Bedroom Rug Placement: Where To Place A Bedroom Rug

Adding a rug to your bedroom is a popular décor choice in 2023. "Placing an area rug in your bedroom is great for tying together and anchoring all your bedroom furniture," says Ash Read.

Is your bed against a wall? What about rug placement for a corner bed? You’ll have to consider multiple factors –  your rug and room size, comfort, room layout and preferred aesthetic.

So, how do you place a rug in your bedroom? What rug placement best suits a bed against a wall? Let’s go over some bedroom rug placement ideas.

How To Place An Area Rug Under Your Bed

The most common bedroom rug placement is to place the area rug under your bed. This rug placement also works in a small bedroom and is stylish, timeless, and customizable. 

By placing the rug under your bed, you’ll anchor the bed in place and define the area. You can choose what furniture you would like to include on top of the rug. Allow 18 to 24 inches (45 to 60 cm) of rug to peek out from the sides of your bed to create a balanced border. Read more about how to choose the right rug size and placement for your king-size and queen-size bed.

Place The Rug Under The Entire Bedframe

This placement will give you a cozy landing spot as you step in and out of bed. It helps to anchor the bed and make it the focal point of the room, while also creating a clear delineation for your sleeping area. Bonus point for rugs’ noise-dampening effects!

Place The Rug Under The Entire Bedframe And Accompanying Nightstands

With this placement, you’ll likely need a larger rug. The larger the rug, the higher the price, so take this into account when factoring budget into your rug choice. If you have a queen- or king-size bed, your rug should measure a minimum of 8x10 and no smaller. However, make sure to consider the size of your nightstands and leave enough breathing room between the edges of the rug and your walls. The sweet spot is to leave 10 to 20 inches (25 to 50 cm) of bare floor.

Photo by Chelsey Freng

Best 8' x 10' Rugs for a Bed Decor:

Place The Rug Under The Bottom Two-Thirds Of The Bed, Leaving The Top Of The Bed And Nightstands On Bare Floor

With this placement, place the rug perpendicular to the bed. This will ensure you have plenty of soft rug stepping space on all three sides of the bed. For this placement, you can get away with a smaller rug size – such as a medium 5x8 rug, depending on the size of your bed. 

Leave around 8 inches (20 cm) of bare floor between your rug and nightstands. “In terms of width, the rug should align with the outer edges of your bedside table on either side, give or take 10cm. If the edge of the rug ends in the middle of your bedsides, it’s not wide enough,” says interior designer Chris Carroll.

Photo by Katharina of Edel Weiss

Our Favorite 5' x 8' Rugs for a Bed Decor:

Place The Rug Under The Lower Legs Of The Bed, Allowing A Bed Bench To Sit On Top Of The Rug

If your room doesn’t have a lot of space on the sides of your bed but has more at the end, try this placement. 
You will also be able to choose a smaller rug size this way, as you won’t need to cover much of the bed area. Your rug options can vary from large rugs to runners. Make sure to place something at the end of your bed to sit atop the rug, like a chest or bed bench, to retain harmony and ground the rug.

Photo by Jenny

Our Best Runner Rugs for a Bedroom Decor:

Place A Round Rug Under One Of The Lower Legs Of The Bed

How do you place a round rug under a bed? As we’ve only covered rectangular rugs so far, we thought we’d throw in a styling option for round rugs. 

Placing a round rug under either of the lower legs of the bed is a great option for smaller rooms that cannot accommodate a full-size standard rug. Additionally, you’ll be able to avoid covering any air vents present on the floor.

Avoid placing the leg of the bed right in the middle of the rug. Make sure to leave enough rug visible from under the bed, and try to roughly align the edge of the rug with the outer edge of your nightstand.

Photo by Simona Olcese

Our Favorite Round Rugs for Under a Bed Decor:

How To Place An Area Rug Next To Your Bed

Place Runners On Both Sides Of The Bed

This one is an amazing option for small rooms where no other rug size would fit. Since you want to leave enough visible flooring between the rug and the walls while also avoiding the door hitting the rug, the above styles may not always be a viable option depending on your room size.

This is where runners come in – they’re smaller, more affordable, and still cozy! Depending on your bed size, an 8-foot-long runner may work well. Place one on each side of the bed, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) of flooring between the runner and your bed. This will ensure your feet have a soft landing site on both sides of the bed. Runners are also great for ease of cleaning – you won’t need to lift a heavy bed up to be able to thoroughly clean the rugs or under your bed.

As the runners won’t sit directly under your bed, they’re more likely to slip. Make sure to invest in a rug mat or anti-slip underlay to avoid the risk of slipping. This is a must for those with hard flooring.

How To Place A Rug When Your Bed Is Against The Wall

With a bed placed against the wall in the corner, it can be difficult to figure out just where to place your rug.

For a corner bed, one placement option is to place a runner rug next to the bed. With this placement, you can place any small or medium-sized rugs to create a plush spot for your feet to land. We recommend opting for a slimmer rug rather than a wider one, allowing it to stretch along the entirety of the bed. Include one nightstand atop the rug.

Placing An Area Rug Under Your Bedroom Desk

If you have a desk in your bedroom, adding a rug underneath it is a simple way of separating the area from the rest of your room. 

As with beds, the general rule is to leave 18 to 24 inches (45 to 60 cm) of rug extension beyond your desk. Choose a rug that is durable enough to withstand regular chair movement. Additionally, make sure that your rug is large enough to accommodate the pulling in and out of any chairs. This way, you will avoid your chair from catching on the edges of your rug.

Conclusion

It’s important to remember that, budget and bedroom size permitting, you don’t need to limit yourself to just one rug. If your circumstances permit it, feel free to place rugs under your desk, bed, and dresser.

If your bedroom is carpeted, you can still add a rug! Layering rugs over rugs or over carpeted floors is a stylish option that allows for freedom to play around with different colors and textures. 

FAQ

How Should I Choose A Rug For My Bedroom?

It can be difficult to choose a rug for your bedroom since you need to be confident that the color, thickness, and style are all ideal for your room. Use DressMyCrib's Augmented Reality "See Rug in Your Room" feature to see bedroom rugs for your own bedroom so you can be sure of your decision.

What Stores Or Platforms Sell Different Bedroom Rugs?

Nowadays, it's easy to find many different area rugs at all price ranges for your bedroom. You can use DressMyCrib's rug-visualizer to help you choose and then shop for them online from retailers like Amazon, Wayfair, Target, Ikea, and Walmart. With just a phone, you can preview any rug anywhere in your room - completely free!