We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.
Measure, measure, and then measure again. Having interviewed hundreds of pros over the years, I am well aware of this crucial step in any design project. But somehow, I ended up eyeballing the rug size for our guest room. Blame it on me being blinded by one particular rug, the new Stockholm style from IKEA. It’s part of the Swedish retailer’s most iconic—and fleeting—collection (every few years it gets refreshed), so I ran to my closest store when the rug hit shelves without a second thought.
Guess what? It’s too small. The Stockholm rug only comes in one size, 5’7″ x 7’10”, which I convinced myself would work in my 10-by-10 foot room. But a large queen bed soaks up a good chunk of the space, and my purchase awkwardly sits under only a third of it. I needed some serious help figuring out how to make the setup look normal. That’s when I decided to ask the experts.
My Problem: A Rug I Love That Doesn’t Fill the Room
I (desperately) sent a message to a handful of interior designers: What rug would you recommend I layer under my IKEA buy to make the room feel more complete? I was pretty determined at this point to show off the graphic pattern and thought adding something larger underneath it would make the choice feel more intentional.
Here’s all the advice they gave me, plus the solve I’m going to test out first.
The Solutions
1. Layer Something Neutral Underneath
“Oftentimes, making what could be considered a mistake might work out in our favor,” said Lia McNairy, one part of the duo behind the firm LALA Reimagined, instantly putting me at ease. She was fully on board with my layering idea, but where to start? McNairy recommended going with a neutral flatweave in order to avoid too much bulk. “The neutrality of the bottom layer will highlight the pattern and the colors of the IKEA one without competing,” she noted.
Her detective work on my behalf led her to a simple ivory option from Hook and Loom that comes in 22 sizes at affordable price points (an 8’x10’ is $395). She also tipped me off to a wool style from Rugs.com, which rings in under $700 for a 10’x10’ size. Her final suggestion? Head to Etsy. “Most vendors are willing to custom-make a rug in your size and color. Don’t forget a little negotiation goes a long way if needed!” she shared.
Fellow New Yorker Nicole Alexandra Arruda was also firmly in favor of a neutral foundation, recommending a jute or sisal rug in a sandy hue. “A piece like the jute rug from World Market provides the perfect canvas: it’s durable, subtle in texture, and adds a hint of warmth to balance the Stockholm’s crisp white and light blue,” she said.
2. Ground It With a Solid
I’ve seen Alvin Wayne work magic in small apartments in the past, and the designer practically read my mind with his solution: Try a colorful base layer that pulls out a shade in the IKEA rug. Rug USA’s Arrel Speckled rug in denim looks to be a near perfect match. “It will create a border for the smaller rug,” Wayne added.
3. Go Custom
Balancing out odd-shaped rugs happens to be Natalie Myers’s jam (the Veneer Designs founder uses a lot of vintage rugs that aren’t standard sizes). Like Arruda and McNairy, she’s Team Neutral, but she made a case for splurging on a custom creation. “It should be smaller than the room but larger than the first rug,” she said, specifying a 9’x9′ or 8’x9’.
Myers directed me to Erensta’s Briar rug in Redwood—the terracotta undertones would play nicely with my IKEA pick—and the Suri in Oatmeal, which would mesh with the tans in the pattern. Turns out, mainstream retailers like Pottery Barn also offer bespoke sizes.
Jessica Hansen, the Portland-based founder of Tandem Design, went so far as to send me a sketch to help illustrate why a 9’x9’ base layer rug would be the best size for my predicament. Then, she pointed me in the direction of Birch Lane’s Torbin Jute/Sisal rug, noting that a difference in texture would help my IKEA rug stand out in a good way. “Another fun thing to do would be to mix patterns on the bedding, such as adding a striped duvet,” she said.
4. Buy a Duplicate
Canadian designer Luke Havekes revealed he’s not the biggest fan of layering rugs in such a small space. Instead, he advised ordering another Stockholm rug while they’re still in stock and stitching them together.
5. Toss in a Few Sheepskin Throws
Kate Hayes, cofounder of Hayes Little Studio, is on the same page as Havekes. “Honestly, layering can be trippy!” she said—and she meant it literally. Her alternative? Place a few sheepskin pelts from Sunday Shop around the room to create multiple soft landing spots for bare toes.
My Final Call
My biggest takeaway is that it’s the size of the rug, not so much the style, that I really need to get right the second time around. I’ve landed firmly in the camp of a 9’x9’ square. Having loved Ernesta’s quality in the past, I’ve got a few samples headed my way for the brand’s Mila, Jesse, and Luca styles. But despite all that hemming and hawing over how to salvage my beloved IKEA purchase, I might just stick the rug in storage for the time being. It sounds appealing to start fresh with a design that scratches my itch for some pattern but—most importantly!—fits properly from the start.