Large Rugs

What counts as a large rug

A large rug is sized to sit beneath your furniture rather than in front of it. On this page, that means a size from around 160 x 230cm upwards, the point where a rug stops being a mat beside the sofa and starts to shape the whole room. Most of the rugs here are rectangular. A few are round, which echoes a round table or a curved sofa.

Before you buy, mark the outline on your floor with masking tape and live with it for a while. Walk around it, open nearby doors and pull out the chairs. If it feels cramped or lost, you will know before you commit. And if a design you like feels too small once marked out, see whether it also comes in a bigger size.

Placing a large rug in a living room

Most of the large rugs we stock suit a living room, where placement makes the difference. Rest the front legs of the sofa and any armchairs on the rug, so the seating reads as a single group. Leave a border of bare floor between the rug and the walls, so it sits within the room rather than running up to the skirting.

In an open-plan space, a large rug does the job of a wall, marking where the sitting area ends and the kitchen or dining space begins. Line it up with the sofa rather than the room, and keep a clear path beside it so nobody catches an edge.

A large rug under the bed

We stock large rugs for the bedroom too. Lay the rug across the lower part of the bed, leaving the bedside tables on bare floor, and turn it so its long sides run across the bed rather than along it. That leaves a generous strip either side and at the foot, so you step out of bed onto rug, not cold floor.

If furniture crowds the sides of the bed, let the rug run out from the foot instead, with just the end of the frame resting on it. A shaggy pile is a pleasure here, where bare feet do the walking and little grit is carried in from outside.

Choosing a material for a large rug

Most of the large rugs we stock are polyester. We also stock them in polypropylene, wool and acrylic, and the right material depends on how the room is used. If spills, children or pets are part of daily life, a synthetic such as polyester or polypropylene is the practical choice, as it can be sponged clean.

Wool is naturally springy, recovering well from the weight of furniture and feeling warm underfoot. Jute has a dry, woven texture that suits wood and linen, though it is happiest away from damp. Acrylic feels soft and takes bright colour well. A few of the rugs here are suited to outdoor use too.

Flatweave or shaggy large rugs

We stock flatweave and shaggy large rugs, and the pile you choose decides more than how the rug feels. A flatweave lies close to the floor, so doors open over it, chairs slide across it and crumbs lift straight off with the vacuum. That makes it the sensible choice for a busy room.

A shaggy rug has a deep, soft pile you sink into, best kept to a sitting room or bedroom where shoes come off. Before choosing a deep pile, check the gap under any door that opens over the rug, as a door that catches will scuff the pile and drag the rug out of place.

Colour and pattern in a large rug

Because a large rug covers so much floor, its colour matters as much as the paint on the walls. We stock large rugs in grey, natural, blue, green, white, yellow, pink, terracotta, red, black and brown. Grey and natural tones sit quietly beneath wooden furniture and let cushions do the talking, while terracotta, yellow or green brings life to a plain room.

Plain rugs show off texture and quieten a lively room. Abstract, geometric and floral designs give the floor a character of its own, and pattern is forgiving, hiding the odd crumb or paw print. We stock modern and traditional designs. A few have a vintage look.

Looking after a large rug

Vacuum a large rug regularly, on a low setting or with the brush bar off for a shaggy pile, and blot spills straight away with a clean, damp cloth rather than rubbing. Care needs vary with the material, so read any care instructions given for the rug you like before you buy. A few of the rugs on this page are labelled washable.

Lay a non-slip underlay beneath your rug. On wooden floors, tiles or laminate it stops the rug sliding and its corners curling, and it adds a little cushioning underfoot. Turn the rug around from time to time so sunlight and footsteps are spread across it and wear stays even.