Rug Size Guide For Home Office: Everything You Need To Know

What’s the best thing about working from a home office? Well, it would be the flexibility to decorate it as your heart desires. Imagine the comfort and coziness of your home in the working space. And, a rug is the best way to add warmth and coziness to the office area.

When it comes to choosing the rug, people mostly start with designs, material, and even price. However, we think the right way is to identify the rug sizes first and decide which layout works best for the room.

An 8’x10′ is the most popular rug size as it allows you to play with different layouts. It fits a dinner table with a 6 to 8 chair set. The 42” to 48″ desk area of your office will be fully covered with the rug leaving an 18″ to 24″ border. But you can always go smaller if the office is short on space, and go bigger if the executive desk is larger than 42″.

In this rug size guide, we will focus on answering the basic questions related to rug sizes. We will discuss how you identify the rug size, what the numbers mean, different layouts to experiment with, and so on.

So, without further ado, let’s jump into it.

What Does 8’x10’ Rug Mean?

8×10′ is the most common size of rug in any layout. It basically means, eight feet in width and ten feet in length. And, calculating the area we will get (8×10) 80 square feet. We can easily get the area by multiplying the width and length.

It’s okay if you don’t have the measurement in feet. You can convert it into any unit you want. For example, 80 square feet would be 960 square inches or 26 yards. You can simplify it by using a centimeter-scale. 8’x10′ would be equal to 240cm x 310cm.

Let’s convert some other rug sizes into different units for better understanding.

Rug size in feet	Rug size in cm	Area coverage in square feet
8’x10’	240 cm x 310 cm	80
9’x12’	274 cm x 365 cm	108
11’x14’	335 cm x 426 cm	154
6’x9’	182cm x274cm	54

Is A 5’x7’ Rug Big Enough?

5×7′ is the smallest area rug size you can get for your home office. Whether it is big enough or not depends entirely on the proportion of the office area itself. Most of the cozy office areas look good with a 5×7′ rug underneath the desk. It covers the whole workstation while leaving a 2-inch border on each side.

A 5×7′ rug can fit a table with 2-4 chairs. You can place it under a coffee table meant for the visitors. However, to get a decent coverage for 4 to 6 people’s sitting area, this rug won’t be enough.

How Do I Figure Out What Size Rug I Need?

Why is it important to get the perfect size rug? Well, a “too small” rug can be the worst nightmare for your office space. It makes the furniture against the wall look “unintentional.” And, you want the complete opposite for your office room. Here are some ways to select the right rug size.

• The rule of thumb is to go for a rug that covers the entire room leaving an equal border on each side. You can measure the smallest wall of the room first. Then, go for a rug that is at least one or two feet shorter than that specific length.
• The most typical suggestion is to get an 8’x10′ rug. If you don’t want to go for a full coverage look, that’s fine. Just make sure the rugs are covering the desk area fully while leaving a 6″ border on each side.

• An 8’x10′ rug would be fine for a 42″ to 48″ desk. You can match the oval shape with an oval or rectangular one.

• If the desk length exceeds 48″ and is closer to 60 inches, 9’x10′ sized rugs would be ideal. It will give you a more balanced look around the desk.

• A beautiful layout is when the rug reaches only one-third of each piece of furniture in the room. It can be a waiting room area with an L-shape couch as the main piece. You can get away with a smaller rug for this layout. Because it doesn’t have to cover anything fully.

• Now, let’s take a look at the ideal rug size for different areas. The smallest rugs (2×3′) are meant for defining an entryway. You can place it in front of a bathroom door. A small coffee table with 2 to 4 people’s sitting arrangement requires a 5×8′ rug size. It looks better with a round shape.

• To get more coverage for the dining, sofa, or desk area get yourself an 8×10′ rug. Make sure that it leaves enough space between the rug and the wall. The space can be a minimum of 8″ to 18″.

• If you own a fancy office within the home with lots of space to play with, try getting a 9×12′ to 11×14′ to hide the floor completely. You can keep the color very neutral and mild.

Next up, use artsy and cool rugs under the desk, coffee table, or corner furniture. The room looks more well-organized this way.

Can Rug Be Shorter Than Couch?

Rugs with shorter lengths can make the room feel awkward. The easy formula is to always look for rugs that are wider than your couch. It would be best if all the sofa legs can rest on top of the rug. A 9×12′ or 8×10′ standard rectangular rug size would be perfect for a 60-80″ long couch.

However, you can manage to get the same vibe with a 6×9′ rug size. In that case, make sure to place the front legs of the couch on the rug. It’s alright if it doesn’t reach the back properly. As long as it leaves an equal amount of space (18″) beside all the furniture, it won’t be a visual break.

The purpose is to create a cozy vibe in the area. When the rug is too small and only covers the tea table, it makes the room look smaller. The furniture seems out of place and disoriented. If you have a large L-shape couch, it would require a 9×12′ or a 10×14′ rug to cover all the legs.

Another beautiful layout is to keep the larger sofa set on the rug fully along with the center and corner tables. As for the single sofas, you place their front legs on the rug. This layout works awesome for smaller rooms.

It’s important to keep any complimentary furniture that is paired with the couch to also place on the rug. All the chairs in the room should also be on the rug. If you can’t manage all the legs, at least cover the front legs.

Did you already buy a smaller rug? No worries. Did you know that you can layer rugs too? You can place the smaller and vibrant rug on top of a larger rug. In that way, you can highlight an area within the couch area with the second layer.

What Is A Standard Rug Size?

There is no standard rug size that works for every home office. The ideal rug size is what suits your area the best. Normally, 5×8′, 8×10’and 9×12′ are the most common size that people go for.

 But you are free to explore beyond this threshold. Let’s take a look at how these sizes affect the specific area. So, you can decide which way want to go.

Large Size

Larger rugs are better to add some warmth to your place. The 8×10′, 9×12′, and 10’x14′ all belong to the L-size family. You can easily cover the whole room with the rug. It’s easier to clean up and prevents the furniture from leaving any scratch on the wood floor.

Besides, you need a larger rug for the entrance or waiting rooms. Try choosing a runner for the waiting room corridor. It helps visitors find the right way.

Another benefit of using a 9×12′ rug size is to avoid “floating” furniture pieces. That’s right. When the room is large and consists of a huge number of furniture, it can make the room feel unwelcoming and stressful.

The effect only increases with smaller rugs that don’t reach most of the items. Depending on the size of the room, try any of the three larger rug sizes to extinguish the “floating” effect.

Medium Size

A medium-sized rug is usually 6×9′ to 5×8′. Medium rug size is perfect for small dining tables. You can also use them under your office desk or your bed. It can cover the whole desk area perfectly.

As a result, your ergonomic chairs can’t leave scratch marks on the floor below. You are free to move the caster wheels as much as you want.

Some people love to place a medium-sized rug under the bed. Two legs are placed on the rug. It can only reach the middle of the bed. It is appealing to the eye and creates a comfy vibe in the bedroom.

Small Size

Anything under the 5×8′ would fall in this category. It can be 3×5′ or 4×6′. These small rugs are only useful to highlight a specific area. people mostly place them on top of another larger rug. You can use them in front of a door, under a tea table, etc.

In case, you have a wonderful piece of furniture in your home, try placing a vibrant small rug under it. It will make that area grab anyone’s attention as they enter the room.

What Size Rug Is Bigger Than 8’x10’?

To perfectly visualize an 8’x10′ rug, imagine a dining table with 6 chairs. If you lay the rug underneath the table, the chairs will stay on the edge of the rug. It is perfect for specifying a dining space within a home office.

But you can always go bigger with the rug size. The most common large sizes available are 9×12′ and 10×14′. Imagine the same dinner table that can fit 6 people. A 9×12′ can cover the whole unit. Plus, it leaves some extra rug on each side.

Now, let’s move on to the 10×14′ one. As we already said before, it’s better to cover at least the front legs of all furniture in a room. In that case, the measurement becomes super easy. We suggest getting a larger rug if the office area is large enough with lots of furniture against the wall.

Whether to choose an 8’x10′ or a 9’x12′ or a 10’x14′ is completely up to you. Remember that, the rug should be too large to make the room appear small and stuff. The key is to find the balance.

Where Should A Rug Go In A Home Office?

We place rugs under the most prominent feature of a room. For example, the table in a dining room, the couch area in a living room. That’s why we will highlight the desk area by placing the rug under it. If any other item is paired with the desk required for office activity, that should be on the rug too.

Make sure that, there is enough rug under the chair. So that, you can pull out the chair without tripping it off the floor.

The common practice is to get a rug at least 18 to 24″ wider than the desk. That way, you can avoid the possibility of the chairs sliding off the edge continuously. After all, we spend money on a rug to avoid paying for any floor repair. It is easier to replace or repair a rug instead of the hard floor beneath it.

How Do You Style A Rug Under A Desk?

Desk Style	Matching Rug Size
Computer Desk	A computer desk only requires 3’x6’ rug
Executive Desk (maximum 48” long)	You need an 8’x10’ rug if the desk length is somewhere between 42” to 48”.
Executive Desk (close to 60”)	8’x10’ will fall short under a 60” long desk. Go for a 10’x14’ or 11’x14’ rug.
Wall Desk	For a wall desk, go with a 4’x6’ rug. If it’s centered within the room, you will need a bigger size (5’x8’).
L-shaped desk (medium)	If the longest side is within 5’, go for a 4’x4’ center rug.

• If the desk is oval, do not go for a rounded rug shape. You will be safe with an oval shape since it matches the desk edges perfectly. However, if the desk is rectangular, you can experiment with both round and rectangular.

 In the case of a round desk, try placing two rectangular rugs underneath it to cover the whole area fully.

• Make sure to emphasize the desk and chair area. If you have laid an area rug that reaches close to the wall, don’t hesitate to put an extra layer of rug under the working area. Black and white stripes look great as an outer layer rug. Also, keep a note to place the chair legs on the rugs too.

• If you have tile or marble floors, you might want to show them off. Come on, who doesn’t? What you have to do is, go for a round rug. Compared to other rug shapes, a round rug allows you to expose more area around the desk.

• Don’t go for an 8’x10′ rug for a wall desk. A wall desk looks great with a 4’x6′ to 5’x8′ rug. If it’s a computer desk, you will be fine with only a 3’x5′ rug. No need to overwhelm the area by putting extra- large carpets.

• For an executive desk which is at least 40 to 42 inches in length, you need minimum 8′ width in the rug. The general rule is to leave 18″ at least around the whole desk.

• Corner desks and writing desks are the same things. The only difference is that one is against the wall and another is in the middle of the room. Corner desks might come in different lengths for each side. If one side is 4′, another one can have 5′ in length.

We suggest getting a 4’x4′ round or square rug for the area. Place the rug under the chairs instead of the desk.

Can You Use Round Rug In Home Office?

Round rugs are not a common choice for a home office. People normally opt for a rectangular shape. It is easier to match with any furniture.

However, you can explore other uncommon shapes as well. Round rugs are known for creating an illusion of open space. It softens the effect of the harsh edges of the furniture. Everything blends well together.

All you have to care about is the right size. A perfect-sized round rug will look appealing even under a rectangular table.

Most people use round rugs to spotlight a specific area within the space. If the room has round-shaped accessories, having a round rug would complement those. Plus, it looks more interesting to look at. If you want something unconventional, round rugs are a must-try for you.

Especially for an office with limited space, a square or rectangular shape draws attention to this space issue even more. But, a round rug will serve the same purpose while giving off a spacious feel. If the office has a waiting lobby or a crossroad, round rugs can be a great way to define that space.

It looks wonderful under a round desk. The similar shape of the desk and the rug looks well-organized and more stylish.

How Do You Clean The Rug?

Cleaning is the secret when it comes to preserving the rug for a long period. Imagine getting the Persian rug of your dreams only to watch it lose its shine earlier than usual. Now, we don’t want that for you, do we?

Here are some easy tricks to protect the shine and quality of the office rug.

• We recommend vacuuming the rug on both sides frequently. You don’t want any kind of debris left on the rug. If you own a pet, the job would be a little difficult. You need to brush the rug to get rid of furs.
• Buy some bristle brush and sponge. Use a rug shampoo or dish soap to clean up any stain or dirt build-up. Check out the direction on the back of the bottle to avoid any mishap. Be gentle while brushing. Avoid brushing if you are in a hurry already.
• Sometimes the rug loses its original color after a wash. What you need to do is, test the cleaning solution on the corner of the rug aforehand. Once you are satisfied with the result, apply it to the whole unit.

• The last but not the least tip would be to rinse it properly. Sometimes we rush the process and don’t get rid of the cleaning solution completely. Make sure the runoff water is 100% transparent before drying it.

Wrapping Up

Rugs are beautiful and functional at the same time. It is on top of the list that you should add to your work area. Well, you spend a lot of time in that space. It should speak your style and personality. A colorful and vibrant rug will convey your creativity while a plush and artsy rug will establish your high taste.

But, it has to be the right size. That’s why we prepared this rug size guide for the home office. Our easy tip for you is to pick one that covers every piece of furniture fully. Make sure it ends at least 18 to 24″ away from the wall.

Thank you for going through our guide. Hopefully, you understood the idea.

Now, it’s time to bring some personality and color to your cozy home office.