{"id":380270,"date":"2025-12-18T16:13:28","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T16:13:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michaelmurphy.ie\/?p=380270"},"modified":"2025-12-18T16:13:28","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T16:13:28","slug":"what-to-measure-before-you-buy-furniture-and-why-it-matters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/murphyhome.ie\/blog\/what-to-measure-before-you-buy-furniture-and-why-it-matters\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Measure Before You Buy Furniture (And Why It Matters)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Buying new furniture is exciting \u2014 until delivery day arrives and it isn&#8217;t quite what you imagined. A sofa that feels too bulky, a dining table that blocks walkways, or a bed frame that just <em>barely <\/em>fits through the door. These are, believe it or not, all very common issues, and almost all of them come down to one crucial thing; measurements. <\/p>\n<p>Taking a few extra minutes to measure properly before you buy can save you time, stress, and disappointment later. Here&#8217;s what to measure (and why it matters) before you commit to any new furniture.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2>1. Doors, Hallways, &amp; Access Points<\/h2>\n<p>This is actually the one people forget most often, and it&#8217;s also the one that causes the biggest problems. Before you even think about room layout, you first need to make sure that your new furniture can physically get into your home (and the room it&#8217;s going in)! Start by measuring:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Front and back door widths<\/li>\n<li>Hallways and staircases<\/li>\n<li>Tight corners or turns<\/li>\n<li>Lift dimensions (if you live in an apartment)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Remember to account for handles, radiators, bannisters, and ceiling height on stairs. Even if a piece fits through the door on paper, awkward angles can make a big difference in practice.<\/p>\n<p>This is especially important for larger items like sofas, bed frames, and wardrobes. Modular sofas or pieces with removable arms can be a great solution for tighter spaces, but it&#8217;s still worth double-checking access before delivery day!<\/p>\n<h2>2. The Room Itself (Not Just the Empty Space)<\/h2>\n<p>Once you know the furniture can get inside, it&#8217;s time to take a look at the room it&#8217;s going to live in. Measure the full length and width of the room, but don&#8217;t stop there! Take note of:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Windows and doors<\/li>\n<li>Radiators and fireplaces<\/li>\n<li>Built-in storage<\/li>\n<li>Plug sockets and light switches<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These details affect where furniture can realistically sit. For example, a sofa placed under a window might block natural light, or a sideboard positioned too close to a door could limit how the space functions day to day. It&#8217;s also helpful to think about how the room is actually used. A living room that doubles as a play space, or a dining area that&#8217;s used for homework and hosting will need more flexibility than a formal, occasional-use room.<\/p>\n<h2>3. Room Flow &amp; Walkways<\/h2>\n<p>Furniture shouldn&#8217;t just fit, it should allow the room to flow comfortably! As a general guide:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Leave at least 75-90cm for main walkways<\/li>\n<li>Allow 45-60cm between seating and coffee tables<\/li>\n<li>Make sure dining chairs can be pulled out easily without hitting walls or other furniture.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Poor flow can make even a large room feel cramped. A dining table that&#8217;s slightly too wide or a coffee table that&#8217;s too deep can interrupt movement and make the space less enjoyable to use. If you&#8217;re unsure, try marking out furniture dimensions on the floor using masking tape. It&#8217;s a simple trick, but it gives a much clearer sense of scale than measuring alone!<\/p>\n<h2>4. Clearance Space for Everyday Use<\/h2>\n<p>Clearance space is about how furniture works when it&#8217;s being used, not just how it looks when it&#8217;s in place. Think about:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Chairs being pushed back from a dining table<\/li>\n<li>Recliners or sofa beds opening fully<\/li>\n<li>Storage beds lifting up<\/li>\n<li>Drawers and doors opening without obstruction<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For example, a storage bed needs space at the foot or side to lift comfortably, while an extendable dining table needs enough room to expand without blocking walkways or doors. This is where checking product dimensions (including extended sizes!) really matters. Measuring only the &#8216;closed&#8217; size can lead to frustration later.<\/p>\n<h2>5. Height Matters Too<\/h2>\n<p>It&#8217;s easy to focus on width and depth, but height can be just as important! Consider:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Sofa backs in relation to windows<\/li>\n<li>Headboard height under sloped ceilings<\/li>\n<li>Sideboards or bookcases near wall art or shelving<\/li>\n<li>Dining tables and chair seat heights working together comfortably<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Proportion plays a big role in how a room feels. A piece that&#8217;s too tall or too low can throw off the balance of the space, even if it <em>technically <\/em>fits.<\/p>\n<h2>Measure Once, Enjoy for Years<\/h2>\n<p>Furniture is an investment, and getting the measurements right means you&#8217;ll enjoy it for much longer. Measuring doorways, room dimensions, flow and clearance space doesn&#8217;t take long, but it makes a huge difference to how well a piece works in your home.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re ever unsure, our team is always happy to help out! A little planning now leads to furniture that fits beautifully and works effortlessly every day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Buying new furniture is exciting \u2014 until delivery day arrives and it isn\u2019t quite what you imagined. A sofa that feels too bulky, a dining table that blocks walkways, or a bed frame that just barely fits through the door. These are, believe it or not, all very common issues, and almost all of them","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":379543,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-380270","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-michael-murphy-home-furnishing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/murphyhome.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/380270","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/murphyhome.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/murphyhome.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/murphyhome.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/murphyhome.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=380270"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/murphyhome.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/380270\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/murphyhome.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/379543"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/murphyhome.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=380270"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/murphyhome.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=380270"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/murphyhome.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=380270"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}