How to measure a niche for furniture that fits

Whether a cabinet fits the alcove next to the chimney or a shelf fits the short wall in the hallway, a few centimetres make all the difference. Follow these five steps and the furniture will really fit in the end.

1. Measure the width in three places

Measure the width at the top, in the middle and at the bottom. Walls are rarely perfectly straight, and a single centimetre can decide. Always go with the smallest value.

2. Watch out for skirting boards, sockets and pipes

Skirting boards often take 1 to 2 cm of width and depth at floor level. Sockets, light switches and heating pipes stick out into the room. So measure right above the floor as well, and note the height at which something is in the way.

3. Measure the depth

For a niche, measure from the back wall to the front edge of the side walls. Anything deeper will stick out. At a free wall, you decide how far the furniture may reach into the room. Leave at least 70 to 90 cm clear in front of it for a walkway.

4. Check the height

Measure up to the ceiling, the windowsill or the sloping roof. Also think about room to stand it up: a tall wardrobe is usually assembled lying down and then tilted upright, which needs a little more room height than the wardrobe itself.

5. Leave some room

For a niche, the ideal piece is 1 to 3 cm narrower. That way you can slide it in without scraping the wall. This is why Sizely looks for furniture up to 3 cm narrower than your niche by default.

Thinking about made-to-measure furniture? Read first when a ready-made piece fits just as well.

Find furniture that fits

Enter your measurements on the home page, or browse furniture for common widths: