Area rugs provide artistic value to a room’s design. They can be considered artwork for the floor. They are practical, providing cushion, comfort and warmth over a concrete, tile, or wood floor. So how do you choose the right area rug for your Bedroom?

Bedroom floors are challenging in the morning. Make it easier to get out of bed on those oh-so early mornings by putting down an area rug that is large enough to give your feet a soft landing. Even if you have wall-to-wall carpeting, you can layer on a cozy area rug under your bed to muffle sound and add color, texture, and pattern to your space.
High-grade nylons combine our favorite factors: durability + stain-resistance and oh-so-cushy. Or look for good quality natural materials such as wool and silk. A high-quality wool rug will wear well and even look better over time. Don’t forget the final touch — a quality rug cushion ensures extra comfort while keeping the rug in good shape for as long as possible.
What Should Sit on the Area Rug?
This seems like a simple question but requires some thought. A square or rectangular area rug works best under any size bed. But in addition to a bed, you might have two nightstands and a bench by the foot of your bed. You will need to make a few small choices about what goes on top of your area rug. There are four options when it comes to placing an area rug under your bed:
- Only the entire bed frame sits on the area rug.
- The entire bed frame, nightstands, and a bench at the foot of your bed all sit completely on the area rug
Rug placement examples source pinterest loveofrugs.wordpress.com - Only the lower two-thirds of the bed, plus a bench at the foot of your bed, sits on the area rug, which leaves the head of your bed and any nightstands sitting on the bare (or carpeted) floor.
- Only the lower third of the bed, plus a bench at the foot of your bed, sit on the area rug, leaving most of the bed on the bare floor. More of the area rug will jut out into the rest of the room. This option works best if you are laying a smaller-size area rug down over carpeting to give the room color and texture.
- You do not want to end up with half of your table legs on the area rug. It will make for a precarious situation when you go to put your glass of water on a wobbly nightstand. The same problem may happen at the foot of your bed. Half of your bench sitting on an area rug can cause you to feel slightly lopsided and unbalanced when you sit down.
Area Rugs Under Dressers
Regardless of the size of your bedroom or bed, an area rug should not push up against the edge or legs of a dresser or other large piece of furniture. Choose a rug that is large enough to fully slip underneath the entire dresser. Or, pick an area rug small enough so that you can leave at least two inches or three inches of floor showing between the edge of the rug and the piece of furniture.
Area Rug Sizes for a Small Bedroom
Tiny bedroom think big when it comes to an area rug. In a smaller room, select a rug that’s large enough to nearly fill up the entire space. Be sure to leave between two inches and five inches of bare floor between the rug and the walls.
If you have a twin-size or full-size bed in a small room, use these general guidelines for the size area rug you will need. Note that twin-size beds typically measure about 39 inches wide by 75 inches long (a twin XL, designed for taller people, measures 80 inches long). A full-size bed, or double bed, measures 54 inches wide by 75 inches long.
- A 4-foot by 6-foot or a 5-foot by 8-foot area rug fits the bottom two-thirds of the bed only.
- A 6-foot by 9-foot area rug fits the bed, a nightstand, and a bench at the foot of the bed.
- A 9-foot by 12-foot area rug fits two twin-size beds, one nightstand in the center of the two beds, and two benches at the foot of each bed

Area Rug Sizes for a Large Bedroom
Choosing a rug that’s too small for a large bedroom will throw the space off balance. If you do choose a large rug that fills up most of the room, leave at least eight inches of space between the edges of the rug and the walls.
In a larger room, you may have a queen-size or king-size bed. Use these rough guidelines to choose an area rug that will look good in a big bedroom. Take into consideration the measurements of larger beds. A queen-size bed measures 60 inches wide by 80 inches long. A king-size bed measures 76 inches wide by 80 inches long. A California king-size bed measures 72 inches wide by 84 inches long.
Keeping Your Area Rug in Shape
Even when your area rug is under the bed, the edges can still bunch up to cause a tripping hazard. Double-sided carpet tape is one of the best solutions. Alternatively, a nonslip rug mat placed under the entire area rug will keep the edges down.
Keep your area rug looking new with the right maintenance. An area rug under the weight of a bed will become indented. Take care to turn your area rug every so often so you can remove the indentations with an ice cube treatment. Let a small ice cube melt on the indentation, then fluff up the fibers with your fingers. Just be sure you thoroughly dry the spots you’ve iced so you don’t accidentally step into a puddle of cold water in the morning.

Choosing the right rug is hard
With so many styles and piles out there, it can be tricky to find the one area rug that works for your bedroom. To avoid the dreaded rug order and return struggle, here is a list of a few places to shop so you can see what the overall effect will be in your bedroom and budget before you hit purchase. Amazon, Walmart, Rugs USA, Wayfair, Urban Outfitters, Target, Overstock, Home Depot, Joss & Main, and AllModern.
The most important consideration in buying a bedroom area rug, is finding something that is going to please you every time you look at it. Good luck with your shopping and please add your own ideas and experiences in the comment section below.
Hi Nancy,
I’m so glad I came across this article as my girlfriend and I have been talking about changing the rug in our bedroom as it is looking a bit tatty. It doesn’t feel nice anymore when you stand on it either, so I think it’s time we replaced it. I have forwarded your article on to my girlfriend so by the time she gets home later we will both be up to speed 🙂
I’ll let you know what we decide as far as rugs are concerned following your advice.
Thank you for sharing and keep up the great work.
All the best,
Tom
Thank you Tom for you comment. I’m so glad you were able to put something from this article to use with thinking about your own bedroom area rug. i look forward to hearing from you once you decide on a rug. Good luck.
Keep well,
Nancy
That’s such a pretty bedroom nancy. Yes, area rugs are great for bringing out the flavor of a bedroom. Area rugs instead of carpets give the room that special look of cosiness and familiarity.
Lovely article and I must say that your knowledge is really good.
Thanks.
Aparna
Thank you Aparna – for your lovely comment. I totally agree with you about ” area rugs are great for bringing out the flavor of a bedroom”. And “give the room that special look of coziness and familiarity”. I’m so glad you liked the article.
Keep well,
Nancy
Most of our house has blonde, hardwood floors. My wife does a very nice job of using area rugs. I am going to send her the link for your article because I know she’ll enjoy it and she might learn from your helpful tips. Also, the pictures are beautiful and show how area rugs can really enhance the look and feel of a room!
Thank you for your comment Glenn – you are very lucky to be married to a woman that has that Eye for decorating. Using area rugs to pull sections of your home together to be cozy and inviting is a gift. I could probably learn from your wife.
Keep well,
Nancy
This is a very effective way of taking care of bedroom floors.
Should the colour of the rugs match with anything in your bedroom or any colour is good.
The ultra fluffy soft rag specifically looks very nice for me.
Thank you for your good work and best wishes.
Thank you James for your comment. The color of the area rug should coordinate with the rest of your bedroom. But if you are starting with a fresh slate, new bedding, new drapes or blinds, and new wall decor, then it’s best to choose your area rug and build up from there. I agree with you, I love that long shag white fluffy area rug.
Keep well,
Nancy
My bed is right next to the outside wall – so it’s closer to the radiator in the winter, but closer to the window in the summer. I’m not sure that I have ever heard of area rugs before, but they look like a really nice addition to most bedrooms – all I need now is a bigger house, with a larger bedroom!
Thank you Simon for your comment. Even with small bedroom, you can place area under 1/3 to a 1/2 of the bed and have something warm, soft and cozy for your toes to touch in the mornings.
Keep well,
Nancy