Measure Twice, Order Once
A sofa is one of the most significant pieces you will bring into your home — and one of the most difficult to return if it does not fit. This guide walks you through every measurement you need to take before you buy, from the room footprint to the tightest bend on your staircase.
Print this page or save it to your phone before you start measuring.
What You Will Need
- A steel tape measure (at least 5 m)
- A pen and this guide (or a notes app)
- A second person to hold the tape on long runs
- Painter's tape or paper to mark floor positions
Step 1 — Measure Your Room
Begin with the space the sofa will live in. Record every measurement in centimetres.
| Measurement | What to measure | Your figure (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Room width | Wall to wall at the widest point | ______ |
| Room depth | Wall to wall front to back | ______ |
| Available sofa width | The run of wall the sofa will sit against | ______ |
| Available sofa depth | How far into the room you can allow it to protrude | ______ |
| Ceiling height | Floor to ceiling (relevant for very tall-backed designs) | ______ |
Allow a minimum of 45 cm between the sofa front and any opposite furniture or wall, so the room feels open and traffic can flow comfortably. For a dining area or walkway behind the sofa, allow at least 90 cm.
Radiators & Alcoves
- Mark the position and width of any radiators on your floor plan. A sofa placed directly in front of a radiator will block heat and may affect the fabric over time.
- Leave at least 10–15 cm of clearance between the sofa back and a radiator.
- If the sofa will sit in an alcove, measure the alcove width carefully and subtract 5 cm on each side for comfortable placement and minor wall irregularities.
| Feature | Location / notes | Width (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Radiator 1 | ______ | ______ |
| Radiator 2 | ______ | ______ |
| Alcove width | ______ | ______ |
| Window sill height | ______ | ______ |
Step 2 — Plot It on the Floor
Before ordering, use painter's tape or sheets of newspaper to mark the sofa's footprint on your floor. Walk around it. Sit in an imaginary chair opposite. Open the doors. This simple step prevents a significant number of disappointments.
Step 3 — Measure Every Access Route
This is where most delivery problems occur. A sofa that fits the room perfectly can still fail to pass through the front door, hallway, or stairwell. Measure every stage of the journey from the street to the final room.
Front Door & Entrance
| Measurement | What to measure | Your figure (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Door opening width | Frame to frame at the narrowest point | ______ |
| Door opening height | Threshold to top of frame | ______ |
| Hallway width | Wall to wall at the narrowest section | ______ |
| Hallway length | Total usable run before the first turn | ______ |
Internal Doors
| Door | Width (cm) | Height (cm) | Notes (handles, architrave, etc.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Living room door | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| Any intermediate door | ______ | ______ | ______ |
⚠ Access-route warning: Door handles and architrave trim reduce the usable opening by 2–5 cm on each side. Always measure the clear opening, not the door leaf itself. Remove handles temporarily if needed.
Stairs & Landings
Delivering a sofa up or down a staircase requires careful planning. Delivery teams often need to angle the piece, which means the diagonal of the sofa must clear the stairwell.
| Measurement | What to measure | Your figure (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Staircase width | Wall to banister at the narrowest point | ______ |
| Ceiling height above stairs | At the lowest point above the staircase | ______ |
| Landing length | Usable flat space at top or bottom of stairs | ______ |
| Landing width | Wall to wall or wall to banister | ______ |
| Tightest bend angle | Note: straight flight, quarter-turn, or half-turn | ______ |
⚠ Staircase warning: A half-turn or spiral staircase is the most restrictive access point in most UK homes. For these situations, it is worth discussing the sofa's disassembly options with our team before you order — some of our designs feature removable legs or backs specifically for this purpose.
Step 4 — Understand Sofa Dimensions
When you read a sofa's specification sheet, you will typically see three figures: width × depth × height. Here is what each means in practice.
- Width — the full length of the sofa from arm to arm. For corner sofas, the two arms are measured separately (e.g. 280 cm × 180 cm).
- Depth — how far the sofa protrudes from the wall. This is the figure most likely to make a room feel smaller than expected.
- Height — floor to the top of the back. Most UK homes have no issue with sofa height, but low beams and sloped ceilings are worth double-checking.
- Seat height — floor to the top of the seat cushion. Typically 42–48 cm. Higher seat heights suit those who find low sofas difficult to rise from.
- Arm height — relevant if you plan to use the arm as a headrest.
| Dimension | Sofa spec (cm) | Room allows (cm) | Clearance (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Width | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| Depth | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| Height | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| Diagonal (for stairs) | ______ | ______ | ______ |
Step 5 — Choose the Right Configuration
Once you know your room and access dimensions, you can match them to the right sofa shape.
- 2-seater (typically 130–160 cm wide) — suits compact rooms, alcoves, and homes with restricted hallways.
- 3-seater (typically 180–220 cm wide) — the most versatile size for a standard UK sitting room.
- Corner sofa (L-shape, typically 240–300 cm on the long run) — maximises seating in a larger room; confirm the hallway and door widths for the longer section.
- Chaise-end sofa — a useful middle ground between a 3-seater and a full corner; one arm extends into a chaise rather than a full return, reducing the access footprint.
Quick Reference: Common UK Door & Hallway Sizes
Standard UK door openings and room widths vary considerably, particularly in period properties. Use these as a guide only — always measure your own home.
- Standard internal door width: 762 mm (76 cm)
- Wide internal door width: 838 mm (84 cm)
- Standard front door width: 838 mm (84 cm)
- Typical Victorian hallway width: 90–110 cm
- Modern new-build hallway width: 80–90 cm
Printable Checklist Summary
Use this summary section when visiting our showroom or speaking with our team.
| Checkpoint | Your measurement (cm) | ✓ / ✗ |
|---|---|---|
| Room width available for sofa | ______ | ______ |
| Room depth available for sofa | ______ | ______ |
| Radiator clearance confirmed | ______ | ______ |
| Front door clear opening width | ______ | ______ |
| Hallway width (narrowest point) | ______ | ______ |
| Living room door clear opening width | ______ | ______ |
| Staircase width (if applicable) | ______ | ______ |
| Landing dimensions (if applicable) | ______ | ______ |
| Sofa width vs room width — clearance | ______ | ______ |
| Sofa depth vs room depth — clearance | ______ | ______ |
| Sofa diagonal vs stair/door — clearance | ______ | ______ |
Browse Our Sofa Collections
Once your measurements are in hand, explore our curated collections to find a piece that works with your space.
- Fabric Sofas — a considered edit of textured weaves and performance fabrics, from compact 2-seaters to generous corner configurations.
- Leather Sofas — full-grain and semi-aniline leathers in a range of profiles, from low-slung contemporary to classic high-back designs.
If you would prefer to see any piece in person before ordering, you are welcome to visit one of our three UK showrooms. Our team can advise on configuration options, fabric samples, and lead times.
This guide is intended as a practical reference. Room layouts, access routes, and sofa specifications vary; we recommend verifying all critical dimensions with your delivery team prior to dispatch.