When it comes to choosing an area rug for your bedroom, size matters. A rug that is too small under a bed looks awkward and out of proportion. This is a common problem many homeowners face when trying to use a 5×7 rug with a full size bed. While budget-friendly, a 5×7 rug often falls short of providing enough coverage. But fear not – with some careful planning and strategic rug placement, you can pull off this small rug in your full bed bedroom.
You’ll also learn clever solutions for getting a 5×7 rug to work so you can enjoy a polished, put-together bedroom look.
Mistake #1: Not Measuring the Bed
The first step to finding a well-fitted rug is to take proper measurements of the bed. A full bed is 54 inches wide by 75 inches long. Make sure to measure the entire frame and mattress to get accurate dimensions.
You’ll want your rug to be wider and longer than the bed so it doesn’t look undersized. Measure carefully so you know exactly how much bigger the rug needs to be than the bed.
How to Measure a Full Bed:
- Measure across the headboard from outer edge to outer edge for the bed’s total width.
- Measure from headboard to footboard for the bed’s length.
- Measure the mattress width and length as well.
This will give you the real footprint of the bed frame and mattress so you can find a rug at least 12-18 inches wider and longer.
Mistake #2: Not Considering Room Size
The size of your bedroom determines what size rug will look balanced. A rug should be proportional to the room, not just the bed. Even if you have the measurements of the bed, you need to consider floor space too.
A rug that is wall-to-wall or nearly touches the walls will make a room appear smaller. Leaving some bare floor visible around the edges helps open up the space visually.
Tips for Getting Proportional Rug Size:
- Measure room length and width.
- Leave 12-18 inches bare floor on all sides of rug.
- Divide room into quadrants and use a rug around 3/4 size of the room.
If your bedroom is 10×12 feet, aim for an 8×10 rug. For a 12×15 room, a 9×12 rug should fit nicely. Scale up or down depending on your exact measurements.
Mistake #3: Positioning the Rug Improperly
How you position the rug makes a big difference in how a small 5×7 rug looks with a full bed. There are a few standard options:
Full Bed Rug Placement Tips:
- Center: Works best if creating defined sleeping space from rest of room.
- Under Bed: Makes a cozy footprint if bed is main furniture piece.
- Partial: Can work in tight spaces but leaves bed imbalanced.
Centering the rug is ideal if you want clear separation between the bed area and sitting chairs or other furniture. Placing it fully under the bed frames the bed nicely. A partial rug overlapping just part of the bed can work but usually looks a bit awkward.
Mistake #4: Not Allowing Enough Border Space
To keep your small rug from looking even smaller, ensure there is enough bare floor showing around the edges. Rugs with very little or no border space appear undersized and out of sync.
As a guideline, aim for the rug to extend out from the bed by:
- 12-18 inches on sides
- 12-18 inches at foot
- 2-6 inches at head (wall side)
This border creates nice proportion. Without enough bare floor around it, a 5×7 rug under a full bed starts to look very crowded and cramped.
Mistake #5: Choosing the Wrong Shape
Stick with a rectangular or squared shape rug for the most seamless look in a full bed room. Oval and round rugs work better for open floor plans.
Rug Shape Tips:
- Rectangular: Easy to position under bed and achieve even border.
- Oval: Harder to center and frame bed evenly.
- Round: Works if bed floats but still tough to frame bed.
The straight edges and right angles of a rectangle or square make it easiest to align the rug under the bed properly. Curved shapes are trickier to place accurately.
Solutions for Using a 5×7 Rug with a Full Bed
Now that you know what not to do, here are some clever fixes for making a 5×7 rug work with a full bed:
Tricks for Using a 5×7 Rug with Full Bed:
- Rotate the rug diagonally under bed for more coverage.
- Layer two small rugs together for a larger size rug.
- Use rug just under top half of bed if space is very tight.
- Add second small rug at foot of bed for more balance.
- Purchase rug pad to add inches of coverage around edges.
Creative placement and using two rugs can help a 5×7 rug feel a bit more substantial. But the best solution is simply to size up to a larger area rug better suited for a full bed, such as:
- 6×9
- 8×10
- 9×12
Rugs this size will provide you with ample wiggle room to work with in configuring your bedroom layout.
It’s tempting to rely on a 5×7 rug for its smaller size and budget price point. But take time to measure properly so you don’t end up with a rug that’s swallowed up under your full bed. Consider the rug guidelines and layout tricks in this article, and always keep proportions in mind. This will ensure your small space still looks polished, put-together, and aesthetically pleasing.
