3 Tips for Rug Placement to Make Small Rooms Feel Bigger
Interior design is all about maximizing the space you have at hand. And sometimes — particularly here in Florida — that space is small. Whether you’ve downsized into a smaller condo or apartment, built a “tiny house,” or moved into a historic building with hardwood floors for the first time, you need ways to make a small room feel bigger. The team of professional interior designers here at Matter Brothers Furniture is ready to help! Here, we’ll cover the “dos and dont’s” of area rug placement in a small room, and help you select a new area rug, too. As always, if you have questions beyond the scope of this article, don’t hesitate to contact us.
3 Tips to for Rug Placement That Will Make a Small Room Feel Bigger
1. Measure the Room and Use One Large Area Rug
One large area rug — rather than several small ones — makes a room feel larger. Measure the room’s dimensions first. Then select a rug that will rest within 12 inches of all four walls. Don’t forget that adage “Measure twice, cut once.”
If you were here in our Sarasota furniture showroom right now, we’d probably show you these area rugs to get started:
Of course, these are just two options. We have dozens more available for the rug placement. Once you decide on the size of the area rug, think about textures.
2. Select an Area Rug With Little or No Texture
Small rooms get crowded quickly. While texture in a carpet is visually interesting, it can overwhelm a small space. We love strongly textured area rugs but save those for the largest rooms in your home.
3. Choose Light Colors and Almost No Pattern
Light-colored rugs make a room look brighter and feel spacious. Consider pale pastels, natural-looking neutrals, and off-white to start. Patterns, like texture, are visually appealing but clutter a space quickly! If you like to paint your interiors every few years, we’d suggest pale grays, with a touch of metallic tones, to keep things interesting.
Check out these options to get your creative juices flowing:
Once you’ve decided on an area rug for a smaller room, it’s time to think about furniture. Maximize the space in a small room by combining storage wherever possible. For bedrooms, this could mean a bed with drawers, like this Queen Complete Storage Bed. In a small living room, you could use an ottoman that doubles as storage space too.
Furniture & Interior Design Concepts for Small Rooms
We’ve already mentioned how quickly small spaces can be overwhelmed with intense area rugs. The same concept applies to furniture.
- Paint walls and trim in light colors.
- Keep furniture to a minimum in small rooms.
- Choose furniture with elegant, clean lines. Avoid ornate pieces or complicated woodwork.
- Select one or two necessary pieces, like a bed and dresser in a small bedroom. Then, skip the rest.
Use bright but minimal overhead lighting, like pendant lamps, for instance, rather than standing lamps. Indeed, you’ll be amazed at how much space large lampshades use. Take advantage of Florida’s natural sunshine, and use light, gauzy window dressings or vertical blinds to boost the natural light and “open” a room.
In sum, we know that small rooms can be challenging. If you’d like more help, try our room planner tool, or visit our Sarasota furniture store in person today! First, take some photos of the small room and bring them. Our team of professional interior designers would love to help you tackle that tiny space.
