Measure before you start:

Before you start looking at rugs you need to measure the dimensions of your room to work out the approximate space you have for a rug and any constraints you have (door openings, etc).

Bigger is usually better:

A small rug can make a room look small and its elements disconnected. When in doubt, go for a bigger size to help tie everything together.

The 18-Inch rule:

Most interior designers will tell you to leave around 18 inches of bare floor around a rug to get the right proportions. However, for small spaces you can tweak this.

Don’t be afraid to experiment:

You’re allowed to bend the rules a bit when choosing a rug – they’re only guidelines after all.