Pick a rug size and see it on the floor, to scale and in perspective: in a sample living room, or in a photo of your own room. Drag it to move it.
On your floor
An 8′ × 10′ rug80 sq ft of floor · drag it to move it
Quick answer: pick a rug size and it is drawn on the floor to scale and in perspective, the way it would look from where you stand. In the sample 12′ × 14′ living room an 8′ × 10′ rug covers 80 sq ft, about half the floor; a 5′ × 8′ covers 40 sq ft, a quarter. To see it in your own room, photograph the floor, tap the four corners of something you have measured, and type its size.
How to use the rug visualizer
- Pick a rug size from the sizes rugs are sold in, and which way its long side runs.
- Look at it in the sample living room, or switch to a photo of your own room.
- For your photo, you need something rectangular on the floor whose size you know: an old rug, a run of floor tiles, or four pieces of painter’s tape you have measured out. Tap its four corners in order round it, then type the two lengths: from the 1st corner to the 2nd, and from the 2nd to the 3rd. The photo stays on your device.
- Drag the rug to where you want it. Copy link keeps the size.
How it draws a rug to scale on a photo
A photo of a flat floor is the floor seen in perspective: near things look big, far things small, and parallel lines meet toward the distance. Four points on the floor whose positions you know, and where they land in the photo, fix that perspective exactly. After that, any spot on the floor has one spot in the photo, so a rug of any size can be drawn where it would really lie, and a finger on the photo can be traced back to the floor to move it.
It is only as true as the four taps. Tap the corners exactly, use the biggest rectangle you can, and keep it on the same floor the rug will lie on.
Rug sizes and how much floor they cover
The sizes rugs are sold in, the same list the rug size calculator picks from, and the share of a 12′ × 14′ room (168 sq ft) each one covers:
| Rug | Floor it covers | Of a 12′ × 14′ room |
|---|---|---|
| 3′ × 5′ | 15 sq ft | 9% |
| 4′ × 6′ | 24 sq ft | 14% |
| 5′ × 8′ | 40 sq ft | 24% |
| 6′ × 9′ | 54 sq ft | 32% |
| 8′ × 10′ | 80 sq ft | 48% |
| 9′ × 12′ | 108 sq ft | 64% |
| 10′ × 14′ | 140 sq ft | 83% |
| 8′ round | 50 sq ft | 30% |
Rugs run up to 2″ either way of the size on the label. Which size a room needs (front legs on the rug, all legs, the bare floor to leave at the walls) is the rug size calculator’s job; this tool shows you what that size looks like.
Three worked examples
An 8′ × 10′ in a 12′ × 14′ living room. It covers 80 sq ft, about half the floor, and reaches under the front legs of an 84″ sofa with room to spare at each end.
A 5′ × 8′ in the same room. 40 sq ft: a quarter of the floor. Its 8′ side is only 6″ longer than the sofa at each end, and most of the room stays bare floor.
An 8′ round. About 50 sq ft. Round rugs look smaller than their size suggests, because a circle covers only about four-fifths of the square it fits in.
Common mistakes when picturing a rug
- Judging the size from a product photo. Rug photos are staged in big rooms. See it in yours.
- A slanted reference. The four taps must be the corners of a real rectangle on the floor. A rectangle drawn by eye, or corners tapped out of order, gives a false perspective.
- A tiny reference. A single floor tile works, but a small error in the taps grows across the room. Use the largest rectangle you can.
- Forgetting the furniture. The sofa, bed and table legs are what a rug is sized around. Put the rug where it will really go, then check the size against the rug size calculator.
Know the size, now plan the room? The free 2D room planner lays out the furniture and the rug to scale from above.
Plan the room freeRead next
- Cozy textile layering guide: rugs, throws and pillows
- Cozy living room design ideas
- Small living room ideas for apartments
Rug visualizer questions
How can I see a rug in my room before I buy it?
Take a photo of the floor, tap the four corners of something rectangular you have measured (an old rug, tiles, or tape), type its size, and pick a rug. It is drawn to scale and in perspective, and you can drag it into place.
What does an 8×10 rug look like in a living room?
In a 12′ × 14′ living room an 8′ × 10′ covers 80 sq ft, about half the floor, and runs under the front legs of a standard 84″ sofa with room to spare at each end.
How big is a 5×8 rug?
5 by 8 feet, 40 sq ft: about a quarter of a 12′ × 14′ room. Its 8′ side is 12″ longer than a standard 84″ sofa, 6″ at each end.
How do I visualize a rug size without a tool?
Mark the rug’s outline on the floor with painter’s tape and live with it for a day. The tape shows the size exactly; the visualizer shows the same thing in a photo, and lets you try every size in a minute.
Is the rug on my photo really to scale?
Yes, on the floor you measured, as far as your taps are accurate. Four known points on a flat floor fix its perspective exactly; a tap a few pixels off moves the result a little, so tap the corners carefully and use a big rectangle.