the rug and the back two legs off, for example).

This will help anchor the furniture, while create a nice, cohesive look in the process.

Play around with layer rugs

If you have a smaller rug that you love but it’s not quite big enough for your bedroom, why not try layering it on top of a larger, neutral rug to create a cozy and stylish bedroom look?!

There is no right or wrong way to do this, so have a play around and see what works and what doesn’t!

Closing thoughts

By following these tips, you can position your area rug in your bedroom in a way that not only is unique to you, but will bring you happiness whenever you open your bedroom door.

Not to mention – no more cold feet on a hardwood floor in the winter! That was what convinced me to invest in a rug!

I hope you’ve found this article helpful. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out – we’d love to hear from you!

Frequently asked questions

Where should a rug be placed in a bedroom?

While there is no strict rule on where your bedroom rug should be placed in the room, we recommend placing it under the lower half of your bed, so that it comes out past the bed and into the center of your bedroom.

This rug placement helps to create a natural flow in your room, from the bed out to the center, and then on to a desk or dresser on the other side of your room.

Should a rug be centered on the bed or the room?

A bedroom rug should be centered on the bed, not the room itself. The bed is the largest piece of furniture in your bedroom, so this really needs to be the point of focus when placing your rug.

As well, your bed is not always going to be in the center of your bedroom, so if you tried to center your rug to the room itself, you’ll most likely end up with half of the rug under the left side of your bed and the rest exposed, which is not going to be very visually appealing.

Should you put a rug in a bedroom with carpet?

Absolutely! There is no reason why you shouldn’t place a rug on top of carpet – in fact we would actively recommend it!

We’ve found that placing rugs on carpet can help to protect the carpet and extend its life, especially when you have heavy furniture with legs that will dig into the floor over time – think a heavy dresser or wardrobe.

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