Should the couch sit on top of the rug completely or should the rug be in front of the couch?
Rugs are a great way to define living areas within large rooms to make them appear cozy. For instance, a conversation area can be quickly defined in front of a fireplace. A sofa, two chairs and a coffee table could be comfortably arranged atop an 8x10 rug. Then, off in a corner, a reading area with a leather armchair, ottoman, bookshelves and lamp table can be offset by a complementary 5x7 or 4x6 rug. If your family room has a dominant focal point such as a fireplace, it's best to choose a rug with an all-over pattern so it doesn't compete with or distract from the focal point. When deciding whether to use two rugs in a room setting, it is best to vary the scale of the pattern and alter the design. The rugs don't have to be identical, but they should match either in color tone or feeling.
for that large of a room, you could have a floating arrangement - if that is the case, the rug should be large enough to come out past each piece of furniture by nearly 2 feet. if you have part of your furniture grouping against a wall, the rug should go approximately halfway under the sofa (and everything else). if a tv is a factor (which likely means it has to be against a wall), it is appropriate to have the rug tuck under the tv cabinet a little bit, or for the rug to end a little bit before the cabinet/console/whatever. that's the best i can do without seeing the room and drawing a space plan! hope it helps
