Does a 5x7 rug work under a queen bed?
Not centered under it. A 5x7 laid across a queen bed shows 12 in of rug on each side of the mattress, 6 in short of the 18 in it takes to land a foot on the rug. A 5x8 is one foot longer and shows 18 in, the smallest size that works. A 5x7 does work beside a queen bed that stands against a wall, where it shows 30 in on the open side.
- Rule 01Rug on each side of the bed18 in minimum, 24-36 in ideal
- Rule 02Rug past the foot of the bed12-48 in, 18-36 in ideal
- Rule 03Gap in front of the nightstands0-6 in, or the nightstands fully on the rug
- Rule 04Floor showing at the walls8 in minimum
Try it with your room
Recommended sizequeen bed, 12 x 14 ft room
8 × 10ft
An 8 x 10 ft rug, laid with the 10 ft side across the bed, leaves 30 in of rug on each side of a queen bed and 34 in past the foot, starting just in front of the nightstands.
Drawn to scale, 1 ft grid. Drag the bed to slide it along the headboard wall. Drag the rug to move it, drag its corner to snap to another standard size, or rotate it.
An 8 x 10 ft rug, laid with the 10 ft side across the bed, leaves 30 in of rug on each side of a queen bed and 34 in past the foot, starting just in front of the nightstands.
| Rule | 8x10 |
|---|---|
| Rug on each side of the bed18 in minimum, 24-36 in ideal | 30 in |
| Rug past the foot of the bed12-48 in, 18-36 in ideal | 34 in |
| Gap in front of the nightstands0-6 in, or the nightstands fully on the rug | 0 in |
| Floor showing at the walls8 in minimum | 12 in |
| Verdict | ideal |
5x7, 5x8, 6x9 and 8x10 rugs under a queen bed
Each plan is drawn to the same scale, under a queen bed in a 12 x 14 ft room. The 1 ft grid shows how much floor each size covers.
Why 12 in is not enough
A queen mattress is 60 in wide and a 5x7 turned sideways is 84 in across, so 12 in of rug shows on each side. A rug under a bed is there to be under your feet when you get up, and that takes at least 18 in beside the mattress. At 12 in there is room for one foot and nothing else, so a single step from the bed lands on bare floor.
It also changes how the bed looks. A nightstand is about 22 in wide, so the rug ends inside the line of the tables and reads as a mat that slipped under the bed. The rug is 60 in deep, so with 17 in showing past the foot it starts 19 in in front of the nightstands and only the lower 43 in of the bed sits on it.
5x8 rug under a queen bed
A 5x8 is 96 in across, one foot more than a 5x7, and that foot is the difference: 18 in of rug on each side of a queen, which meets the minimum. It is as deep as the 5x7, so it sits the same way, 17 in past the foot.
Take it when the room decides for you. In a 10 x 12 ft bedroom a 6x9 leaves less than 8 in of floor at the side walls, and the calculator picks the 5x8. In a wider room it is the budget choice, not the best one.
Where a 5x7 rug does work with a queen bed
Beside a bed against a wall. Only the open side needs rug, so the 5x7 turns lengthwise with its 7 ft side along the bed: 30 in shows on the open side and 27 in past the foot, starting 5 in in front of the nightstand. Every one of those is in the ideal range. A 5x8 laid the same way shows 30 in and 34 in.
The other layouts for a bed against a wall or in a corner are in the bedroom rug placement guide.
When to size up to a 6x9 or an 8x10
Room width sets the size. A rug across the bed needs 8 in of floor at each side wall, so a 6x9 fits from 10 ft 4 in wide and an 8x10 from 11 ft 4 in. In an 11 x 12 ft room the calculator picks the 6x9, with 24 in on each side. From 12 ft wide it picks the 8x10: 30 in on each side and 34 in past the foot, with its top edge just in front of the nightstands.
The full comparison is in the guide to the rug size for a queen bed.
Rug size for a queen bed, by room size
The calculator's pick for a queen bed in common room sizes, and the smallest size that still works.
| Setup | Best size | Smallest that works |
|---|---|---|
| 10 x 12 ft room | 5x8 | 5x8 |
| 11 x 12 ft room | 6x9 | 5x8 |
| 12 x 12 ft room | 8x10 | 5x8 |
| 12 x 14 ft room | 8x10 | 5x8 |
| 14 x 16 ft room | 8x10 | 5x8 |
| 12 x 14 ft room, bed against a wall | 6x9 | 4x6 |
Every standard size under a queen bed
| Rug size | Rug on each side of the bed | Rug past the foot of the bed | Floor showing at the walls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4x648 x 72 in | 6 in | 17 in | 36 in | Too small |
| 5x760 x 84 in | 12 in | 17 in | 30 in | Too small |
| 5x860 x 96 in | 18 in | 17 in | 24 in | Works |
| 6x972 x 108 in | 24 in | 17 in | 18 in | Works |
| 8x1096 x 120 in | 30 in | 34 in | 12 in | Best fit |
| 9x12108 x 144 in | 42 in | 28 in | 0 in | Too big for the room |
| 10x14120 x 168 in | 54 in | 40 in | -12 in | Too big for the room |
| 12x15144 x 180 in | 60 in | 64 in | -18 in | Too big for the room |
Questions people ask
Is a 5x7 rug too small for a queen bed?
Centered under the bed, yes. It shows 12 in of rug on each side of a queen, under the 18 in minimum, so most of it hides under the mattress. It is the right size beside a queen that stands against a wall: 30 in on the open side and 27 in past the foot.
Is a 5x8 rug big enough for a queen bed?
As the minimum. A 5x8 across a queen shows 18 in on each side and 17 in past the foot. It is the calculator's pick in a room about 10 ft wide; from 10 ft 4 in wide a 6x9 fits and shows 24 in.
Which way does a 5x7 rug go under a queen bed?
Across the bed, with the 7 ft side parallel to the headboard, which shows 12 in on each side. Turned lengthwise it is 60 in wide, the same as the mattress, so nothing shows at the sides and 27 in past the foot.
What is the smallest rug that works under a queen bed?
A 5x8. It is the smallest standard size that shows 18 in on each side of a 60 in wide queen mattress. An 8x10 is the best size in rooms at least 11 ft 4 in wide, with 30 in on each side.