How to Measure Your Space for Furniture: A Complete Room Planning Guide
•Posted on April 24 2024
Are you thinking about getting some new furniture for your home? Before you go shopping, you need to consider one important thing: measure your space.
Finding furniture you love is exciting, but bringing it home only to realize it doesn't fit can quickly turn into a frustrating experience. Whether you're furnishing a new home, upgrading a single room, or replacing an old piece, taking accurate measurements before you buy helps you avoid costly mistakes.
In this guide, OUR HOME walks you through measuring your room, furniture, doorways, and walkways so you can shop with confidence.
Before You Start: What You'll Need
Before measuring your space, gather a few basic tools:
- Tape measure
- Notebook or your phone for recording measurements
- Pencil
- Painter's tape (optional)
- Smartphone camera
- Furniture dimensions from the product page
Quick Tip: Record all measurements using the same unit (centimeters or inches) to avoid confusion when comparing product dimensions.
How to Measure Your Room Size
Step 1: Measure doorways and pathways
Grab your tape measure and get the height and width of the door. Don't forget to measure the space from the door itself to the wall inside the room to avoid any tight squeezes.
Measure the diagonal distance from one top corner of the doorway to the opposite bottom corner. This helps you anticipate if bulky furniture needs to be tilted when moving it through tight hallways or doorways, especially on staircases.
Make sure that there is at least 10 cm of clearance between your furniture and the walls or door frame to save you stress (and maybe a bumped wall) when moving things around.
Step 2: Measure the area inside the room
Next, map out your room. Stand at one wall and extend the tape measure to the opposite wall to get the length and width. To get the ceiling height, extend your tape measure straight up from the floor to the ceiling.
Having these dimensions will be your key to creating the perfect furniture layout, ensuring everything fits comfortably and avoids feeling cramped.
Step 3: Draw a floor plan
Here’s a pro tip: sketch out a simple floor plan of your room. Include the dimensions you just measured and mark the locations of doors and windows. This will give you a visual reference when placing furniture.
How to Measure Furniture Dimensions
Now that you have your room's measurements and a floor plan, it's time to ensure the furniture you love will fit perfectly. Here’s how you can get the furniture measurements correct:
1. Sofas
- Width: Distance between the outer edges of the armrests.
- Height: Distance from the floor to the highest point of the sofa.
- Depth: Distance from the front edge of the seat cushion to the back of the sofa.
While sofa sizes can vary depending on style, the standard sofa size typically measures around 229 cm wide in the seating area, 97 cm deep, and 86 cm high. Remember to always check the sofa specifications for the exact dimensions to ensure a smooth transition into your living space.
2. Tables
Knowing your table's shape beforehand makes measuring much easier:
- Rectangular table: Measure the longest side for the length and the shorter side for the width. Standard rectangular dining tables typically range from 90 to 100 cm wide and can be as long as 198 cm depending on how many people it seats.
- Round or oval tables: Get the diameter or the distance across the widest part of the table. Standard round tables typically range from 90 to 137 cm in diameter, again depending on seating capacity.
Don't forget to measure the table height as well. Standard dining table height is around 70 to 76 cm, while counter and bar height tables can be taller.
3. Cabinets
To ensure your new storage furniture fits and meets your storage needs, measure its width, depth, and height, including any handles or knobs that might protrude and affect the available space.
Consider the style you want—tall and narrow for small spaces, wide and low for larger areas—and choose a cabinet with dimensions that complement both your needs and the available space in your living room or bedroom.
Read more: 10 Storage Furniture Solutions That Make Home Living Easier
4. Bedroom Furniture
To guarantee a proper fit and comfort, measure the width, length, and height of your bed frame, including the height from the floor to the top of the mattress.
When buying additional bedroom furniture, like dressers or nightstands, accurately measure their width, depth, and height as well. This ensures the furniture fits within the available space and provides sufficient storage to meet your needs.
Furniture Clearance Guide
Use these recommended clearances to create a room that's comfortable to move around.
|
Area |
Recommended Clearance |
|
Main walkways |
75-90 cm |
|
Sofa to coffee table |
40-45 cm |
|
Dining chair (pulled out) |
About 90 cm |
|
Bed to wall |
60-75 cm |
|
Cabinet or wardrobe doors |
Allow full door swing |
|
TV console |
Leave enough viewing distance based on TV size |
These measurements aren't strict rules, but they're helpful starting points for planning a balanced layout.
Common Measuring Mistakes to Avoid
Even experienced shoppers can overlook small details that make a big difference.
-
Measuring Only the Room: Always compare your room measurements with the furniture's actual dimensions.
-
Forgetting the Delivery Path: Furniture should fit through every doorway, hallway, elevator, and staircase along the delivery route.
-
Ignoring Door and Drawer Clearance: Cabinet doors and drawers need enough space to open fully without hitting nearby furniture.
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Buying Oversized Furniture: Large furniture may fit inside the room but can overwhelm the space and reduce comfortable movement.
-
Forgetting Existing Furniture: If you're adding to an existing room, measure the furniture that's already there so everything fits together comfortably.
Why Measuring Your Space Is Important
Taking the time to measure your space before buying furniture isn't just a chore—it's crucial for creating a home that's both comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. Getting the precise measurements ensures the furniture fits perfectly in your home, avoiding frustration and allowing for seamless integration of function and style.
It also empowers you to plan a balanced layout that optimizes flow, prevents overcrowding, and keeps clutter at bay, ultimately resulting in a more inviting and spacious feeling at home. Use these tips to know the right living room furniture size for your space.
Shop with Confidence at OUR HOME
Once you've measured your room and planned your layout, choosing furniture becomes much easier. Compare your recorded measurements with the furniture dimensions to find pieces that suit both your space and lifestyle.
Whether you're looking for a sofa, dining set, bed, storage cabinet, or home office furniture, taking the time to measure first helps ensure every piece fits beautifully into your home.
Are you ready to transform your living spaces? OUR HOME offers a stunning collection of living room furniture, sofa furniture, and other stunning pieces artfully designed to elevate the aesthetics of your space. You can also get OUR HOME's Design Expert Advice for help. Consult with our experts today to get the right furniture size for your home.
Shop at ourhome.ph or visit any of OUR HOME stores nationwide for more options. You may also get in touch with a personal shopper via Call to Deliver at 0917-8315260.
FAQ
-
How do I measure a room before buying furniture?
Measure the room's length, width, and ceiling height. Then mark the locations of doors, windows, outlets, and built-in features before comparing them with the furniture's dimensions.
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How much space should I leave around furniture?
As a general guide, leave 75-90 cm for main walkways, 40-45 cm between a sofa and coffee table, and about 90 cm behind dining chairs when they're pulled out.
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How do I know if furniture will fit through my doorway?
Measure the width and height of every doorway, hallway, staircase, and elevator along the delivery path, then compare those measurements with the furniture's packaged dimensions.
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Should I measure the room or the furniture first?
Start by measuring your room, then compare those measurements with the furniture dimensions before making a purchase.
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Why is furniture clearance important?
Proper clearance makes it easier to move around your home, open doors and drawers, and create a space that feels comfortable rather than crowded.
Updated August 5, 2026
