Find the Perfect Rug Size for Every Type of Dorm
One of the quickest ways to make your dorm room feel cozy is by adding a rug. But it’s also one of the trickiest pieces of decor to buy, as you have to take into account both your and your roommate’s style and the size of your dorm room. Given that rugs can be an investment, you might be tempted to skip the headaches and ditch it altogether in your room. Don’t give up so quickly, though, because we have a dorm rug guide that will take all the guesswork out of sizing this essential.
There are lots of different types of rugs, and we’re here to help you determine which size rug is best for your space — specifically in standard-size double and triple dorm rooms. We created these helpful visual guides so you can see what some of the most common area rug sizes will look like under the standard twin XL bed, which measures 6.6’x3.1’, and under furniture like desks in the room.
How to Select a Rug Size for Your Dorm
The first step is to decide with your roomie(s) how much of the floor you want covered with an area rug. It’s also important to know the exact dimensions of your room to make sure the rug fits. To find our dimensions for a double and triple room, respectively, we looked at dorm sizes across different universities and averaged them together to create a dorm size we could work with.
Your room might be bigger or smaller (or even shaped differently), but you can use these illustrations and sizing guides as a good starting point.
Which Rug Is Best for Your Layout?
First, decide how much of the floorspace you want your rug to cover. From there, you can check out our dorm room rug layouts to find the size that will work best for you. For our purposes we used rectangular rugs, but you might find an oval or round rug works best in your space.
In the double dorm rooms we have options for standard beds and lofted beds, and in the triple dorm rooms all the setups feature bunk beds and one lofted bed.
A 4’x6’ Rug in a Double Dorm Room
If you’re looking to just cover a bit of space or maybe add a pop of color, this smaller rug size is a great choice. It still covers a portion of the floor without taking up lots of space or turning the room into a completely carpeted area.. This 4’x6’ is a great size to play with the shape of your rug, as it’s going between the beds.
A 5’x7’ Rug in a Double Dorm Room
With this room’s layout, a 5’x7′ rug will fit perfectly between the two beds. This creates just enough cozy floor space between the beds for extra seating, without covering the entire room. I had this size rug in my double, and thought it was the perfect mix of carpeting to bare floor.
An 8’x10’ Rug in a Double Dorm Room with Lofted Beds
A larger rug in a room with fully lofted beds could be a great option to create a cozy seating space, glam station, or study spot. Regardless of how you use the extra space underneath your lofted bed, having a soft carpet underneath is a great way to make your room a little more comfortable. An 8’x10’ is the largest size area rug that we recommend for this room to cover a significant amount of the under-bed areas.
A 5’x7’ Rug in a Triple Dorm Room
If you’re looking for more of an accent piece, a 5’x7’ rug will look great in the center of the room between the beds. This rug covers just enough of the room to keep your feet warm when you’re getting in and out of bed.
An 8’x10’ Rug in a Triple Dorm Room
This option is the perfect in-between; it’s bigger than an accent rug, but not so large that it covers the entire space. If the single bed is lofted, we highly recommend a bigger rug so you can utilize the space under the bed and make it cozy.
A 9’x12’ Rug in a Triple Dorm Room
This is the largest rug we recommend, and we only recommend it for the triple because it’s a little larger than the double. In this room, a 9’x12’ area rug would be the best option to cover the majority of the space. Depending on placement, this rug will likely go under the beds, dressers, and desks. A 10-foot round rug would also work centered in the middle of the room if you’re looking for something different.
This post originally appeared on Dorm Therapy. See it there: Find the Best Rug Size for Your Dorm Room — And Turn Your Space into a Cozy Dream!