Rug Placement: Six Mistakes Worth Avoiding

Most rug problems are placement problems rather than rug problems.

1. Too small for the furniture

A rug that touches nothing makes the seating look scattered. Get the front legs on, or do not bother.

2. Wall to wall

A runner that spans the full width of a hall reads as badly fitted carpet. Leave 10 to 15 cm of floor either side and it reads as a rug.

3. Floating in the middle of the room

A rug centred on the room rather than on the furniture creates two competing centres. Centre it on what people use, not on the walls.

4. Ignoring the door swing

Measure the clearance under every door that opens over the rug before ordering. A low pile usually clears; a medium one often does not.

5. Wrong orientation

A rug should run the same way as the room and the main furniture. A rug set across the length of a long room shortens it visually.

6. Never rotating it

Light fades one end and traffic wears one path. Turn the rug 180 degrees every few months and both even out. It costs nothing and adds years.