Selecting an area rug for a room with a sofa or sectional is not as straightforward as finding the right size rug for under a dining room table or bed.  There are more variables involved in deciding on the carpet size that works best for your seating area.  Some very basic guidelines apply, but even those can vary with the layout and scale of your room. I don't subscribe to the rule that the legs of your furniture must either be all on, or all off, the rug.  In fact, it's almost impossible to do except in very specific settings. The rendering above shows a basic sectional layout that does have all the furniture on the rug.  Below, the same layout is shown in a room by Jeffers Design Group.

The seating area is arranged with the fireplace as a focal point.  Furniture pieces also take up a lot of the space in the room.  In this case, the rug works with the large-sized sofa and multiple chairs because the rug is large enough for all the pieces to fit comfortably on it, which in turn keeps this arrangement neatly grouped. Also, the neutral-color upholstery lets the vibrant color and bold pattern of the rug rule, an important factor in this room where high ceilings and the hefty sofa require an important floor covering. This next diagram shows a seating arrangement with furniture partially on  a smaller area rug.  Notice in the following image how and why this set up works, specifically when creating a more limited seating area.

Furniture sits on both the carpet and the wood floor.

Here, a lightly scaled, armless sofa and two rattan slipper chairs sit on the outer edges of  a small, natural fiber area rug.  This setting is open and in scale with the area surrounding the fireplace.  Photo: Dennis Design Group. Points to consider: Size of your seating area and style furniture you have versus the visual weight of a rug. The texture/size/heft of the sofa and/or chairs that will sit on the rug.  For example, a small flat woven rug can look skimpy beneath a heavy leather sofa and large coffee table. Pay attention to open spaces and passageways.   A rug that sits awkwardly in a pathway to another room will be uncomfortable to walk on and wear more rapidly on the edges. More: How to Choose a Bedroom Rug How to Choose a Dining Room Rug

Tags: dennis design group, how to choose rug size, Jeffers Design Group, passion for rugs oriental rug blog, rugs under sectionals