How to use the room layout planner
- Enter the room’s width and depth, measured wall to wall. The plan is drawn as seen from above.
- Add the doors and windows. Choose the wall, then the distance from the start of that wall to the edge of the opening.
- Add furniture from the list and change each item’s size to match your own pieces.
- Drag items into place, or select one and type its distance from the walls. Press R or use Rotate to turn an item.
- Read the layout check: blocked doors, overlaps, items outside the room and narrow walkways are listed and marked on the plan.
- Print the plan or save it in your browser. Try a few versions before you move heavy furniture.
What the layout check looks for
- Blocked doors: furniture inside the area a door sweeps through when it opens into the room.
- Overlaps: two pieces of furniture in the same place. Rugs are ignored, because furniture sits on them.
- Outside the room: anything that runs past a wall.
- Narrow gaps: two pieces facing each other with less space between them than your walkway width. Pieces meant to sit close, such as coffee tables, side and bedside tables, chairs, stools and plants, are not flagged.
- Floor covered: the share of the floor taken up by furniture, not counting rugs. Many rooms feel comfortable with roughly a third to a half covered, but it’s a guide, not a rule.
Tips for a bright, easy room
- Keep the route from the door to the window clear so daylight reaches further into the room and you can open the window easily.
- Put tall pieces such as wardrobes and bookcases on the walls next to the window, not opposite it, so they don’t block the light.
- Leave a clear path to radiators, sockets and switches you use often.
- In a living room, arrange seating to face each other within about 2.5–3 m (8–10 ft) so conversation is easy.
Assumptions and limitations
- The room is a rectangle and furniture is drawn as rectangles (round tables as circles inside their size). Bay windows, chimney breasts and alcoves are not drawn.
- Gaps are checked between pieces that face each other directly. A diagonal squeeze between corners isn’t measured.
- Furniture sizes in the list are typical examples, not any product’s measurements. Use your own.
- The plan doesn’t know about radiators, sockets, vents or ceiling heights. Check those yourself.
Frequently asked questions
How much space should I leave to walk around furniture?
Many designers suggest about 90 cm (36 in) for a main walkway through a room and at least 60 cm (24 in) for a minor path, such as between a bed and a wardrobe. Around a dining table, allow roughly 90 cm (36 in) from the table edge so chairs can be pulled out. The planner flags gaps under 75 cm (30 in) to start with, a common minimum for a path people walk through; change the walkway width to suit your home.
How far should a coffee table be from the sofa?
Commonly about 40–45 cm (16–18 in): close enough to reach, far enough to walk past your knees. The planner doesn’t flag coffee tables, side tables, bedside tables, stools, chairs or plants as narrow gaps, because they are meant to sit close to other furniture.
Where do I find the size of my furniture?
Measure the widest points, including arms, legs and handles, or use the dimensions on the product page. Enter the width along the wall first, then the depth out into the room. The furniture list in the planner starts with typical sizes that you should replace with your own.
Does the plan show the door swing?
Yes, for doors that open into the room. The quarter circle shows the area the door sweeps through, and anything placed in it is listed as blocking the door. Untick “Opens into the room” for doors that open outwards or slide.
Can I print the plan at a set scale?
No. The printed plan is scaled to fit the paper and is not drawn to an exact scale such as 1:50. Use the measurements in the furniture table, which come straight from the plan.
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