What size rug for a nursery? Room-by-room sizes, drawn to scale
Short answer: in most nurseries the rug should leave about 12–30" (1 to 2½ ft) of bare floor around it. That works out to a 5x7 for a 9x9 room, a 5x8 for a 9x10 or 10x10, a 6x9 for a 10x11, and an 8x10 for an 11x12 or 12x12. Then check the furniture: the crib's legs should sit all on the rug or all off it, and a glider or rocker should sit fully on it.
Four rugs in the same 10x10 nursery
Here's one 10x10 room with a full-size crib against one wall and a 6-drawer dresser against the other, tried with four common rug sizes. Everything is drawn to scale.
The 5x8 fills the open floor between the crib and dresser. The 6x9 is only 6" wider on each side, but that's enough to put the crib's front legs on the rug and its back legs on the floor.
5x7: fits, but leaves a lot of floor at the ends. Fine if the room has a closet or door you want to keep clear.
5x8: best here. It runs from just in front of the crib to just in front of the dresser, so both stand level on the floor.
6x9: the crib's front legs end up about 6" onto the rug. A rug plus pad can be ½" or more thick, which tilts the crib. Either go smaller or slide the rug fully under the crib.
8x10: wall to wall in one direction. It runs under the crib and dresser and can stop the door from opening.
Drop a rug into your own room in 3D and check the crib and glider sit fully on it or fully off it.
Computed for a rug laid lengthwise along the room's longer wall, picking the largest standard size (3x5, 4x6, 5x7, 5x8, 6x9, 8x10, 9x12) that leaves 12–30" of floor on every side. Furniture along the walls can change the best choice, so check your own layout.
Where the furniture should sit
Crib: all four legs on the rug or all four off it, so the crib stays level and doesn't rock on the rug's edge.
Glider or rocker: fully on the rug. Gliders and rockers move, and an edge under one leg makes them wobble or catch.
Dresser: usually off the rug, against the wall. It's anchored to the wall, so it should sit flat on the floor.
Door: keep the rug out of the door's swing unless it's a thin, low-pile rug. Thick rugs can catch under the door.
Use a non-slip rug pad. You'll be walking this floor half-asleep at 3am, often carrying a baby. A pad also keeps the rug from creeping toward the crib.
Round rugs
A round rug (5' or 6' across) is a good fit in a small square nursery, especially in a reading corner under the glider. A 6' round rug needs about a 6' circle of open floor, so it works best in the middle of the room or in a corner away from the crib.
A 5x8 usually fits best. With a crib on one wall and a dresser on the other, it fills the open floor between them and leaves about 12–30" of floor around it. A 6x9 often puts the crib's front legs on the rug, which can tilt it.
Should the crib go on the rug?
Either all four legs on the rug or all four off it. Half on, half off tilts the crib by the thickness of the rug and pad.
Is an 8x10 rug too big for a nursery?
In a 10x10 room, yes: it runs wall to wall in one direction and under the crib and dresser. In an 11x12 or 12x12 room, an 8x10 is usually the right size.
Do I need a rug pad in a nursery?
It's a good idea. A non-slip pad keeps the rug from sliding when you walk on it at night, and stops it from creeping under furniture.