Everything You Need to Know to Add a Rug Under a King Bed

What Size Rug Do You Need for a King Bed?

When it comes to choosing a rug size, it really does matter. Having the wrong size rug will make the whole room feel off. The good part is you do have some choice in the matter. 

If you have a queen-size bed, I wrote a whole other post on what size rug to put under a queen bed. When we’rer talking about a king-size bed, here are your options:

Under a king bed, the most ideal size is a 9×12. I like this one the best because it allows you enough space on either side of the bed to have the rug stretch out in front of your entire nightstand. This also lets you stand up out of the bed and still keep your feet on the softness. I also think it looks the best because it matches the scale of a large king bed. If you’re looking for the most well-balanced option, this is it. 

However, if you need to go smaller and you have a smaller room, you can get away with an 8×10. For this option, you’ll want to place the rug a few inches in front of the nightstand so it can extend past the foot of the bed too. This will make sure the room looks finished.

Your last option is to get a 6×9 size rug. If you only plan on putting the rug under the bottom two-thirds of the bed, you can get away with this option, but it won’t be wide enough to have any part of your nightstand on it. It’ll still give you an added layer of style and comfort and a little room to still step on the rug when you get  out of bed. I think this one tends to look a bit small though, so again, my vote is the 9×12 if you have the room.

One thing to keep in mind is that you want at least 18–24 inches of rug showing on both sides of the bed in order to give your room the styled look without the rug feeling too small or like you just randomly threw a rug in there.

The Best Rug Placement for a King Bed

As I kind of alluded to above, picking the size will determine the placement that will work best. Again, there are three placement options depending on the size of your rug. Here are three main placement styles that work well:

My favorite option, and the one that works best, is to have your rug placed under the entire bed. I like this one because it’s the most symmetrical and fits all the design rules. The rug sits underneath the full bed frame and both nightstands. This is the best option for larger rooms when you have space to let the rug breathe on each side.

The other option is to have it two-thirds under the bed. This would be in front of the nightstands and go under the lower two-thirds of your bed. You can still see the rrug enough on the three sides of the bed, but doesn’t require you to put the nightstands on top. If you have more of a medium-sized bedroom, this could be a good option for you.

The last option is to put the rug at the bottom half of the bed. It’s a little more casual, but works well if you have your bed closer to the wall or you plan on layering your rugs. When you go to place it, start at the bottom third of the bed and then have it stick out from the foot of the bed. Make sure you keep it symmetrical on both sides and give it at least 18 inches past the foot of the bed.

How to Place a Rug Under a King Bed (Without Losing Your Mind)

This took me a lot of trial and error. It may have been easier if I wasn’t trying to add my area rug over an existing carpet. If you do have an existing carpet that you are placing your rug over, these are definitely the steps to take to make it way easier if you are doing it by yourself.

Here are the steps I would take:

• Clear out anything that could get in the way because you’ll definitely want room to be able to maneuver the rug in the right spot.
• Use sliders or lift tools to help get the rug underneath. I actually tried this, but because I putting my rug on top of a carpet, it wasn’t working as well. However, you might be able to prop of the corners of your bed enough to wiggle the rug underneath if you’re on hard flooring.
• Disassemble the bed and move it out of the room. Since I couldn’t use the sliders, it made it way easier for me to disassemble the bed and lean it against the wall while I positioned the rug in the right spot.

• Keep the rug rolled up to make it easier to slide it under the foot of the bed. Position it under the bed where you want it and then roll it where you want.
• Find a buddy if you can. I didn’t have this luxury at the time, but I’m surer it would have made it way easier. 

If you moved the bed, put it back in place. These steps will be very helpful to get the rug in place without all the trial and error I had to go through.

Affordable Rug Options That Still Look High-End

Finding a rug that checks all the boxes without spending a fortune is possible—I’ve done it more than a few times. Here are a few of my favorite spots for beautiful rugs on a budget:

• Rugs USA – I love Rugs USA. They always have so many great, affordable options. They have a lot of great sales too. The best part is you can filter by size, color, style, you name it.
• Amazon – Amazon is one of my favorite places to get things fast. I have found many of the washable rugs in I have in my house from here. Just make sure to read the reviews or check out the ones I’ve vetted at the end of this post.  
• Boutique Rugs – This is where I got the rug from our guest bedroom. They have some gorgeous options. If you love neutrals and soft textures.
• Target – If you can find the right one, this is a great place to look. I got the rug from our daughter’s room at Target and I love it.