Ideal Spacing Guidelines
Say Good-Bye to Cramped Conditions

Discover the must-know measurements to give you the ideal spacing in your room.

We are looking at the ways real interior designers plan their designs and make sure everything is positioned 'just-so'.

This is part of a look at the whole design process- and how you, too, can get the look of a planned, professional design, in just a few easy stages...

I find these considerations absolutely invaluable in interior designing my room spaces and layouts.

These tips on getting the best spacing really make sure your room flows, and looks spacious...

And there is always enough room for everyone to move about comfortably - with no stubbed toes, or knocked elbows!

Remember, these are only guidelines - not rules!

And all are for ‘average’ sized people - if you are very tall or very small you can adjust them to your own requirements.

• General spacing for access areas - for people to move about in, in comfort - 60cm / 2ft

  This means - any area in your home where you'll be moving about, you need 2ft (60cm) to be able to get about comfortably, without feeling cramped...

There are also some specific measurements you can use for every room in your home...

Ideal Spacing Room by Room

• Hallway
• Living Room
• Study
• Kitchen and Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Bedroom

You can use this ideal spacing page with your free downloadable design checklist - make notes on which measurements will be important for your own design.

Hallway

• Space to remove a coat - 150cm / 5ft
• If your hallway is narrower than this - there may not be a lot you can do about it - but try not to make the space even narrower, with cupboards, hooks, shelves etc.

Living Room

• Space between 2 sofas (or a sofa and a chair) facing each other - 110cm / 3ft 8
• Space between a sofa or chair, and a coffee table - 55cm / 1 ft 9
• Space between 2 armchairs side by side - 30cm / 1ft
• Space between a chair or sofa and a wall (for access) - 60cm / 2ft

Study

• Space at a desk for elbow room - 60cm / 2ft
• Space between a desk and a wall - for moving a chair out behind you - 70cm / 2ft 4
• Space between a desk and a wall - for moving a chair out behind you - AND with access behind the chair - 125cm / 4ft 2
• Maximum height for a shelf above the desk to be reached from a seated position - 48cm / 1ft 7

Kitchen and Dining Room

• Space at a table for elbow room - 60cm / 2ft
• Space between a table and a wall - for moving a chair out behind you - 70cm / 2ft 4
• Space between a table and a wall - for moving a chair out behind you - AND with access behind the chair - 125cm / 4ft 2
• Space between kitchen units and a wall/another unit - for crouching down to a cupboard - 100cm / 3ft 3
• Space between kitchen units and a wall/another unit - for crouching down to an open drawer - 125cm / 4ft 2
• Maximum shelf height from worktop - 105cm / 3ft 6
• Minimum shelf height from worktop - 45cm / 1ft 6
• Ideal shelf height from worktop - 90cm / 3ft
• For additional information on the ideal spacing in a kitchen for the ‘work triangle’ please check out the separate kitchen section.

Bathroom

• Space between bath or shower and wall - for drying - 70cm / 2ft 4
• Space beween washbasin and wall - to front of basin - 70cm / 2 ft 4
• Total space to sides of washbasin - including the washbasin itself - 110cm / 3ft 8
• Space between WC or bidet and wall - for sitting on, or standing at a WC - 60cm / 2ft
• Total space to sides of WC - including the WC itself - 60cm / 2ft
• Total space to the sides of a bidet - including the bidet itself - 70cm / 2ft 4

Bedroom

• Space between bed and wall - 60cm / 2ft
• Space between twin beds - 50cm / 1 ft 8

Don't forget to make notes on your free downloadable design checklist - to help you with your own interior design project.

What's next?

Have you done your own layout plan yet?

Have you checked the tips on furniture arrangement - to make sure you are getting the most from your room design?

If you've finished with your layout, you can now move on to look at the important topic of home interior lighting in your design scheme.

Still stuck?

Don't stay stuck - layout isn't always easy - you can ask a question or discuss your layout worries here...

Return to the page on how to draw a layout plan

Return to the main page on arranging furniture

Return from this page on ideal spacing in your room to the Home Page

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