What Size Oval Rug for a Bedroom?

In a bedroom, a rug's main job is to give you something soft to step onto first thing in the morning. That means the rug needs to show on both sides of the bed, not just at the foot.

Under the bed: the standard layout

The most common layout puts the rug under the lower two-thirds of the bed, with the long side of the rug running across the bed. The rug starts just in front of the nightstands, so they stay on the bare floor.

How much rug shows beside the bed depends on the bed width:

Aim for at least 18 inches showing on each side, so both feet land on rug. A king on an 8' x 10' oval still leaves about 22 inches per side, which works in a smaller room.

Why ovals suit bedrooms

The widest part of an oval is its middle, which is exactly where you step out of bed. An oval also leaves the corners of the room open, which helps in bedrooms where the bed sits close to a dresser or closet door.

Smaller options

If you don't want a rug under the bed, there are two other layouts:

• Bedside ovals. A 2' x 3' or 3' x 5' oval on each side of the bed. Use a matching pair so the room stays balanced.
• Foot of the bed. A 3' x 5' or 4' x 6' oval at the end of the bed, often in front of a bench.

These cost far less and are easy to clean, but they can slide, so put a rug pad under them. See our rug pad guide.

Materials for bedrooms

Bedrooms get little foot traffic and few spills, so this is the place for softer rugs:

• Wool is warm and soft underfoot.
• Shag and high-pile rugs suit bedrooms better than any other room.
• Cotton braided ovals look right in cottage and farmhouse bedrooms.
• Washable rugs are worth it in children's rooms.

Browse bedroom oval rugs.