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    Home » Home Decor » Simple Decorating Tips

    7 Home Decor Measurements You Need to Know

    Published: Mar 25, 2019 · Modified: Sep 26, 2019 by Christina Dennis · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 26 Comments

    Are you struggling with knowing what size of rug to buy? Wondering how high to hang your art or lighting? Are you looking for a quick & easy way to make your room look like it was designed by a pro? These common home decor measurements will help get you well on your way! Read on to learn several important rules of thumb in interior design that help take the guesswork out of decorating your home.

    How high to hang art

    Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The Brick. As always, all of the opinions here are my own.

    Even though I hate math (seriously - it was my worst subject in school!), I'm always surprised by how often it pops up in all my favourite creative endeavors... especially in interior design and home decor! Measuring a space and knowing the measurements for pieces that will look good in it is an incredibly helpful thing to know when you're decorating your home.

    Here are some common questions I've asked myself and people have asked me about sizes and scale in home decor. Once you know these, you'll be thrilled with how quickly you can put a room together and make it look good!

    Watch my YouTube video on 7 Home Decor Measurements You Need to Know, or then read the tips below:

    1: What size of rug should I buy?

    What size of rug to buy

    Generally, bigger is better when it comes to area rugs. A large rug will really ground your space and define your room. You want to have at least the front legs of your furniture on your rug like my mom has in her lake house living room, pictured here. Even better? Have all furniture legs on your rug, but make sure to leave at least 24" between your area rug and the walls of your room.

    What size of rug to buy

    This beautiful, neutral rug is the 7 x 10' Taza from The Brick. I like how it defines the space with its geometric pattern, but it's not too overpowering. Its low pile is also perfect for a country home - it's so easy to clean.

    2: How high should I hang my chandelier?

    Fresh Spring French Country Farmhouse Dining Room Design

    Hang your light fixture so that its bottom is 30" to 34" above a table. If it's in a space where people will walk beneath, allow at least 7' of clearance underneath.

    We used to have this room styled as a formal sitting room, and then when we decided to turn it into dining room featuring this show-stopping Keswick Dining Table. We had to lower our orb chandelier over the table to make the space look right. The black of the fixture is a great contrast to the warm textured wood of our table!

    3: How high should I hang my art?

    How high to hang art

    Hang art so that its center is at eye level; about 5' from the floor.

    Most people (including myself!) want to hang art a little higher, but gallery level will really help the art pop! We had our cow art from The Brick (affectionately named "Moolisa") here in our breakfast nook and the blue of the art worked so well with our drapes and the deep browns of our Trudell Table.

    How high to hang art

    If you're hanging art above a desk, sofa, or other piece of furniture, leave 6-8 inches between the furniture and the bottom of the art.

    Now I have Moolisa in my work studio, and love how cheerful she looks over my Calistoga Desk! I'm enjoying how this desk has been functioning for me with its huge top (SO great for sewing or computer work), and the deep wood tone contrasts nicely with all of the white tones in my studio.

    4: How high should I hang my curtains or drapes?

    Budget Friendly Spring or Easter Tablescape Idea

    If you want to create the illusion of a taller window, mount your drapes about 6" above your window frame. You can even mount them higher like I did here to create an even grander feel. You can also make your ceilings appear taller by making sure your drapes graze the floor.

    We recently switched the drapes in our breakfast nook to simple white ones for a softer look this season. All the white in this room now really makes our Trudell Dining Table really sing! We usually leave the center leaf of the table in for our family dining, but lately I've been keeping the table smaller for more intimate family dinners. I really like how I can swap the shape so easily on the table!

    5: How big should my chandelier be?

    How big should a chandelier be

    If you're hanging a chandelier above a dining table, a good rule of thumb is to have it measure about ⅓rd of the table's length. For a chandelier in a living room, firstly ensure you have enough clearance height to hang it. To find a nice diameter of the fixture, add the height and the width of the room together and the resulting number is your diameter (in inches). So, if your room is 10 x 20', a chandelier with a diameter of 30" would be a great size for your room.

    I love the statement chandelier in my parents' lake house master bedroom. It's traditional with a cottage twist just like their gorgeous white Bridgeport Bed. I don't think you can ever go wrong with a white bed frame, and the details on the headboard and foot board of the Bridgeport are so timeless.

    6: How big should my throw pillows be on my couch?

    This one is more of a personal taste, but I prefer larger pillows - at least 20" wide - on my couches. Then, you can layer smaller ones in front of them for a plush look. Purchase pillow inserts that are an inch or two larger than your pillow covers for a full, expensive look.

    I enjoy experimenting with colourful and textured pillows on my Paris Loveseat in Ocean in my work studio! Have you seen this guy cameo in my YouTube videos? The colour is so vibrant, and of course I love the tufting. It's the perfect piece if you have a small spot that needs some colour.

    7: How much room should I have between my furniture?

    What should the space between furniture be

    A good rule of thumb is to choose a coffee table that's ½ to ¾ the length of your sofa so that it's easy to access. Place it about 18" away from your sofa so it's within easy reach. Allow a minimum of 30" for pathways around furniture.

    My Calistoga Coffee Table in my studio is quite large, but it's still about ¾ the width of my Paris Loveseat - I really like how they look and function together. The coffee table serves as a spot for me to put my inspirational decor magazines (it has drawers and a glass top for easy organization) and I like that it matches my work desk.

    What should the space between furniture be

    With these helpful home decor measurements in your arsenal, I think you'll find it a lot easier to decorate your home & make it look good in a flash! A little bit of math will go a long way in making your home look its best. I hope you've found this helpful today!

    PIN for reference:

    Helpful Home Decor Measurements

    Bibliography:

    Stewart, Martha. The Martha Manual: How to Do (Almost) Everything. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019.

    Needleman, Deborah, et al. Domino the Book of Decorating. Melcher Media, 2008.

    Gaines, Joanna. Homebody: a Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave. Harper Design, an Imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2018.

    More Inspiration

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    • The Best New IKEA Finds in 2023

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kuchiya

      March 28, 2019 at 7:10 am

      We were having an argument with my wife about how high to hang the art piece in our living room. Can't wait to show her this so that she can get convinced that eye level is the best.

      Reply
    2. Prakash M

      May 14, 2019 at 4:55 am

      Hi,
      Great post! I Love your Blog that’s really great… I like to made changes in the decoration of my home continuously. You shared such amazing ideas for home decor. Thanks for sharing and
      Please keep share your more articles.
      Thank You.

      Reply
    3. ClaySys Builder Cochin

      May 14, 2019 at 5:47 am

      Thank you for publishing this really actionable post. Most articles just give a generic suggestion, but here you have came up with very specific instructions. Really helpful.

      Reply
    4. Jenna Hunter

      May 20, 2019 at 7:28 pm

      I really like that you suggested using really big pillows on your couch. My husband and I are going to go furniture shopping for the first time for our new home. It would be really cool to get some really good looking furniture that has really good wear and tear. It would also be useful to shop around online and find what we like best.

      Reply
    5. Emily Adams

      May 21, 2019 at 1:50 am

      Home decor is not an easy task for all but the tips you have shared here with us under this post "7 Home Decor Measurements You Need to Know" is really helpful.

      https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07NZVPNG2

      Reply
    6. Kassel Marie Williams

      June 03, 2019 at 3:37 am

      Great read and tips! I have learned a lot from this article, just in time since I will be redecorating my home this month. 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing this, very helpful and informative! 🙂

      Reply
    7. Rachel

      June 20, 2019 at 6:39 am

      The size and proportion of things really matter when we are designing a room. I was really glad that i stumbled upon your website to understand that things like pillow size, rug size, height of the lights can make a room look bigger or smaller. Thanks for this great tip. Cheers!

      Reply
    8. Ajeesh Kumar

      July 18, 2019 at 12:14 am

      Great post, Actually I have a plan to decor my home. After reading this article I got many tips. Thanks for sharing the valuable information.

      Reply
    9. Kelly @ Lets Buy Best

      August 01, 2019 at 7:13 am

      I love your blog. The points covered in this post is very valuable! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    10. Rebecca

      August 02, 2019 at 7:02 am

      Not really decor measurements, but it is also very important to measure humidity and air temperature.

      Reply
    11. Brandless Artist

      August 04, 2019 at 7:39 am

      Haha, I hate math as well! 🙂 But it is really useful, that is so true. By the way, I love that cow wall art. It is fun and happy, something ppl happily hang on their walls. The advice on how high it should be is great, I never gave it a second thought but seems reasonable. Your ideas are great, it was a pleasure to read your blog!

      Reply
      • Sarah - The DIY Mommy

        August 07, 2019 at 7:59 am

        Thanks so much!

        Reply
    12. Mino Pinna

      August 19, 2019 at 2:51 am

      Very good post.

      Reply
    13. Ranjeet sharma

      August 20, 2019 at 5:52 am

      Hey,
      this is really a great article and I have read it you shared the very informative article here I started a blog I hope it will be successful like you keep it up such a nice posting like this and can you suggest me some tips for a beginner.
      Thank you

      Reply
    14. Virtual Staging

      September 04, 2019 at 4:16 am

      Great blog post with full of useful stuff. I love to go through such content and thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    15. Mejan Dhaka

      September 22, 2019 at 11:04 pm

      I’m loving this idea of decorating home. The ideas shared by you are very chic and trendy. Going to use all your ideas for my new home. Thanks for crafting this informative information for us.

      Please check for High Quality Gypsum Design & Decoration

      Reply
    16. Blue Paisley

      September 30, 2019 at 5:43 am

      I always confused about choosing rug for my living area. About it's size and the color (It should match for the furniture & wall color). But this guide helps me to understand the exact scenario. Thanks!

      Reply
    17. AJ

      October 03, 2019 at 6:45 am

      Your home is amazing! I love the cow canvas, so playful! Thanks for sharing some superb tips and inspriational photos.

      Reply
    18. chahyay

      January 13, 2020 at 6:42 am

      amazing, thanks for sharing a great blog .

      Reply
    19. dilawar

      March 12, 2020 at 4:44 am

      Amazing,blog post full of useful article. I love to go through such content and thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    20. Icons Marketing

      July 31, 2020 at 6:21 am

      Thank you for explaining how high chandelier should be hanged. It's always has been kind of a tough decision for me. Love all these measurements you shared. Found your article really helpful!

      Reply
    21. lucy

      September 02, 2020 at 4:08 am

      Love these amazing home decor ideas. Great informative article about home measurements. Thank you for sharing this valuable article.

      Reply
    22. Lucy | GuidePie

      September 25, 2020 at 11:00 am

      Amazing home decoration and this design make this house beautiful. Thanks for your awesome design & home measurements ideas. Keep sharing!

      Reply
    23. Jally

      November 08, 2020 at 3:46 pm

      Love these amazing and unique design for home decor. A very beautiful ideas of design the home, thank you for sharing such a beautiful post.

      Reply
    24. William K. Arner

      November 24, 2020 at 5:44 am

      I just order a chandelier for amazon after reading your article. Thanks for the assist Christina.

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. 7 Things To Consider When Shopping for a New Area Rug | AmSteam Edmonton says:
      October 22, 2021 at 8:05 am

      […] If your furniture is simply framing the rug without touching it at all, your rug is too small! Check out this post for an easy method of sizing your area rug for a space. And check out this one for a more intense discussion on how to make a good size decision for your […]

      Reply

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    Christina Dennis, The DIY Mommy

    I'm Christina and I'm sharing budget-friendly DIY & decor ideas to create a cozy home and life you love!

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