Queen Bed Too Big? How to Pick the Right Bed Rug Size
Queen beds are the most popular mattress size for master bedrooms. But pairing a queen bed with the right sized area rug takes a bit of planning. Rug size depends on your room's proportions, layout, and desired style. Fortunately, a few easy calculations using your bedroom's measurements and queen mattress dimensions takes the guesswork out of shopping for the perfect rug.
You'll learn room dimension calculations, spatial relationship considerations, and popular rug dimensions specifically suited for queen beds. We'll also cover rug placement options, ideal border spacing, and style-based rug shape and material recommendations. Let's dive in!
Measure Your Bedroom Dimensions
The size constraints of your master bedroom dictate how big of an area rug it can accommodate. So before setting out to purchase your queen sized bed rug, accurately measure your bedroom's length and width.
Don't estimate here, slight miscalculations can set you up for failure. Be sure to deduct the depth area taken up floor moldings close to the walls. Knowing your room's precise square footage gives you the baseline for choosing what rug dimensions work both proportionately and spatially.
Factor In Your Queen Mattress Size
With standard measurements of 60 inches wide and 80 inches long, queen size mattresses clock in at a roomy-yet-realistic 60" x 80". Keeping your queen bed measurements in mind while rug shopping ensures ample breathing room around the bed. No one wants their rug swallowed up entirely underneath their bed!
Calculate Your Ideal Rug Size
Use your room's length and width measurements to determine the target rug size that best flatters the space. As a general rule of thumb, choose an area rug spanning about two-thirds the overall room size. Rugs crossing the 80% mark tend to look disproportionately oversized.
Room Length | Room Width | Multiplied By 2/3 | Ideal Rug Length | Ideal Rug Width |
12 ft | 15 ft | .67 | 8 ft | 10 ft |
Run your room's numbers through this formula as a starting point for zeroing in on the right proportions. Rug length gets determined by bed placement while width comes from calculating two-thirds your room's span.
Mind the Overhang
Ideally, your entire queen bed base rests atop the rug without any overhang. But limited square footage may call for downsizing rug dimensions relative to mattress length and width.
Just be sure there's no less than 18 inches of rug extending lengthwise beyond the head and foot of the bed. This prevents your bed's weight from tugging the rug askew.
Size Up Your Current or Future Bedroom Furniture
Catalog your current bedroom setup--or dream layout if you're rug shopping for a future move. Consider the footprint dimensions of your nightstands, dressers and other furnishings occupying the space around your queen bed.
Then map out various rug sizes alongside your room's contents to find the winning proportions. Scale drawings come in handy for experimenting with multiple combinations.
Leave Room for Foot Traffic Lanes
Make sure to leave adequate space between wall-mounted elements like sconces or artwork and any furnishings. Opening dresser drawers or accessing bedside tables shouldn't require hoisting furniture atop the rug!
For move-in ready ease, allow at least 18 to 24 inches of walking space on all sides of the bed. Wider lanes extending a rug's borders prevent collision courses around bed corners.
Learn the Standard Queen Bed Rug Sizes
Generally speaking, bigger equals better when selecting area rugs. Go as bold and expansive as your room's square footage allows to make the rug feel intentional versus random.
But queen bedroom layout, existing furniture, and spatial constraints also factor heavily. Here's how the most commonly sized rugs pair with queen beds:
5' x 8' Rugs
On the smaller side yet still queen bed friendly, 5' x 8' rugs work for compact bedrooms.expect limited floor space around the bedsides and foot. If a larger rug gets swallowed up, embracing the small room dynamic with a proportionate rug size prevents a cramped appearance.
6' x 9' Rugs
Moving up a notch, 6' x 9' rugs allow 18 to 24 inches of visible floor space around the bed. While walk room tightens up, the longer length plays nicely with a centered queen bed. Just don't expect much clearance for sizable nightstands.
8' x 10' Rugs
Hitting the queen bed sweet spot, 8' x 10' ranks among the most popular rug dimensions for master bedrooms. With ample width, length and visible floor borders, this versatile size flatters rooms big and small alike.
9' x 12' Rugs
Going grand, 9' x 12' rugs supply serious square footage to fill sizable rooms. Expect expansive bare floor borders while still keeping nightstands and dressers comfortably atop the rug. But overpowering small square footage comes as a risk.
Consider Where You Want to Place Your Rug
While centering beds atop appropriately sized rugs makes the most design sense aesthetically, taste and spatial constraints allow for flexibility.
Center Your Bed Atop The Rug
Having an area rug anchor and define your queen bed adheres to standard interior design protocol. Ample perimeter spacing allows walking access on all sides without looking squeezed in.
Partially Tuck The Rug Under Your Bed
For small rooms, placing a rug just 6 to 12 inches underneath the bed visually expands floor space. This trick integrates the bed into the overall room instead of isolating it atop an island.
Position Your Rug At The Foot Of The Bed
Putting an area rug exclusively at your queen bed's foot end sidesteps size constraints. You enjoy the rug's color and softness underfoot without monopolizing square footage elsewhere.
Calculate Border Space Needed Around Your Rug
Regardless of where you position your queen sized bed rug, allow for ample bare floor extending around the rug's outer edges.
Here's how to determine ideal rug border proportions relative to your room:
- Small Rooms: 8-12 Inches Of Visible Floor
- Medium Rooms: 12-16 Inches Of Visible Floor
- Large Rooms: 16-24+ Inches Of Visible Floor
Viewing attractive hardwood or tiles around rug perimeters lets your flooring shine. Just ensure enough clearance for opening bedside tables and traffic flow.
Choose a Rug Shape to Fit Your Bedroom Style
While most queen bed rugs take rectangular form, introduce captivating shapes as a unique alternative.
Rectangle Rugs
Available in every size needed for queen beds, traditional rectangular rugs bring balance through horizontal lines.
Crisp uniformity pairs well with platform beds and sparse nightstands in modern and transitional bedrooms.
Oval Rugs
Grounded yet fun, oval rugs soften spaces demanding rigid right angles to breathe. Rotating for horizontal or vertical positioning unlocks flexibility for custom layouts.
Round Rugs
Doling out serious style points, round rugs hold their own better suited among eclectic and bohemian decor. Keep surrounding furnishings light to prevent congestion around this daring shape's curved contours.
Select a Long-Lasting Rug Material For Your Bedroom
Rugs face substantial foot traffic in high movement areas like bedroom walkways. So choose materials that withstand everyday wear and tear.
Wool Rugs
Renowned for durability and underfoot plushness, wool makes an exceptional (yet pricy) choice for rugs pairing with queen beds.
Cotton Rugs
Affordably priced and feasibly sized for bedrooms, cotton offers a lighter-duty rug material. But extra vacuuming tackles shedding concerns common among cotton.
Synthetic Rugs
Rug options abound with today's vast synthetic fiber selections. Durable and colorfast without shedding, synthetic area rugs supply style for less.
Just know that synthetic pile isn't as cushy as natural wool. So expect slightly harder surfaces underfoot.
Valued for texture and eco-friendly appeal, sisal and jute feel fantastic under bare feet. But these fibrous materials show every footprint, requiring vigilance to prevent matted walkways.
By accurately measuring your queen bed's footprint within your bedroom's dimensions, selecting an appropriately sized rug becomes simple. Just mind the special spatial needs of nightstands, traffic lanes and desired visible floor space around the rug's perimeter.
And don't neglect the style impact of rug shape and material. Choose wisely there, and your queen bed rug promises years of cohesive flair underfoot!