See the proper rug placement under a living room sectional, including how to place rugs, layout ideas for L-shaped sofas, and seating with chaise lounges and ottomans.
A rug is absolutely necessary to complete the look of a room. There are many different ways to style a rug, and can look better in certain sizes or shapes based on the type of furniture in the space.
Sectional sofas are typically pretty large and can take up a lot of space; you want to coordinate the size of the rug with the size of the sofa. From there, you will want to determine the size of the coffee table and end table that you want to incorporate into the space.
Some recommendations for the size and styling of rugs and sectionals are described below.
How to Place a Rug Under a Sectional Sofa
The first factor to consider when positioning a rug beneath a living room sectional is the size of it compared to the sofa. Ideally, the rug should be large enough for all the legs of the sofa to rest comfortably on it.
Medium-sized types of rugs typically can have half of the couch on the rug, and half of it off. When considering smaller rugs, they should be offset a little from the sectional only to have the coffee table placed on them.
Having a rug under as many legs of the sofa as possible can save the flooring below and even make it easier to move if needed.
Adding an end table can help open up the space by drawing attention outwards instead of all the focus being inside the seating and coffee table area.
Sectional Placement Ideas
Placing a sectional can be a big task, but there are plenty of options for placement. As a rule to follow, a sectional should always be placed with a 36” clear space to move around the furniture piece.
This is the minimum; If you can get 42” to 48”, that is going to feel quite a bit more comfortable. If you follow that rule, the rest of the choices are pretty subjective to each person’s styles.
Considering the layout of the room can be important. For example if there is more of an open floor plan living room, the sectional can be used to separate the spaces. On the contrary, it could also be used to connect multiple spaces depending on the layout of the sofa and the focal point of the room.
L Shaped Sectional Rug Placement
There are a few good ways to place a rug under an L shaped sectional. First, with a larger rug, which is typically the more expensive option, you can place it under the inside corners of the couch.
The rug should be about 18” longer than each side of the sectional. When placed, it should be about halfway under the sofa based on the depth.
Another option is to center the rug on the L of the sectional. This requires a smaller rug as none of it is underneath the couch itself. The rug comes about 6” off the interior edge of the sectional and measures about the length and width of it.
Another option for the size of a rug like this is to square it off with the ends of the sofa so that it does not hang farther than the edges of the cushions. Either of these positioning placements are a great solution as all the edges of the sofa are on the same level, and they do not require too large of a floor covering.
Sectional Couch and Rug Placement
A great way to place a rug under a standard sectional is with an oversized rug. Get a rug about 48” longer and wider than the overall sectional.
If you put the sofa in one corner, leaving about 24” on the ends, it will give the room a solid boundary. This is great when there is an open floor plan, and there needs to be distinctions between the living room and dining room or kitchen.
There are many other ways to place rugs with sectionals, including partially underneath or not under it at all.
Rug placement for Sectional with Chaise
A sectional with a chaise is just a little different than the L shaped style mentioned above. The difference is that it turns almost into a U shape without having a solid back piece on the added section.
To place these types of sectional sofas it’s better to have the chaise on the side that is more open to the adjoining space as it gives a more open and welcoming feel to the room. To play with the difference, the best placement for rugs is partially under the couch.
This can be located under the chaise end and the L part leaving a gap between the perpendicular end of the sectional and the edge of the rug. This gives the feeling that the rug is larger than it is without overspending.
A chaise can also be used on a linear sofa instead of an L shaped with chaise. This type of piece of furniture can help to cut off a space as all the users will be facing the same way. This can be used with a small or medium sized rugs to help keep the attention forward with the sofa and chaise.
Coffee Table Placement with Sectional and Rug
When adding a coffee table to the mix with sectionals and rugs there are a few things you should keep in mind.
A coffee table should have roughly 18 to 24 inches between it and the sofa. This gives room to move freely in between it while still being able to reach any items that are placed on the coffee table.
The coffee table should be placed fully on the rug to keep it level. Coffee table sizes can come in a wide variety of shapes, and the one you select can depend on the layout of your floor covering and sofa configuration.
A round coffee table may not be the best with An L shaped sectional; instead trying an oval shape should give a fuller, longer look to the space. Round coffee tables can find a better home centered with a U shaped sectional.
Coffee tables are usually best fit in the corner of the L of a sectional, or centered on a U shaped arrangement.
Which Way Should a Sectional Face
An important part of a living room is the focal point of the space. This is often the fireplace or TV if there is one in the room. If these items are present, the focal point may be an outdoor view. This gives something for the seated person to give their attention to.
The sectional should be facing the focal point of the space, making it so the individual or individuals using the furniture can easily view the focal point without any strain.
If the focal point is not yet determined, it can be best to consider how much light is coming from any windows in the space so they do not interfere with any electronics or shine too bright in anyone’s eyes when sitting.
The way a sectional is facing can either close off or open up a room; using this to your advantage can make or break a space. Facing sectionals inward can close the room up and create a cozy space. Placing sectionals in the corner of a room can open up the space as it is taking the attention outwards.
Is there any rug placement under the living room sectional we missed? Let us know in the comment section below. For more related content, visit our guide on how to pick rug sizes here.