Buying a sofa online is convenient, but choosing the right size takes a little more than measuring the wall where you plan to put it. You also need to make sure the sofa can get through your front door, hallways, corners, stairs and any other tight spaces on the way into your home.
Whether you're buying a standard sofa, sofa bed, corner sofa or modular sofa, this guide explains how to measure a sofa, what dimensions to check and how to make sure it will fit your room and delivery route.
1. Measure Your Living Room First
Before looking at sofa sizes, measure the space where you plan to place the sofa.
Measure:
- The width of the available wall space
- The depth available in front of the wall
- The height from floor to ceiling
- The distance from the floor to the bottom of any windows
- The position of radiators, fireplaces, sockets and doors
Don't just measure the empty wall. Think about how the sofa will work with the rest of your furniture.
A simple way to visualise the size is to use masking tape or newspaper to mark the sofa's dimensions on the floor. You can then see how much space it will take up and whether there is still enough room to walk around it.
2. Check the Sofa Measurements Carefully
Once you have measured your room, compare your available space with the dimensions listed on the product page.
The most important sofa measurements are:
| Sofa measurement | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Overall width | Shows how much wall space the sofa will use |
| Overall depth | Tells you how far the sofa will extend into the room |
| Overall height | Helps you check for windows, shelves and wall fittings |
| Seat height | Gives you an idea of how high or low the sofa will feel |
| Seat depth | Helps you judge how much leg and sitting space you will have |
| Diagonal measurement | Useful when moving the sofa through narrow doors and corners |
Always check the dimensions for the specific sofa you are buying. Different designs can vary significantly in size, particularly sofa beds, chaise sofas, corner sofas and modular furniture.
For Joolihome products, check the dimensions shown on the individual product page before placing your order.
3. Measure Your Doors and Hallways
A sofa can fit perfectly in your living room and still be too large to get through the front door.
Before ordering, measure the entire route from outside your home to the room where the sofa will be placed.
Check:
- Front and back doors
- Internal doorways
- Hallways
- Narrow corridors
- Corners and turning points
- Staircases
- Landings
- Lift doors and interiors, if applicable
When measuring a doorway, check the actual space available when the door is fully open. Remember to consider door frames, handles, skirting boards, radiators and nearby furniture.
For narrow areas, don't only compare the sofa's width with the doorway width. The sofa may need to be tilted or turned to get through, so its height, depth and diagonal measurement can also matter.
4. Check Corners and Tight Turning Points
Straight doorways are usually easy to measure. Corners can be more difficult.
If the sofa needs to turn through a narrow hallway or around a staircase, identify the tightest point along the route.
You can draw a simple floor plan showing:
Front door → hallway → corner → stairs/lift → room → final position
Then measure the narrowest sections.
For a large sofa, also consider whether there is enough space to tilt or rotate it during delivery.
5. Don't Forget Stairs and Lifts
If your sofa needs to go upstairs, measure the staircase before ordering.
Check:
- Stair width
- Space above the stairs
- Width of the landing
- Tight corners
- Bannisters and handrails
- Light fittings or other obstructions
If you live in a flat or apartment building, check the lift as well.
Measure the lift door and the internal width, depth and height. Don't assume that because the sofa fits through your flat entrance, it will automatically fit inside the lift.
6. Leave Enough Space Around the Sofa
Measuring the sofa itself is only part of the process. You also need to check how much space you will have around it once it is in place. A sofa that fits the room on paper can still make the space feel cramped if there is not enough room to walk around it or use nearby furniture.
These measurements are useful starting points rather than strict rules, as the ideal spacing depends on your room size and layout:
- Sofa to coffee table: around 35–45 cm for comfortable access
- Main walkway: around 75–90 cm where possible
- Tighter walkway: around 60 cm can work when space is limited, but it may feel more restricted
- Space behind the sofa: around 5–10 cm if the sofa is not designed to sit directly against the wall
- Doorway clearance: around 75 cm or more where possible
- Sofa to TV: leave enough distance for comfortable viewing, depending on your TV size and room layout
- Space in front of a sofa bed: check the full depth when the bed is opened, and make sure there is still enough room to walk around it
Also check that nearby doors, cupboards and drawers can open fully without hitting the sofa. Avoid placing furniture where it blocks radiators, light switches or frequently used walkways.
If you are buying a sofa bed, recliner or extendable furniture, always measure the space when the furniture is fully opened or extended, not just in its normal position.
7. Measure Sofa Beds When Fully Open
If you are buying a sofa bed, remember that its normal dimensions are not the only measurements that matter.
Measure the sofa bed in its fully opened position and check:
- Overall width
- Overall depth when opened
- Space needed in front of the sofa
- Walking space around the bed
- Nearby doors and furniture
A sofa bed may fit comfortably as a sofa but leave very little space when converted into a bed.
This is particularly important in smaller UK living rooms, guest rooms and flats.
8. Check the Sofa's Delivery Information
Before ordering a sofa online, don't rely on the product dimensions alone.
Check the product page for information about:
- Number of packages
- Package dimensions, where available
- Estimated delivery time
- Delivery access requirements
- Assembly requirements
- Whether the sofa arrives in separate sections
Some larger sofas are delivered in multiple boxes because individual packages need to meet carrier size or weight limits. If this applies to your sofa, make sure you have enough space to receive and unpack each package.
Quick Sofa Measurement Checklist
Before ordering your sofa, make sure you have checked:
| What to check | Done |
|---|---|
| Living room width and depth | ☐ |
| Ceiling height and window height | ☐ |
| Sofa width, depth and height | ☐ |
| Seat height and seat depth | ☐ |
| Doorway measurements | ☐ |
| Hallway width | ☐ |
| Corners and turning points | ☐ |
| Staircase and landing | ☐ |
| Lift dimensions, if applicable | ☐ |
| Sofa bed fully opened, if applicable | ☐ |
| Walking space around the sofa | ☐ |
| Delivery and package information | ☐ |
Common Sofa Measuring Mistakes to Avoid
- Measuring only the living room
A sofa may fit your living room but not make it through the front door. Always measure the full delivery route.
- Checking width but ignoring depth
Two sofas can have a similar width but feel completely different in a room because one is much deeper.
- Forgetting the sofa bed's open size
Always check how much space the sofa bed needs when fully opened.
- Assuming the lift will be large enough
For flats and apartments, measure the lift door and internal space before ordering.
- Forgetting doors and furniture
Make sure nearby doors, drawers and cupboards can still open properly once the sofa is in position.
How Do I Know What Sofa Size I Need?
The right sofa size depends on your room dimensions, layout and how you use the space.
For a small living room, a compact two-seater or space-saving sofa may work better than a large corner sofa. If you regularly have guests staying overnight, a sofa bed can provide additional sleeping space without requiring a separate bed.
For larger rooms, you may have more flexibility with three-seater, L-shaped, U-shaped or modular sofas.
Rather than choosing a sofa based only on its appearance, compare the overall dimensions with your available space and delivery route.
Shop Sofas at Joolihome
Taking a few minutes to measure your room and delivery route can help you avoid problems when your new sofa arrives.
Before ordering from Joolihome, check the dimensions and delivery information on your chosen product page and make sure the sofa will fit both your home and the route into it.
Explore the Joolihome sofa collection to find sofas and sofa beds for different room sizes and layouts.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I measure a sofa for delivery?
Measure the sofa's width, depth, height and diagonal measurement, then compare these with the narrowest points along your delivery route, including doors, hallways, corners, stairs and lifts.
- How much space should I leave around a sofa?
If possible, allow around 60–80 cm for a main walkway. The exact amount depends on the size and layout of your room.
- Should I measure the sofa diagonally?
Yes. The diagonal measurement can be useful when checking whether a large sofa can be turned through narrow doorways, hallways or corners.
- Do I need to measure a sofa bed when it is open?
Yes. A sofa bed can take up significantly more space when converted into a bed, so always check its fully opened dimensions before buying.
- What should I measure before buying a sofa online?
Measure your room, sofa space, front door, internal doorways, hallways, corners, stairs or lift, and the final position where the sofa will be placed. Also check the product's delivery and package information.