If it were me I'd focus on the area under the coffee table - probably a 8x10 rug or so. Then you could get an 8x10 or 5x7 for the dining area to separate the two areas. Perhaps even add a third smaller runner type rug in front of the fire place to help break up the sections of the room. But it also depends really how much of the floor you want to show, if you love your floors then don't cover the whole room just provide a nice anchor rug under the coffee table.

I'd watch sites like RueLaLa and OneKingsLane for deals on bigger rugs -- I just did that and got a killer 8x10 rug for HALF price!

Good luck!

Hmmmm... first thought to me is a huge rug (12X14). But there are many things to consider- how long will you stay in the apartment? How tiny is your budget? Do you tend to purchase new items for each place you live, or will you move the rug with you?

If you are going to move sooner rather than later (ie. within 2 years vs. 5-10), or if your budget won't allow for saving several hundred over the next few months, then go with a smaller rug, one that the ottoman can be centered on.

Either way, choose something in a good material that will last for many years & goes with your overall design aesthetic, so you can bring the rug to your next residence.

Bringing the chair in, and bringing the sofa out (with a behind-sofa console table or wall shelf) will let you cheat down to a slightly smaller rug.

An offset 8 x 10 could work.

I disagree with tallsarah (respectfully!) about what time period should determine your course of action. Two years in a space is too long to "settle" for anything, or to wait.

Have you thought about going with a FLOR rug? http://www.flor.com/ You basically buy the rug one carpet tile at a time. So if you need a 12x14 rug now for this apartment you get it. Then, if you move to a smaller place or don't need as big of a rug, you can break it up into two smaller rugs or a area rug and a two small mats for entry ways.

What about layering a couple rugs? Especially if you use organically shaped rugs, you won't block up the space as much as a regular rectangular rug. While I don't know your style, using a jute/sisal rug with a organically shaped flokati or cowhide would allow you to take up that floor space as well as move it around over time.

Laura
Just a Little Bit

I would suggest Flor.
http://www.flor.com/
You can mix and match. We really like the Fedora and Fez style.

A 9x12 would be perfect for your sitting area - Lay it so that it runs lengthwise across the end of the room where your sitting area exists, leaving your dining area bare.

I wouldn't do a rug beneath the dining area at all - You'd need an 8x10 to keep the chairs on the rug and it seems you may not have the space with the angled wall, and the lack of a rug in that area is sufficient to define the separate space.

BTW - You have a great space.
May I suggest that rather than an end table at the shorter end of the sofa that you place a console, buffet or sofa table behind the sofa for your lamp and a bar setup? Then place a pair of stools in front of your fireplace?

I think either an 8x10 or 9x12 should be great for the seating area, so it all depends on the style and type of rug you want when you are looking.

I'd get an 8x10 for the seating area as well to define both spaces.

Why a rug at all? I'm lucky and have great hardwood floors, and we only use a rug on one very open area to soften the echo in a big room. With that much great furniture and a welcoming layout, not sure you need one at all.

I would even suggest that if you do end up getting a larger rug, put it underneath your dining table, helping to delimit that space. The sectional already does a great job of defining the living area, so unless your floors are in not-so-great shape or you're worried about temperature I'm not sure I'd bother.

I agree with bepsf!!! Forego the end table and add a console being that short end.

If you choose a very fluffy, shaggy rug, you can get away with a size that would fit just under the coffee table and within the edges of the sofa pieces. I agree with bepsf on the console table, but it is not clear if you have enough room because of the door. Have you thought about placing your dining table to align with the angled wall? Maybe with a bench against the wall. It would balance the angled chair on the other side of the fireplace.

Overstock has cheap, flat rate $2.95 shipping, and can often have decent prices on even large rugs. Or even two smaller rugs side by side (or even taped or sewn together.) CB2 has some nice smaller rugs. Personally, I think Flor tiles can get quite expensive, quite quickly and run the risk of looking like an office lobby.

I also wonder if a round rug might fill up the space without being huge?
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Hand-tufted-Circle-Leaves-Gold-Wool-Rug-8-Star/4813152/product.html?rcmndsrc=2

Our sectional is this big, and we went with FLOR too. With our first order, the rug looked too small, so we just ordered another row of tiles to fill it out.

It's boring and predictable, but I'd go with a one rug to anchor the sofa space. It only needs to extend a few inches beneath the front legs of the sectional, and about 6" on either side of the arms.

Good Luck!

There are a few options you can pursue for a rug for this room.

The minimum optimal rug for this space is one which covers the floor of the majority of the sitting area. Given your room dimensions, a rug of 8x10, 9x12 or larger would likely work best centered in your main sitting area with the sectional sofa. However, you can include your dining area in the space covered by the rug if you go to a piece of bound broadloom carpet. Broadloom is manufacturered in a standard width of 12' and occasionally 13-15'. A standard 12' wide carpet centered in the floor would leave a 2' perimeter of exposed floor on the long sides of your space. Given the length of your room, consider covering the entire floor from the dining area to the TV, or choose a shorter length which simply covers the sitting area with perhaps a separate rug for the dining area.

In terms of cost, bound broadloom can be the least expensive depending on the type of carpet you choose and how and where you shop. The cheapest approach is purchasing a remnant. Remnants (unused carpet left over from a carpet roll) can be purchased inexpensively and bound by the carpet store. Of course if you hate hunting for a remnant, you can simply order the carpet you like at a store specifying a rug binding.

Standard rugs are available in an array of manufacturing techniques and materials and prices. Quality ranges from wool high knot/inch hand-knotted and machine made rugs to coarsely woven polyester loomed rugs. Depending on your patience, visit some rug stores, note the rugs you like best, then seek out bargains on Ebay or Craigslist.

Whenever purchasing a rug, always buy a thick rug pad, these prevent slippage and reduce wear on the rug.

Good Luck!

8x10

Chiming in on the 8 x 10 or 9 x 12 under the coffee table, nothing in the dining area.

I'm not sure what your style is, but I would get an antique/vintage oriental rug as big as you can get.

You can get them for an amazing price on EBAY. They don't really sell as well because they are sooo big, I just don't think people have the space for them:
This one is 11x20 starting at $390 +$135 shipping:

http://cgi.ebay.com/HUGE-Antique-KARASTAN-KERMAN-788-Wool-Rug-11x20-rr264-/110586828180?pt=Rugs&hash=item19bf7d1594

This one started at .99 and has free shipping. It's 8x11:

http://cgi.ebay.com/c1920s-ANTIQUE-WOOL-KERMAN-PERSIAN-RUG-8X11-FREE-SHIP-/300468133850?pt=Rugs&hash=item45f54bdfda

If you're interested: search on Kerman rugs. I stalk them and have seen some huge ones go for less that $300.