Furniture clearances, room by room.
The space between furniture matters as much as the furniture. These are the distances that keep a room usable, with where each number comes from.
The numbers
Kitchen and dining figures are from the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s Kitchen Planning Guidelines with Access Standards, which publishes them in inches and millimetres. Living room and bedroom figures are rules of thumb published by furniture and bed makers; they are marked as such.
| Where | Recommended | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Walkway | at least 36 in (914 mm) | NKBA Guideline 7 |
| Two walkways at right angles | one of them at least 42 in (1067 mm) | NKBA 7, access standard |
| Kitchen work aisle, one cook | at least 42 in (1067 mm) | NKBA Guideline 6 |
| Kitchen work aisle, two or more cooks | at least 48 in (1219 mm) | NKBA Guideline 6 |
| Behind a seated diner, no traffic | 32 in (813 mm) from table edge to wall | NKBA Guideline 8 |
| Behind a seated diner, to edge past | at least 36 in (914 mm) | NKBA Guideline 8a |
| Behind a seated diner, to walk past | at least 44 in (1118 mm) | NKBA Guideline 8b |
| Behind a seated diner, wheelchair passage | 60 in (1524 mm) | NKBA 8, access standard |
| Doorway clear opening | at least 32 in (813 mm) | NKBA Guideline 1 |
| Sofa to coffee table | 14–18 in (36–46 cm) | rule of thumb: Castlery, Trade Source |
| Behind or beside a sofa | at least 18 in (46 cm) | rule of thumb: Trade Source |
| Beside a bed you get in from | 60 cm (24 in) minimum; 75 cm (30 in) comfortable | rule of thumb: Simba |
| All round a king bed | 30 in (76 cm) minimum; 36 in (91 cm) comfortable | Dimensions.com |
Kitchens
The NKBA separates the work aisle, where the cook stands between counters or an island and the counter, from a walkway, which people only pass through. A work aisle needs more: 42 in (1067 mm) for one cook, 48 in (1219 mm) for two. In a U-shaped kitchen planned for a wheelchair, the access standard asks for 60 in (1524 mm) between the opposing arms.
Dining
Measure from the edge of the table to the nearest wall or obstruction. 32 in (813 mm) lets people sit down and get up when nobody needs to pass; 36 in (914 mm) lets someone squeeze past a seated diner; 44 in (1118 mm) lets them walk past normally. The dining table guide turns this into seats and room sizes.
Living rooms
There is no standards body for sofas. Furniture makers suggest 14–18 in (36–46 cm) between the sofa and the coffee table and at least 18 in (46 cm) behind or beside a sofa where you need to get past; for a main path through the room, the 36 in (914 mm) walkway is a better target. The sofa size guide works through a whole room.
Bedrooms
Leave about 60–75 cm (24–30 in) on each side you get in from and at the foot, and room to open drawers and wardrobe doors and stand at them. The bed size guide shows the room each mattress size needs.
Check it at real size
Clearances are where plans and reality disagree. In Floor Plan to Home every piece of furniture stands in your recreated home at its real size, so the gap between the island and the counter is the gap you will have. Try the fit check.
Clearances, answered.
How wide should a walkway be in a house?
Plan at least 36 in (914 mm) for a path people use every day: the NKBA’s walkway recommendation for kitchens. Behind or beside a sofa, 18 in (46 cm) is the least that still lets you get past.
How much space between a kitchen island and the counter?
NKBA recommends a work aisle of at least 42 in (1067 mm) for one cook and 48 in (1219 mm) for more than one, measured between the counter fronts, tall cabinets or appliances.
How much room do you need behind dining chairs?
From the table edge to the wall: 32 in (813 mm) if nobody passes behind a seated person, 36 in (914 mm) to edge past, and 44 in (1118 mm) to walk past (NKBA Guideline 8). For a wheelchair to pass, plan 60 in (1524 mm).
Are these building code?
No. The NKBA figures are planning guidelines; the living room and bedroom figures are design rules of thumb. Your local building code always comes first.
- Kitchen Planning Guidelines with Access Standards (National Kitchen & Bath Association) — Guidelines 1, 6, 7 and 8
- How to choose the right sofa size for your room (Trade Source Furniture) — sofa length, depth and walkways
- Coffee table dimensions (Castlery) — sofa-to-table gap and table length
- How much space do you need around a bed? (Simba) — space beside and at the foot of a bed
- King Bedroom Layouts (Dimensions.com) — clearances and room area for a king bed
Checked 2026-10-31. Guidelines change and local building codes always come first; measure your own room and furniture before you buy.