Small rugs and accent rugs can usually be placed wherever they look good or fulfill a specific purpose, but larger rugs look best when basic guidelines for placement are followed. Since a larger rug often serves as an anchor for a furniture grouping or the main floor covering in a room, proper placement is essential for several reasons, including a balanced look.

A typical setting for a large rug is under a coffee table and/or in front of a sofa. The coffee table is usually centered between the long ends of the rug. The rug can be along the front edge of the sofa or it can be placed under the sofa's front legs, 2 to 3 inches behind the front legs. The back legs of a sofa usually do not get placed on the rug unless the rug is a very large rug.

When using a large rug that covers most of a room, it's best to use a rug size that allows at least 8 inches of a hardwood or tile floor to be exposed around the rug. Center the rug in the room as much as possible, with an equal distance from the wall to each side and an equal distance from the wall to each end. This equal spacing guideline still applies if there is a feature (such as a closet or fireplace) that sticks out in part of the room.

Large rugs are often used in a home's dining area. The best size of rug to use under a dining table extends a minimum of 24 inches beyond each edge of the table. This allows someone to sit down or get up from a dining chair while the chair's back legs remain on the rug. If you've ever tried to get a chair's back legs up and over the edge of a rug while seated, you know how important this guideline can be.

A large room might have a sitting area that is separate from the room's main area. A mid-size rug can help define a sitting area, which could include a couple of chairs and perhaps a small table. A good size would be 4 X 6 feet, 5 X 8 feet, or a 5 to 7 foot round or hexagonal rug. The front legs of each chair are on the rug and the chairs are arranged, often at a slight angle, so the people sitting there can have both feet on the rug. It's okay to have all four legs of each chair on the rug if the rug is large enough. However, it is best not to have more than two feet of empty rug behind the chairs.

Sometimes, a couple of things get overlooked when people want to get a large rug. Think about this for just a moment: You know the design and color you want, but will the rug really fit where you want it to go? If a door opens over the rug, does the door have enough clearance? Will the rug's desired placement impact any air vents or electrical outlets?

I certainly don't want to throw a wrench into the cogs of your decorating plans, but thinking ahead will almost always help you avoid unwanted "surprises." Good placement for large rugs might not seem like such a big deal, but poor placement can throw the look and feel of the entire room off balance.

You'll find that it's time well-spent to mark off the area for a new rug before you get the rug. This can be done with newspaper and masking tape, plus a tape measure. Put newspaper where you want the rug and hold in place with the tape. You can also use a blanket or sheet folded to various sizes. Work with this outline until the overall size looks just right. Measure the outline and look for a rug that closely matches those dimensions.

With the wide variety of rugs in every design and color you can imagine, you'll probably be able to find your favorite rugs in just the right size for each particular placement.