While there tend to be few hard and fast rules in design, it sometimes is handy to have guidelines to follow. Especially when they are tried and true. Here, in particular order of priority, is a list of handy dimensions to answer any nagging questions you may have had.
Simple Hint: Light switches should be 36 inches above the floor and about 2″ to the side of the door trim
BIG Hint: The “Golden” Ratio is 1 to 1:62. (think in threes/thirds/odds, people!)
Painting Hint: One gallon of paint (theoretically!) will cover about 400 square feet of wall.
Upholstery Hint: A standard sofa takes approximately 14 yards of plain upholstery fabric (54″ wide). Extra if you want a skirt. Click here for the full upholstery chart!
Measuring cues for Chandeliers:
- The size of an overhead light can be calculated by adding the length and width of the room in it’s in feet. Whatever number you come up with in inches is the fixtures diameter. Eg: A 15 x 20 foot dining room should have a (approx) 35″ chandelier.
- Your dining room (or breakfast room!) hanging light fixture should hang roughly 36″ above the table
Hints: Sizing a Dining Room Table:
- A 36″ wide table is just about ideal for conversation. Perfect for two or four!
- A 48″ round seats six
- A 60″ round with seat eight or (ten with smaller, banquet chairs in a pinch!)
Hints: Drapery (Curtain) Measurements
- Mount curtains as high as possible to give the room more height.
- Drapery should be 2.5 to 3 times the finished width. This confusing statement looks like this:
