When we think of buying a sofa, we sometimes tend to focus only on the design. It's important, of course, to consider the aesthetic details. But what's often overlooked is the size of the sofa, and when this happens, the struggle also begins.
The simplest way to avoid the struggle is to be prepared. You need to take out your measuring tape…and measure your home so that your sofa fits without a problem.
Here are a few tips on how to measure your home to perfectly fit your sofa.
Know Your Space
Before you get to measuring anything, be it the room or the sofa, you really have to know your space. Allow yourself to soak in all of your surroundings and catch every bit of detail. Is the flow of your space sensible and convenient? Are you getting the best out of the natural lighting? Is there a need to rearrange the layout of your home?
Knowing your space is especially important if you’ve just moved into a house or apartment. Even if you’ve been living in your place for a while, it doesn’t hurt to get reacquainted with the layout or reconsider how everything flows.
You have two basic goals when you’re “knowing” your space, with getting a sofa in mind. First, choose the best area to place the sofa. Second, identify all the access points in this specific space.
Think of the Purpose
Another thing that you need to think about before you get to measuring, is the purpose. What is the sofa for? Will you use the sofa for your main living space or for a lounge where you entertain guests? Do you need the sofa to double as an extra bed space?
Knowing the purpose can guide you when you think about the things you need to consider as you measure your home. It can really affect how everything “fits” later on. It can also help you identify the kind of sofa that you need to buy, and allow you to make compromises if needed.
Measure Your Home to Fit Your Sofa
The main goal here is for your sofa to get all the way to the room where you want it to be. A sofa being able to pass through doors is one thing. But it takes another level of maneuvering for it to go through stairs and tight corners.
This is why you really need to measure.
The first thing you must do is measure all possible passages that your sofa needs to reach. It may include the main entrance, foyer, doorways, and stairs, among others. Think of a backup entry while you're at it, too (like a large window, for example).
Basically, this is what you need to do:
- Prepare a tape measure
- Go over all probable entries
- Measure the height, width, and entry clearance ("wiggle" room) of all doorways
- Take note of the hallway and the stairs, measure their diagonal length
- For stair landings, make sure to measure the height (landing to ceiling), width, and depth
- For bannisters, measure the space between the railing and the ceiling
- Factor in the fixtures in your home that might impede passage of the sofa like radiators, the fireplace, pillars, and so on
To be safe, your sofa must be at least 4 to 5 inches less than the measurement of doorways and passages. This allows the sofa to pass through the areas without much hassle.
Measure the Room
Measuring your room is pretty much like measuring the access points. To do this, you need to:
- Set an imaginary space where you want the sofa to be
- Measure the general length, width, and height of the room
- Measure again the space for the sofa
- Consider all fixtures like radiator or built-in bookshelves
- If there are windows, measure the space from the floor to the bottom of the window frame
- Also measure the height, width, and diagonal height of the windows
Once you have the measurement of the entryways and the room, you will have an idea for the sofa size.
You can use a temporary marking tape to indicate the spot where your sofa will sit. By doing this, you can visualize just how much room or floor space you have left. This also helps you choose the type of sofa to buy, including other furniture.
Check the Sofa Size
If you shop online, the size of the sofa is most likely in the product description already. Watch out for the height, width, and length. Of course, the same goes when you shop in a physical store.
It might also help to consider the diagonal length and the diagonal height of the sofa. Just make sure that the overall measurement is smaller than the room and the passage areas.
How We Can Help
In our online shop, you can find the dimension of each product in the description. We try our best to present you with the details you need right away. Feel free to contact us if you want more information about a product.
We also have a collection of sofas here at T.Y. Fine Furniture. The sofas we carry are available in a wide range of configurations – from a sectional all the way to a four-seat sofa and a one-seat chair.
Our store also offers sleeper sofas that come in a variety of sizes, from king-size beds down to a basic full-size bed. These sleepers disassemble easily so they can pass through narrow spaces.
If you need extra help in choosing a good-sized sofa for your home (or even your business), we might be able to source the right one for you. Again, just let us know, and we'll be happy to assist you.
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