PublishedOct 17, 2025 2:30 AM EDT
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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. Yet somehow, I ended up eyeballing the rug size for our guest room. Blame it on my 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 (refreshed every few years), so I rushed to my closest store the moment the rug hit shelves, without a second thought.
Guess what? It’s too small. The Stockholm rug comes in only 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 consumes a good chunk of the space, and my purchase sits awkwardly beneath only a third of it. I needed serious help figuring out how to make the setup look intentional. That’s when I decided to consult the experts.
I (desperately) messaged a handful of interior designers: What rug would you recommend I layer beneath my IKEA buy to make the room feel more complete? I was determined at this point to show off the graphic pattern, and I thought adding something larger underneath would make the choice read as more intentional.
Here’s all the advice they offered, plus the solution I plan to test first.
“Often, what could be considered a mistake might work out in our favor,” said Lia McNairy, one half of the duo behind LALA Reimagined, instantly putting me at ease. She was fully on board with my layering idea—but where to begin? McNairy recommended a neutral flatweave 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 led her to a simple ivory option from Hook and Loom, offered 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.
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 from 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.
Balancing odd-shaped rugs happens to be Natalie Myers’s jam (the Veneer Designs founder works frequently with vintage rugs in non-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. As it 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 illustrate why a 9’x9’ base-layer rug would be the best size for my predicament. Then she pointed me toward 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.
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 the two together.
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 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 have a few samples headed my way for the brand’s Mila, Jesse, and Lucas 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 now. It sounds appealing to start fresh with a design that scratches my itch for pattern but—most importantly!—fits properly from the start.
Lydia Geisel has been on the editorial team at Domino since 2017. Today, she writes and edits home and renovation stories, including house tours, before and afters, and DIYs, and leads our design news coverage. She lives in New York City.
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