Formulas for good design.
What are the dimensions for…? How much room do I need for…?
Kitchen Counters
are 36” high. Counter depth is 24” + 1” overhang for a total of 25”.
Circulation around the Kitchen
36” minimum, 42”-48” preferred if there are two cooks in the kitchen. Any more than that, you will need roller skates to get from place to place.
42” at the seating side of the island means people can walk by without the seated having to get up
Bathroom Vanities
18-21” deep and are typically 30-34” high
You need minimum of 60” to get a double Vanity in, but we recommend at least 72” so two adults can stand next to each other at those sinks.
Porches
less than 6’ deep are useless. 6’ gets you a rocking chair and room to walk past. 8’ is good, but 10’-12’ is ideal for entertaining and hanging out on. If you plan to have a gathering table See blog on Dining Room Celebrations and table sizes.
The kitchen work triangle = the distance from refrigerator to the sink to stove back to refrigerator. Each leg of the work triangle should measure between 4’ and 9’ in length and the total length of all 3 legs should be between 12’ and 26’ with 21 being rated at the most efficient. There are a few shapes that are known to work and considered most efficient they are the galley and the “U”- shape. Todays families tend to prefer “Stations”.. Baking, Beverage Center, Island Prep, Stove and self help… so there just can’t be too many cooks in the kitchen!
Coffee Station and Glass Doors - make it clear you can help your self.
Dressing Rooms can be much more gracious.
King Size and California Kings Require Large Rooms. No matter the size of the room, when choosing the bed, it is preferable to have at least 24” on each side to get in and out.
Bed Size:
Twin 39”x75
X-Long Twin found in Dorms 39” x 80
Full Size Bed 54”x75
Queen 60”x80
King 76”x 80
California King 72”x 84”
Closets
need to be a minimum of 21” deep for a standard hanger to fit…go for 24” clear on the inside …you will be happier. resist double loaded closets with only a 36” asile…Never seems gracious.
Paint
One gallon of paint typically covers 400 square feet of wall surface.
CIRCULATION
Doors:
3’-0” wide openings for doors to the exterior.
2’-6” to 2’-8 inches everywhere else unless you need
Wheel Chair Accessibility…then 3’-0” everywhere.
This also helps with getting large furniture and appliances into the space. Note: Double check that if you are getting a large Viking Range that you can get it into your house.
Halls or circulation paths need to be at least 36” but the closer you can get to 48” the more gracious it will be…this includes kitchen circulation.
Shelves
Books minimum 12" however 13" is better.
Dishes need 15" clear in an upper cabinets. If you have glass doors on your cabinets either use glass shelves or line the shelf up with the "grill" pattern on the door and for the Love of Good Design —shelves should always be adjustable because stuff comes in different sizes.
Couches
Whatever size couch you decide to get, research shows that rarely more than 2 people will sit on it together at one time….don’t know where the research is, another one of those things Mother Mary always says…and I have noted the phenomenon at parties. If you are looking at the family room and you like to all cuddle on the couch…forget all of this.
Corners make it nice to snuggle in.
Dining Rooms
The minimum dining room size is 12' X 12' this allows for proper circulation around the table and allows for 6 people to fit graciously...more if you are good friends. Of course it depends on the size of the person but a good rule of thumb is that 42” between the surface of the table/island and the wall allows room for a person to walk by without the seated person being required to get up from their seat.
Chandeliers
or pendant lights should be approximately 36” above the table/counter surface.