Simple measurement formulas for comfortable design

Have you ever felt uncomfortable in a room but you weren’t sure why? Maybe the sofa and chairs were too far apart, or the art hung too high, or a pendant light was too small for the room, or maybe the curtains didn’t reach the floor. Chances are your personal space has been subtly challenged. When spatial guidelines are ignored, a room can feel crowded or unbalanced, or just not quite right. But it’s not always obvious, just something you feel.

The following measurement formulas will help you determine if your room is spatially balanced. With a few tweaks, you can find harmony in your room with very little change!

furniture arrangement

• Allow 2′ for aisles and try not to force aisles through a conversation space.
• Allow 14″ to 18″ between the sofa and the coffee table.
• Reserve 2′ behind dining chairs and desk, and allow enough room to open drawers.
• The conversation zone must be contained within an 8′ diameter.
• The distance between the TV and the seats should be three times the size of the screen. For example, to comfortably view TV on a 32″ screen, allow 8′ between the TV and the seating area.

hanging art

• Most people hang art too high. Whereas the normal advice is to hang your art so that your “normal” eye level (5’7″ to 5’10”) is about a third of the way from the top of the artwork. However, you also need to consider the type of room and how the art will look. For example, hang living room art lower to attract seated guests, foyer art higher for standing guests, and kids’ room art slightly lower.
• Bottom line: use common sense, and when in doubt, hang it a little lower than you think it should.

pendant lights

• The sum of the length and depth of a room (in feet) equals the ideal width of your light fixture in inches. For example, a pendant chandelier in a 14′ x 12′ dining room should be 26″ wide. A hanging pendant in a 10′ x 10′ foyer should be 20″ wide.
• When hanging a light over a dining or kitchen table, the bottom of the light should be between 28″ and 32″ above the dining or kitchen table. Hang lower for contemporary designs or intimate settings, and higher for larger tables.

hanging curtain panels

• Your goal is to hang them so that the bottom of the panel is just above the windowsill, or goes all the way to the floor (not in the middle!).
• The higher you hang the panels, the taller the room will feel.
• Hang them approximately 3″ beyond each side of the window. This makes the window appear larger and allows more natural light into the room when the panels are open.
• Double rods are great if you’re hanging sheers behind panels. Just make sure the sheers are the same length as the panels.

area rugs

• When placing an area rug in a dining room, measure your table, then add 24″ to 30″ all around (or about 4′ to 5′ in total length and width). This makes it easy for guests to move their chairs. Consider wheels on the bottom of the chairs to help them move more smoothly.
• When using a room-sized rug on hardwood floors, leave at least 8″ of exposed hardwood around all edges of the rug.
• If you’re using an area rug in a living room, make sure it’s anchored to the front legs of the furniture and doesn’t float in the middle of the room.

So get out your tape measure and make your room more comfortable! Your friends will notice that something is wonderfully different, but they’ll never point out what it is. It will be our little secret!