Round Rugs

Where a round rug works best

A round rug comes into its own wherever a rectangle would clash with the layout. Under a round dining table it echoes the shape above and protects a hard floor from scraping chair legs. In a reading corner it marks out a spot for an armchair and a floor lamp, and beside a bed it gives bare feet a warmer landing than cold boards. In a living room, a circle breaks up the straight lines of sofas and coffee tables. We stock round rugs for living rooms, bedrooms and nurseries, so the same shape can work right through your home.

Measuring up for a round rug

For a dining table, measure the tabletop and add a generous margin around it, so the chairs stay on the rug when a diner pushes back to stand. If the back legs drop off the edge, the chair rocks. In a living room, either let the rug float clear of the sofa in the middle of the seating, or go large enough for the front legs of the furniture to rest on it. By a bed or a reading chair, a smaller circle is plenty.

Mark the outline with masking tape and live with it for a while before you order. If a circle will not quite fit, most of our round rugs are also sold in rectangular sizes, so you can keep the design and change the shape.

Choosing a material for a round rug

Wool is warm and springy underfoot and recovers well from footfall, which makes it a good fit for a living room or the side of a bed. Polypropylene is hard-wearing and simple to sponge clean, so it suits a dining area where food and drink get dropped. Polyester feels soft and holds colour well, a sensible match for a child's room. A few designs here are made from jute, which has a coarse, earthy texture and is happiest in a dry room with gentle traffic.

Colour and pattern in a round rug

Natural tones and greys are the quiet choice: they sit easily on oak, stone or painted boards and let the shape do the talking. For more colour, we stock round rugs in blues and pinks. Plain rugs suit a room with busy walls or upholstery, while traditional styles bring warmth to a period home. Some designs lean towards a Scandinavian look, which works well with pale floors.

For texture, a few have a shaggy pile that feels deep and soft underfoot. Some designs are also sold as a runner, so a hallway can pick up the look of the room next door.

Round rugs for nurseries and children's rooms

A round rug gives a nursery or a child's bedroom a defined spot for play and stories, with no corners to curl and catch small feet. We stock kids' rugs with themed designs in pinks, blues and greys, which make the circle the obvious place to sit. On a wooden or laminate floor, lay a non-slip underlay beneath the rug so it stays put when children run across it, and keep it clear of the door's swing.

Caring for a round rug

Vacuum a round rug regularly, working with the pile, and switch off the rotating brush on a deep pile so the fibres are not pulled loose. Turn the rug now and then so sunlight and footfall wear it evenly; a circle has no long side to line up with the room, so this is easy. Blot spills straight away with a clean, damp cloth, working from the edge of the mark inwards so it does not spread. Read the care notes before reaching for any cleaner: if a rug is marked spot clean only, keep it out of the washing machine and the tumble dryer.