What Size Rug Under a King Bed? (UK King, 150 x 200 cm)

The size you choose depends on how much floor you want to see around the bed. A 160 x 230 cm rug is the sweet spot: large enough to frame the bed properly, but small enough to fit comfortably in most UK bedrooms. Smaller rugs (120 x 170 cm or less) tend to disappear under the bed or look mean. Larger ones (200 x 290 cm and up) work only if you have a spacious room. The key variable is your actual floor space. If your bedroom is cramped, step down. If it’s generous, you might go larger.

The rule behind the table

A rug is sized by what has to stay on it, not by the room. Around a bed you want about 60 cm of rug showing on each side, so your feet land on wool and not on cold floor. Around a dining table you need about 70 cm past every edge, because that is how far a chair travels when someone stands up. A chair with its back legs off the rug is the single most common sizing mistake.

The other rule worth knowing is the one about legs. In a living room, all legs on is the fullest look and needs the largest rug; front legs on is the usual compromise and keeps the seating group tied together; no legs on leaves the rug floating and is the version that makes a room look unfinished.

What changes the number

Doors are the constraint people forget. A rug that clears the bed perfectly can still stop a wardrobe door from opening, so check the swing before you buy. Radiators, floor vents and the line of a threshold strip all matter for the same reason. If the room is tight in one direction only, a runner on each side of the bed does the job a single large rug would have done, usually for less.

Work out your own

The table covers the usual cases. For your exact measurements, the rug size calculator does the same arithmetic in the browser and gives you a size to shop for.

Open the rug size calculator

Related guides

• What Size Rug Under a Dining Table? (Chair Clearance Rule)
• What Size Rug Under a Double Bed? (UK Double, 135 x 190 cm)
• What Is Japandi Style? The Calm Fusion Explained

Common questions

Should the rug go under the headboard or just at the foot of the bed?

The rug should extend from the foot of the bed roughly halfway up the sides. You don’t need it under the headboard. This keeps it visible and anchors the bed without cramping the space around furniture or doorways.

What if my bedroom is too small for a 160 x 230 cm rug?

Measure the space first. If you have less than 40 cm of floor on each side, drop to 120 x 170 cm. It won’t look as balanced, but it will fit. Use the rug calculator to input your exact dimensions.

Can I use a rectangular rug, or does it have to be square?

Rectangular rugs are standard under beds. The dimensions given are all rectangular. Avoid square rugs; they look odd with the elongated shape of a bed.

How do I know if a rug is really the size the shop claims?

Ask for the dimensions in centimetres and check them against the product photo with a measuring tape if possible. Many online shops show the rug next to a bed, which helps. Always confirm before buying.