Size

All of our products are handmade and rugs can vary in size by up to 50mm in width or length. (Some designs can vary by up to 100mm in width or length.) This is normal and by placing an order via this website, you confirm your understanding and acceptance of this. If you require a rug of a specific size, please contact your nearest showroom.

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to choosing a size for a given space, but here’s some guidance based on our experience.

Sizing 

When considering what size rug you should choose, there are a few points to consider. A rug is a very good way of defining a space within a much larger room, and this is particularly true in modern open-plan layouts. There is often a size and proportion that just looks comfortable and ‘right’ in a room; when a rug that is too small would appear lost and one that is too large would seem to be squeezed-in, making the room feel smaller. Where there are doors that open into the space it is important to check that they will be able to do so without coming into contact with the rug. If there is a sufficient gap beneath the door (about 1.5cm) then it will pass over the rug, but if not then either the rug should be placed out of the way or the bottom of the door should be shaved.

Sitting Rooms are often a great location for a rug, and there are some simple considerations that will help to find the best size and shape. One common solution is to have a rug that sits within the furniture; in front of sofas and chairs (see Layout A). In this case the rug should be longer and wider than the adjacent pieces of furniture, and not too far from the seating.

Layout B shows another common solution in which the rug runs about half way under the furniture, so that the back legs are off but the front legs are on. This generally works with sofas and chairs, and not with cupboards and tables that tend to appear unbalanced when placed half-on the rug. Side tables in particular need to be completely on or off the rug, which is why they are missing from the layout on the right.

Another alternative is to specify a rug large enough to include all of the furniture (Layout C) in which case sufficient extra space should be allowed all around to ensure that the furniture does not appear ‘perched’ on the edge.

The furniture around the perimeter of the room, such as sideboards and cupboards, are generally best left completely off the rug.

There are certain types of furniture that lend themselves to each of these three options. If the sofa or chair has separate legs and a gap under the seat then the rug will work particularly well running about half way underneath. If the sofa is very low to the ground, or has a valance, or has a modern single ‘rail’ type foot then it will probably need to be either completely on or off the rug.

In a Dining Room it is very often desirable to place a rug under the table, to deaden the sound in the room as well as to add colour, pattern and texture. Ideally the rug should be in proportion to the table, and larger than it so that there is sufficient space to pull out a chair and sit down without the back legs falling off the rug. The minimum that allows for this is about 75cm, so that the ideal size is generally at least 1.50m larger than the table in each direction.

As the centre of the rug will be mostly obscured by the table and chairs, the most important element of the design becomes the border.

Bedrooms are another common location for a rug, and here the first question should be whether or not to place the rug under the bed, or to cover another part of the floor in a large room.

The layout shown on the left below is normally the ideal, with the rug completely framing the bed but stopping short of the side tables. This allows for rug underfoot when one gets out of bed.

An alternative option is shown on the right with a bedside rug on either side.

When specifying a rug for a Hallway, it is usually necessary to produce a bespoke piece. This is because the required dimensions are normally fairly precise. Please contact your nearest showroom to discuss your requirements.

Fitting wall-to-wall

With some careful planning, hand-knotted rugs can be used successfully as fitted carpet, though installation should only be carried out by a qualified carpet fitter.

Because of the nature of handmade rugs, it is essential that the ordered size is slightly larger than the space into which the rug is being fitted (up to 200mm extra in each direction may be required).

This means that a portion of the pattern near the edge will be lost, and this should be considered when choosing a design.

If you are considering a wall-to-wall rug, please contact your nearest showroom to discuss this with them.

Fitting into a well or recess in the floor

If your rug is to be fitted into a recess in the floor, the rug must be made larger in each direction and it is essential to consider how the pattern will be cropped.

If you are planning to set your rug into a recess, please contact your nearest showroom to discuss this with them before ordering.

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