Calculator + chartEnter your measurements below and it works the answer out.
An 8 × 10 ft rug suits most queen beds and a 9 × 12 ft suits most kings — but the room decides it, not the bed. Enter both below for the size that actually works.
| Bed | Rug under whole bed | Rug from below nightstands | Runners instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twin | 5 × 8 ft | 4 × 6 ft | One 2.5 × 8 ft |
| Full | 8 × 10 ft | 6 × 9 ft | Two 2.5 × 8 ft |
| Queen | 8 × 10 ft | 6 × 9 ft | Two 2.5 × 8 ft |
| King | 9 × 12 ft | 8 × 10 ft | Two 3 × 8 ft |
| California King | 9 × 12 ft | 8 × 10 ft | Two 3 × 8 ft |
The first column is the placement most designers recommend: the rug sits under the bed and the nightstands, with an even border showing on three sides.
There are three accepted ways to put a rug under a bed, and the right size depends on which you pick.
Under the whole bed. The rug extends past the sides and foot of the bed by at least 18 inches, and starts above the nightstands or under them. This is the version the calculator sizes for, because it is the one that makes a room look finished.
From below the nightstands. The rug starts about two-thirds of the way down the bed, leaving the head end on bare floor. It uses a smaller rug and still gives you something warm to step onto.
Runners on each side. Two narrow rugs flanking the bed. Cheapest option and works in narrow rooms where a large rug would run under the wardrobe.
The calculator checks that your chosen rug leaves at least 6 inches of floor showing between the rug edge and the wall — a rug that runs wall to wall reads as carpet, not as a rug, and traps the door.
An 8 × 10 ft rug is the standard answer. It extends about 18 inches past each side and past the foot of a Queen, and sits under the nightstands. If your room is under 11 ft wide, a 6 × 9 ft rug starting below the nightstands works better.
9 × 12 ft. A King is 76 inches wide, so a 9 ft (108 in) rug leaves 16 inches on each side — the closest standard size to the 18-inch ideal. An 8 × 10 ft rug is the fallback if the room is under 12 ft wide, placed from below the nightstands.
Either works, but be consistent. Under the nightstands looks more deliberate and anchors the whole sleeping area; starting below them uses a smaller rug and shows more of a good floor. What looks wrong is a rug that stops halfway under a nightstand leg.
At least 18 inches on the two sides and at the foot. That is roughly the width of a step, so you land on the rug when you get out of bed — which is the point of the rug.
Yes. Leave at least 6 inches of bare floor between the rug and each wall, and more if a door swings inward. A rug that reaches the walls reads as wall-to-wall carpet and makes the room look smaller, not larger.