Make Sure that Furniture Fits
There can be nothing worse that finally finding that perfect piece of furniture only to discover that it doesn't fit through the door or is too big for the room.
08/01/2022
Filling your new home with furniture can be one of the most exciting things you can do. But buying new furniture, fittings and fixtures do come with problems, and the main problem is one that happens most often and that is buying furniture that doesn't fit into your home - or even through the front door for that matter.
This is a common mistake that many people make, whether they are buying a couch, sofa or lounge suite, dining table, bed, or any other large piece of piece furniture. It is so easy to fall in love with something that you forget that it might not fit. And while you might be able to move furniture around to make a plan, if you can't get it through the front door, or if you have narrow passages or a switchback staircase - what then?
Measure and draw a plan
Whether you are buying furniture for a new home or replacing old furniture, you need to make sure any pieces that you buy will first, fit into the room and second, be able to be transported through the front door, through any passages or even up a flight of stairs. Not as easy as you might think, especially if your home isn't on the ground or first floor. So often, people purchase a piece of furniture only to find that they cannot get it into the house.
1. Fitting furniture through a door
The standard width of a door opening is around 813mm, but this can be more or less depending on the type of door and frame or whether there is a security gate installed, in which case it is probably less. Being able to squeeze furniture through a door opening can be done if there is plenty of open space around the door. Take this into consideration when looking at furniture designs.
2. Check furniture dimensions
When shopping for furniture, especially a sofa, couch or lounge suite, make sure to take along a tape measure and check the dimensions of the piece to see whether or not it will fit through the door. Plenty of modern upholstered sofa designs has a chunky profile that is wide and bulky or a long length that is too high for the door if the piece needs to be tilted into the upright position. Not only do you want to make sure it can be brought into the house, but also it can be transported to the room where it will be placed. If there is a staircase or flight of stairs, try to visualise if the furniture can be carried up and around.
If the furniture has parts that can be removed, such as legs or feet, this might make it easier to transport into the room.
3. Available space in the room
Where you are replacing an existing piece of furniture, the new piece should take up the same amount of space unless you are willing to move things around to accommodate it. If the room is empty, you may have more open space to play with, but don't forget to allow for any other furniture you want to put into the room.
Bottom line
What looks good online or in the store may not necessarily be perfect for your home. It is also difficult to know if a piece of furniture will be able to be carried into the home through doors, passages, or perhaps even a staircase. Measuring up before you buy will ensure smooth delivery and installation and give you peace of mind that the furniture you buy will look good.