Rug placement is one of those things that feels deceptively simple until you get it wrong. And when it's wrong, you feel it in the room even if you can't immediately put your finger on why. The space feels disconnected. Slightly off. Like the furniture is just sitting there rather than belonging somewhere.

Get it right, and everything settles. The room feels considered, cohesive and complete. Here's how I think about it.

The golden rule: anchor, don't float

A rug should anchor a space, not float in the middle of it like an island. This is the principle I come back to in every room, every project, without exception.

In a living room, I almost always prefer placing the rug under the front legs of the sofa and key pieces of furniture rather than leaving it fully exposed in the centre of the room. Aim for around 20 to 30cm of the rug sitting underneath the sofa or chairs. This visually connects everything in the space and makes the whole arrangement feel intentional rather than accidental.

A fully visible rug can work in very minimal spaces or particularly compact rooms, but more often than not, partially tucking it under the furniture creates a far more polished result. That's usually the difference between a room that feels styled and one that simply feels furnished.

In the bedroom

In a bedroom, I love a rug that sits partially under the bed and extends generously out on either side and at the foot. It instantly makes the room feel more considered, and there is something genuinely lovely about stepping onto a soft surface first thing in the morning rather than a cold floor.

Smaller rugs placed only at the sides of the bed can work, but they tend to feel more functional than they do beautiful. If you want the room to feel truly finished, go bigger than you think you need to.

In the dining room

The rule here is clear: the rug should sit fully underneath the table, with enough space around the edges so that the chairs remain on the rug even when pulled out to sit down. If the chairs slide off the moment someone moves them, the rug is too small. It's as simple as that.

What about smaller rooms?

The principle stays exactly the same, but scale becomes even more important. People often choose a smaller rug in a compact space thinking it will make the room feel bigger. It almost always does the opposite. Even in a smaller room, a rug that reaches under the furniture will make the space feel more generous than a tiny one floating in the centre.

If space is genuinely tight, a fully visible rug can work. Just make sure it relates to the seating area rather than trying to fill the whole floor.

Round versus rectangular

I think of round and oval rugs as softeners. They're brilliant for breaking up rooms with a lot of straight lines or adding a sense of flow to a more formal space. Centre them under a coffee table or seating area, and make sure at least the front legs of surrounding pieces touch the rug.

Rectangular rugs feel more architectural and are usually my first choice for living and dining spaces where you want to define a zone clearly.

The takeaway

When in doubt, go bigger and tuck it under. A rug that anchors your furniture will always feel more intentional than one that doesn't. It's a small decision with a surprisingly significant impact on how the whole room reads.