Rugs are ideal for adding flair to balconies, but choosing the right outdoor rug size is harder than you might think. There are some standard design conventions when choosing a rug, which we’ll go over below.
Common Challenges When Picking the Correct Outdoor Rug Size
Some common issues when picking the correct balcony rug size include:
- Choosing a large patterned rug and it overwhelming the space
- Going too small, so the rug looks like an afterthought
- Going too big and the rug not fitting
- Not matching the rug dimensions to your balcony shape
Things to Consider When Choosing Balcony Rug Size
So, with these challenges in mind, let’s go over the important things to consider when choosing an outdoor rug for your balcony.
1. Furniture layout
This is perhaps the biggest one. Furniture layout and use will determine what sort of rug size is right for your balcony. For example:
- If putting a rug under a table and chairs, it should be around 2ft. larger than the table. Ideally, all chairs should remain on the rug, even when pulled out.
- A large rug should be big enough that all pieces of furniture have at least their front legs on it.
- Small circular rugs work well under central tables, but make sure it’s larger than the table’s diameter.
Most of these work on the basis that flattening the rug’s edges will stop people tripping over them.
2. Balcony size and shape
Similarly, your outdoor rug size should match the size and shape of your balcony. A general rule is that even large rugs should finish between 12 and 24 inches from the edge of your balcony.
For example, if your balcony is 6ft. wide by 9ft. long, look for a rug that’s a maximum of 5ft. by 8ft. On a narrow balcony (e.g. 4ft. x 9ft.), consider opting for a 3ft. wide runner rug. A common outdoor rug size that might also work well here would be a 3×5.
Long and narrow balconies suit rectangular rugs, whereas short and wide balconies can fit circular rugs more easily.
3. Pattern and size
Small, intricate patterns often look better on smaller rugs otherwise they can overwhelm your balcony. If you’re going for a complicated pattern, consider sticking with entry rugs, such as a 2×3 or 3×5. You could always use several dotted about the floor.
Larger patterns, however, work fine on big rugs. You could choose a balcony rug size of up to 9×12 with something like a blocky geometric pattern. Of course, this isn’t a set rule, as you might want the rug pattern to be the focal point of your balcony.
Final Thoughts on Outdoor Rug Size
The most important thing when choosing your balcony rug size is that it works in your space. To do so, remember the rule of how much space should be around the edge. Everything after that is simply narrowing down your choices, so happy rug hunting!