I know, I know. Picking the right rug for a king-size bed is hard. Maybe you’re in the middle of a complete room refresh like my San Francisco bedroom was a few years ago, or perhaps your old bedroom rug is just looking a bit worse for wear. Whatever the reason, learning how to select the right rug size for king bed is key if you want to give your bedroom or small bedroom with a king size bed, the perfect balance of personal style, practicality, and professional design.
Like any indoor rug refresh, there are some general guidelines you should follow. Personal preferences are important, but you’ll want to put some thought into it before actually committing to a specific rug. Let’s be honest, rugs are expensive, but adding a rug to your bedroom is the most important design step you can take in a space. Trust me. I start with the rug in every room. Not to mention, I’ve replaced mine quite a few times throughout the years, and have compiled all the strategies that have definitely worked better than others.
Table of contents
- What Exactly Is a King‑Sized Bed?
- Why a Rug Size for King Bed Details Matter
- Start by Measuring Your Space
- The Space you Need on Each Side of Your King Bed
- Matching the Rug Size for King Bed Situations
- Other Rug Placement Ideas
- Finding the Perfect Rug: Materials & Colors
- Cleaning Considerations
- FAQs Related to Rug Size for King Bed
- Must Read Rug Guides
- Final Thoughts
What Exactly Is a King‑Sized Bed?
First, let’s start with the terminology. What exactly is a “king-sized” bed? Well, there are a few different types to choose from, and each king size bed has slightly different measurements. You can find out the size of your bed from your mattress or your bed frame. Either way, you’ll want to know exactly what type you have to select the perfect rug size for king bed.
A standard king mattress measures 76 inches wide and 80 inches long. California king-size beds trade length for width, measuring 72 inches wide and 84 inches long.
If you really want an oversized bed, there are also Alaskan king bed mattresses, though their large size makes these somewhat hard to find. Measuring 108 inches wide by 108 inches long, these beds are really only meant for people co-sleeping with children or pets.
Why a Rug Size for King Bed Details Matter
Now that you’re familiar with different king bed options, let’s talk about why choosing the right rug size for king bed matters. Your king size bed is the natural focal point of the bedroom, and the surrounding floor space, especially at the sides of the bed and the foot of the bed, should feel balanced and intentional. When the right size rug is used, the entire room instantly looks polished. When it’s not, even a beautiful king-sized bed can feel visually off.
The best rug size depends on the size of your bed and the size of your room. In larger bedrooms, a larger rug provides full coverage under the bed frame, extending beyond the lower two-thirds of the bed and creating enough space to walk comfortably. In a smaller room, a smaller rug can still be a great option if it offers enough coverage where it matters most.
Beyond looks, the ideal rug size adds comfort and function. A soft rug protects your floors, reduces noise, and adds warmth, especially important if you’re dealing with loud floorboards or a concrete floor. In our cabin bedroom, adding a rug made a huge difference in how the space felt and sounded. Pairing it with a slip-resistant rug pad only improves comfort and stability.
At the end of the day, choosing the perfect rug for your king bed setup helps create balance in the room and elevates the entire look of your master bedroom. Follow a good rule of thumb, consider rug dimensions and room size, and you’ll end up with a rug that feels intentional, cozy, and beautifully finished.
Start by Measuring Your Space
Don’t buy a rug without measuring first! To get started, we’ll first need to grab some important measurements. While it’s important to match our rug size for king bed to the size of the bed, we also need to match it to the room’s dimensions for the best results. While the process of how to decorate a small bedroom with a king size bed and decorating a large bedroom with a king size bed are similar, there are still some differences to consider.
Choosing a rug that’s too small for the size of the room can instantly make it feel dwarfed and noisy. It’s the literal worst. If your room dimensions aren’t very big, then you can use a rug that covers the majority of the floor. Don’t go wall-to-wall, though. That will feel crowded. This will give the illusion of a larger room. Even if your bedroom has plenty of space, you can use this strategy for the same results.
The Space you Need on Each Side of Your King Bed
Use a tape measure to measure the dimensions of your bedroom. Once you have these numbers (and check twice), confirm the size of your bed, and make sure that you have at least 18 to 24 inches of space on either side. If you do, then you are golden! We can move on to rug sizing selection.
Matching the Rug Size for King Bed Situations
Now that you have your room’s measurements, we can find the perfect rug size for your bedroom and bed. For both smaller bedrooms and larger rooms, you’ll want to leave some space on the edges between the edge of the rug and the edge of the room.
- Leave two to five inches of bare floor between the rug and the walls in small bedrooms.
- Leave at least eight inches of bare floor between the rug and the walls for a large bedroom.
To get the best fit and the right area rug size, you’ll want to consider the shape of the room as well. Rectangular rugs can work even in rounded rooms, but placement will make or break things here.
8×10 and 9×12 rugs are great rug sizes to match your king bed. 8×10 rugs work better for small and medium-sized rooms, whereas 9×12 rugs are best for larger spaces. The size of the rug should extend a few feet beyond the corners of your bed, giving you ample stepping space.
However, if furniture or other restrictions come into play, you can also consider only partial coverage under the bed, or use runner rugs on the sides instead if you’re on a tight budget. See the picture below for a few examples, then we’ll dive into the details.
Other Rug Placement Ideas
Sometimes, using a large 9×12 or even a smaller 8×10 rug size for king bed won’t be an option. That’s alright, though, as there are alternative rug placement options we can consider. Double-check both the current bed placement and the surrounding furniture. We don’t necessarily need to fit the rug under the bedside tables. Instead, we can work around them by just placing a 4×6 rug under the lower two-thirds of the bed.
Alternatively, you can place 3×5 rugs on either side of the bed. This will give you plenty of room to step out of bed in comfort while keeping the overall budget low. If you only care about the decorative appeal, you can also consider placing a rug at the foot of your bed instead.
Finding the Perfect Rug: Materials & Colors
After you’ve figured out the perfect rug size for your bedroom design, you should look into the various rug options available in that size. Options like this vintage distressed rug tend to be available in many different sizes. Rug sizing helps you achieve a balanced look, while rug style and colors help you achieve a cohesive look across the entire room.
Ideally, you want to coordinate the color scheme everywhere, from your bed pillows to your accent furniture. Aside from coloring, it’s also worth looking into the different types of rugs. Carpeted rugs will give a different foot feet compared to woven options, as will low-pile vs. high-pile rugs.
If possible, I always recommend checking out your potential options in a store, as I prefer to know exactly how a rug feels before buying it.
Cleaning Considerations
The type of rug you choose will also affect the cleaning methods available to you. In my article on how to clean a flat weave rug, I go over a few of the common methods you can try. Natural fiber rugs are easier to damage during cleaning than synthetic ones, so these will require extra care.
Synthetic rugs tend to be a bit more forgiving. Sometimes, you can even clean them effectively using power tools, which I cover in my article on how to clean an area rug with pressure washer. At the end of the day, simply vacuuming will be easy no matter what rug size for king bed you choose, but full coverage rugs will definitely be more of a pain to clean than the smaller options.
Just something to consider while you’re making your rug selection!
FAQs Related to Rug Size for King Bed
Generally, 8×10 is considered the minimum for a king size bed if you want full coverage underneath the bed.
9×12 rugs are best suited for larger bedrooms, although you can use them in medium-sized bedrooms as well. There should be at least two to five inches of bare floor between the sides of the rug and the walls, although I’d aim for eight inches for bare floor if possible.
It can, but it doesn’t have to. Some people may choose to place both their bed and their furniture on their rug, whereas others may place only the bed on the rug, or even only on the sides. As long as you can reach underneath the bed with a portable vacuum, you can choose whatever option looks best to you, whether it fully covers the space or not.
Must Read Rug Guides
Final Thoughts
So, are you feeling confident and ready to replace your x? Trust me, as long as you take both your bedroom rug and bedroom layout into consideration, it’s really not that hard to find the perfect rug and rug size for king bed. Whether you opt for a traditional 9×12 rug or get a bit more creative with rug dimensions and placements, I’m sure it will look amazing.
I hope these simple tips have been helpful. Feel free to check out my bedroom rug ideas if you’re looking for inspiration, and remember: I love hearing from y’all in the comments below! Until next time, thanks for reading.
Plan for 18-24″ of room on either side of your bed with 8 inches of space from the wall to the edge of your rug, and you are going to be golden!