What size rug for a 3-seater sofa?
200 × 290 cm 6 ft 7 in × 9 ft 6 in · US 6 × 9 ft
A three-seater sofa needs a 200 × 290 cm rug (6 ft 7 in × 9 ft 6 in), or 6 × 9 ft in US sizes. Under a 220 cm (7 ft 3 in) sofa it runs 35 cm (14 in) past each end with the front legs on it, and leaves 55 cm (22 in) of bare floor each side in a 4 × 4.5 m room.
That is the smallest UK stock size that does two jobs at once: it runs far enough past each end of the sofa to look meant, and it still leaves a border of floor before the walls. The next size down is the one most people buy, and under a three-seater it stops almost level with the arms.
Three-seaters are not all one width. Measure yours arm to arm, then find its row in the table below: the answer changes where the sofa gets wide enough to need the next stock size.
Worked out for A sofa 220 cm (7 ft 3 in) wide and 90 cm (35 in) deep, against a wall of a 4 × 4.5 m room (13 ft 1 in × 14 ft 9 in), with its front legs on the rug and a coffee table in front. Change the numbers
The working
- Along the sofa: 220 + 2 × 15 = 250 cm at least, 260 cm ideally (15–20 cm past each end).
- Into the room: 160 cm, for the sofa’s front legs on it.
- At least 20 cm of bare floor between the rug and each wall of the 400 × 450 cm room.
- Smallest UK stock size that meets both: 200 × 290 cm.
The rules, and their sources
Rug wider than the sofa
A rule designers use: the rug runs at least 15 cm, ideally 20 cm, past each end of the sofa (6–8 in).
A rule designers use Sources: Emily Henderson, Living room rug size (checked 15 October 2026); IKEA UK: the rug should be longer than the sofa (checked 31 October 2026).
Bare floor between rug and wall
A rule designers use: leave 30–45 cm of bare floor between the rug and the walls; 20 cm is the least that still looks meant.
A rule designers use Sources: Livingetc (Wolfe, 22 Aug 2025), The two-thirds rule (checked 24 October 2026); Architectural Digest, How to choose the right size rug (checked 24 October 2026); Emily Henderson, Living room rug size (checked 15 October 2026).
UK stock rug sizes
Most UK shops sell rugs at 120 × 170, 160 × 230, 200 × 290 (or 200 × 300) and 240 × 340 cm.
Shop sizes Sources: Love-Rugs, Rug size guide UK (checked 31 October 2026); Ruglove, What size rug for living room? (checked 31 October 2026); IKEA UK, How to choose the right rug size (checked 31 October 2026).
Other sofas, same rule
Each row is the same sum for another sofa width, in the same 4 × 4.5 m room with the front legs on the rug. For a corner sofa, use the length of its longer side.
| Sofa width | UK rug | US rug |
|---|---|---|
| 150 cm (59 in) | 160 × 230 cm5 ft 3 in × 7 ft 7 in | 6 × 9 ft183 × 274 cm |
| 170 cm (67 in)a two-seater | 160 × 230 cm5 ft 3 in × 7 ft 7 in | 6 × 9 ft183 × 274 cm |
| 200 cm (79 in) | 160 × 230 cm5 ft 3 in × 7 ft 7 in | 6 × 9 ft183 × 274 cm |
| 220 cm (7 ft 3 in)a three-seater this page | 200 × 290 cm6 ft 7 in × 9 ft 6 in | 6 × 9 ft183 × 274 cm |
| 240 cm (7 ft 10 in) | 200 × 290 cm6 ft 7 in × 9 ft 6 in | 6 × 9 ft183 × 274 cm |
| 260 cm (8 ft 6 in)a four-seater | 200 × 290 cm6 ft 7 in × 9 ft 6 in | 8 × 10 ft244 × 305 cm |
| 280 cm (9 ft 2 in) | 240 × 340 cm7 ft 10 in × 11 ft 2 in | 8 × 10 ft244 × 305 cm |
Change the numbers
Your sizes will differ. The rug size calculator opens with these numbers filled in: change any of them and the answer, the working and the drawing follow.
Editorial notes
Worked out by the Snuug team on 12 November 2026 with the same code as the rug size calculator, so the two cannot disagree. Every rule cites its source, with the date we last checked it. A rule designers use is a convention, not a study.
Other sources the calculator draws on:
- Rugs.com, What size rug do I need? The complete rug size guide, checked 15 October 2026
- Castlery UK, Coffee table dimensions (5 Aug 2026), checked 24 October 2026