Are you thinking of getting new furniture? Well, first thing you should do is measure. But how do you do it? What measurements do you need? Just the regular measurements- Width x Depth x Height of the furniture? Of all the furniture? Of the room? That is a lot of numbers!
The size of a room tells you what will fit best, especially if you are moving into a new home, or wanting to redo a space with different pieces from what has been there. Sometimes we want to take a small bedroom and make it into a den or office. When rooms are smaller, it is key to know true measurements!
I always stand in the doorway, and first draw the shape of the space. For measurements for furniture, we do wall to wall. It is best to use a tape measure as I have found that using a yardstick many times gives us wrong numbers! Go to the end of the wall, and write that number on your paper.
Then you turn, and do the same on the next wall.
First do all the way to the next wall so that you have an overall length and width. Then do smaller measurements…..like from the corner to the trim of the closet, the length of the closet, and then to the next wall! Those measurements should add up to the overall length!
Some rooms are square. Some rooms are rectangle. Other rooms may be a very odd shape with a point or missing walls. Basically do the same thing…start with the shape, and then go down each wall with the full measurement!
These measurements will give you the inside usable space. They do not work for flooring. Furniture measurements are always the insides of rooms, but for flooring, you must allow for the 2,3,5” that goes into the doorframe or into a closet, and also need to measure the inside of the closet if the flooring goes there. That measurement usually isn’t important for furniture! If you have the inside lines and numbers of the room, we can help you forward.
It always helps to add windows, their sizes, also fireplaces width and depth…especially the hearth….and maybe other built-Ins. Having a good understanding of the space a room helps you to get correct sized furniture pieces, as well as allowing pathways through the room!
Knowing the starting point of the space that is usable is prime. If there are items in that space that must stay, such as Grandma's China Cabinet, or the kid's race track or dad's recliner - Measure those pieces as well! If dad loves the fit of his recliner, but needs new. Measure the old, so we have somewhere to start for a new one. Seat Width and seat height are very important MEASUMENTS, as well as back height!