How to Measure Your Space for Custom Furniture

How to Measure Your Space for Custom Furniture

A beautiful piece of furniture should look as though it was always meant to be in your home. That begins with choosing the right dimensions.

Whether you are considering a coffee table, bookcase, console, side table, or completely custom design, a few careful measurements can prevent surprises and help us create a piece that feels perfectly balanced in your space.

Here is how to measure with confidence before placing your order.

1. Start With the Available Floor Space

Measure the width, depth, and height of the area where the furniture will sit. Record the measurements in inches and measure each dimension twice.

Do not measure only the empty floor. Include nearby features that may affect the usable space:

  • Baseboards and mouldings

  • Electrical outlets and vents

  • Windows and radiators

  • Doors, drawers, and cabinets that need to open

  • Rugs or floor transitions

  • Sloped ceilings and uneven walls

Older homes often have small variations in their walls and floors. Measuring at more than one point can help reveal them.

2. Protect the Flow of the Room

Furniture needs breathing room. Before choosing the largest piece that will fit, think about how people move through the space.

Use painter’s tape to mark the proposed dimensions directly on the floor. Then walk around the outline as you normally would. Open nearby doors and drawers, sit on the sofa, and make sure the room still feels comfortable.

For a coffee table, leaving approximately 14 to 18 inches between the table and sofa usually provides comfortable reach and movement. In narrow rooms, a slimmer table may create a more relaxed layout than a large standard-size design.

3. Match the Furniture to What You Already Own

Custom furniture should relate naturally to the pieces around it.

Coffee tables

Consider the length and height of your sofa. A coffee table often looks balanced when it is approximately two-thirds the length of the sofa and close to, or slightly below, the seat height.

Side tables

Measure the height of the sofa arm or mattress. The tabletop should be easy to reach without feeling noticeably too high or too low.

For a compact room or reading corner, a narrow C-shaped side table can provide a useful surface without occupying too much floor space.

Bookcases

Measure both the wall and the items you plan to display. Large art books, storage baskets, plants, and audio equipment may require more shelf height or depth than ordinary books.

A made-to-measure design such as our custom solid black walnut bookshelf can be adjusted to suit a narrow wall, home office, living room, or entryway.

Consoles

Check the depth carefully, especially in an entrance or hallway. A few inches can make a significant difference in a high-traffic area.

4. Measure the Delivery Route

A piece may fit its final location but still be difficult to bring inside.

Measure every part of the delivery path:

  • Exterior and interior doorways

  • Hallways and corners

  • Staircases and landings

  • Elevators

  • Ceiling height

  • Railings and permanent light fixtures

Record the narrowest width and lowest height along the route. If access is limited, mention it when discussing your project. A different proportion or modular construction may provide a better solution.

5. Think About How You Will Use the Piece

The best dimensions are determined by your habits—not only by the size of the room.

Ask yourself:

  • What will be stored or displayed?

  • How many people will use the piece?

  • Does it need to hold a laptop, books, plants, or electronics?

  • Will it be used every day or mainly as a visual accent?

  • Could your needs change in the future?

A coffee table for quiet evenings may require different proportions from one used for entertaining. A bookcase for paperbacks will differ from shelving intended for art, records, or large objects.

Sharing these details helps an artisan recommend dimensions that work in real life.

6. Choose a Wood That Suits the Room

Dimensions shape the function of a piece, while the wood shapes its visual presence.

Black walnut brings natural depth, warmth, and distinctive grain to modern, mid-century, Scandinavian, and Japandi-inspired interiors. Maple creates a lighter and more understated effect. Other domestic woods can introduce different colours and character.

At Boilard Artisan, the natural wood remains the focus. Rather than hiding it beneath stain, a natural oil finish highlights the grain and gives every handmade piece its own identity.

7. Send Photos With Your Measurements

When requesting a custom design, photographs can communicate details that measurements alone may miss.

For the most useful overview, include:

  • One photo facing the intended location

  • One wider photo showing the surrounding room

  • Close-ups of obstacles such as vents or baseboards

  • Your recorded width, depth, and height

  • A photo or link showing the style you prefer

A simple sketch is also helpful. It does not need to be professionally drawn—clear measurements and notes are what matter.

A Simple Custom-Furniture Checklist

Before contacting us, gather the following:

  • Maximum available width, depth, and height

  • Preferred finished dimensions

  • Preferred wood

  • Inspiration images or design references

  • Any special storage or functional requirements

Furniture Made for Your Home

Standard furniture asks you to adapt your room to a predetermined size. Custom furniture takes the opposite approach: the design begins with your space, your needs, and the way you live.

Each Boilard Artisan piece is handcrafted in Québec with close attention to material, proportion, and detail. The result is furniture designed to feel at home from the day it arrives—and to remain part of your home for years to come.

Explore our handmade furniture collection, or contact us about a custom project. Include your measurements and a few photos, and we will help you determine the right next step.

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