Fit tools

Clearance Checker

Measure the gaps in your room and type them in. Each one is checked against published minimums from the NKBA, the building code and furniture makers.

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Short answer

36″ walkways Keep main walkways 36″ wide, 24″ beside and at the foot of a bed, 14–18″ between the sofa and the coffee table, and 36″ behind dining chairs. The checker marks anything under a published minimum as too tight, and anything between the minimum and the recommended gap as tight.

36″

main walkway

24″

beside a bed

14–18″

sofa to coffee table

A layout can fit on paper and still be hard to live with. What makes it hard is usually a gap: a dresser you can’t open fully, a desk chair that hits the bed, a path you have to turn sideways to use. Measure the gaps in your room, type them into the checker above, and it compares each one with the published numbers.

The clearances we check

GapToo tight belowComfortable atSource
Main walkway30″36″NKBA, IRC, Houzz
Secondary path24″24″Houzz
Beside the bed18″24″Sleep Foundation, Homes & Gardens
Foot of the bed24″24″Sleep Foundation
In front of a dresser34″34–40″16″ drawer + 18″ to stand; Wayfair suggests 36″
Behind a desk chair30″30–36″Houzz
Closet, hinged doors–36″Homes & Gardens
Closet, sliding doors24″24–30″Homes & Gardens
Sofa to coffee table12″14–18″Crate & Barrel, Houzz, Wayfair
Dining table to wall32″36″ (44″ to walk past)NKBA
Kitchen work aisle36″42″ (48″ for two cooks)NKBA
In front of a toilet or sink21″30″IRC, NKBA
In front of a shower24″30″IRC, NKBA
Toilet center to side wall15″18″IRC, NKBA
Wheelchair turning space60″60″ADA 304.3
Between “too tight” and “comfortable”, the checker shows the gap as tight. Bathroom and kitchen numbers are NKBA recommendations and building-code minimums.

Where to measure

  • Measure between the closest points: the bed’s side rail, the dresser’s front, the table’s edge, not the middle of the piece.
  • For paths, measure the narrowest point, including a door that swings into the path.
  • For the dresser, measure with the drawers closed; the check adds the drawer and standing room for you.
  • Round down to the inch. A gap that’s almost 24″ is a 23″ gap.

The numbers we used

These are the numbers behind the checker. Where they come from is listed under Sources at the end.

36″

Main walkway

24″

Beside and below a bed

14–18″

Sofa to coffee table

34″

In front of a dresser

36″

Dining table to wall

60″

Wheelchair turning circle

Measure this first

  • Every path from the door to the bed, window, closet and desk.
  • The gap in front of each piece of storage you open: dresser, closet, cabinets.
  • Behind the desk chair and the dining chairs.
  • The bathroom in front of each fixture, if you’re checking one.

Questions people ask

How much space do you need around a bed?

24″ on each side and at the foot; 30″ or more feels roomy. In a tight twin or full room, 18″ beside the bed is the smallest any guide gives.

How wide should a walkway be?

36″ for a main path, the same as the building code’s minimum hallway. A path used only now and then can be 24″.

How far should a coffee table be from the sofa?

14–18″ from the front of the seat: close enough to reach, with room for your legs.

How much space between a dresser and a bed?

At least 34″: room to open a 16″-deep drawer and stand in front of it. Wayfair recommends 36″.

Let the solver check it for you

The Bedroom Solver places your bed, desk and dresser and checks every one of these clearances automatically.

Open the Bedroom Solver

Related: 10×12 bedroom layouts · Three beds in a small kids’ room · Two sofas facing each other

Sources