Arrange the furniture in the way that you want it to be when you place the rug in the room.
Measure the space in which you want the rug to fit and record the measurements on paper. See tips for common rug sizes.
Apply masking tape to the floor at each corner to mark the measurements. For example, when measuring the desired width of the rug, place two pieces of masking tape vertically on the floor in line with the desired measurement. Repeat when measuring the desired length.
Visualize the area rug in the room by using the tape markers as guides. Ensure that you have at least 12 inches of space all the way around the tape markers if the rug is going to cover most of the room. This will create a border for your rug.
Look at the placement of the tape markers in relation to the furniture you have in the room to determine whether all four legs of the furniture will fit on the rug.