Sizes
Furniture sizes and the clearances they need
Furniture sizes differ from one maker to the next, but kitchen clearances have figures you can hold to. The aisle in front of a counter should be at least 106.7 cm wide for one cook, and 121.9 cm when several cook together (NKBA).
Clearances around a kitchen counter, the sizes of kitchen and laundry appliances, and the furniture sizes the RAYA app starts with. Every figure comes from the same data the app uses. The kitchen clearances come from the kitchen planning guidelines of the NKBA, the US National Kitchen & Bath Association; appliance sizes come from each maker's spec sheet; the clearances round furniture are the app's own planning defaults.
Kitchen clearances
A kitchen fails on its clearances, not its cabinets
An aisle so narrow nobody can pass an open dishwasher, nowhere to set a pot down beside the hob, the fridge at the far end of the room: all of it shows on the plan, if you know how much room to leave.
In the RAYA app, go to Plan → More → Real use. The app checks every clearance marked ✓ in the table, and says where a space is too tight and how to fix it. These are guidance from use, not legal requirements.
| Clearance | Value | App checks |
|---|---|---|
| Walkway past a counterNKBA Guidelines 6–7 | at least 91.4 cm | ✓ |
| One cook workingNKBA Guidelines 6–7 | 106.7 cm | ✓ |
| Several cooks at onceNKBA Guidelines 6–7 | 121.9 cm | – |
| Sink, hob, fridge (work triangle)NKBA Guideline 3 | each leg 1.20–2.70 m, total at most 7.90 m | ✓ |
| Counter beside the sinkNKBA Guideline 11 | 61 cm one side, 45.7 cm the other | ✓ |
| Counter beside the hobNKBA Guideline 17 | 38.1 cm one side, 30.5 cm the other | ✓ |
| Counter beside the fridge, handle sideNKBA Guideline 16 | 38.1 cm | – |
| Dishwasher to sinkNKBA Guideline 13 | at most 91.4 cm | ✓ |
| Bottom of the microwaveNKBA Guideline 21 | no higher than 137.2 cm above the floor | ✓ |
| Hob to the cabinet aboveNKBA Guideline 18 | 76.2 cm if the cabinet can burn, 61 cm if it is protected | – |
| Bottom of a pendant over a walkwayNKBA KBPG §1.7 | at least 203 cm above the floor | ✓ |
| Clear floor in front of each applianceNKBA KBPG §1.5 | 76 × 122 cm | – |
Hood
How high above the hob?
It depends on the hob and the make of hood. Each maker sets its own minimum in its installation manual, and gas needs more height than electric. Häfele's manual puts the best draw at 65–75 cm above the cooking surface.
The app warns firmly when a hood is lower than any maker allows, more gently when some makers would still refuse it, and when it is more than 75 cm above the hob. Before installing, check the manual of the hood you bought.
| Hob | Bosch | Electrolux | Häfele |
|---|---|---|---|
| Induction hob | 50 | 60 | 65 |
| Electric hob | 55 | 60 | 65 |
| Gas hob | 65 | 70 | 65 |
Kitchen appliances
Appliance sizes and the space to prepare
A built-in appliance needs a niche that fits the model; cabinets made before the appliance is bought often have to be rebuilt. These are the models the app keeps spec sheets for. Sizes are width × depth × height, in centimetres.
Sizes differ by model. Use this table to plan roughly, then check the spec sheet of the model the client chose before ordering the cabinets.
| Appliance | W × D × H | Prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in ovenBosch HBF512BS1T | 59.4 × 54.8 × 59.5 | Niche 56–56.8 × 55 × 57.5–59.7 |
| Built-in microwaveBosch BEL554MS0T | 59.4 × 38.8 × 38.2 | Niche 56–56.8 × 55 × 38–38.2 |
| Built-in microwaveBosch BFL7221B1K | 59.4 × 31.8 × 38.2 | Niche 56–56.8 × 30 × 36.2–38.2 |
| 45 cm built-under dishwasherBosch SPV2HKX39G | 44.8 × 55 × 81.5 | Niche under the counter 45 × 55 × 81.5–87.5 |
| 60 cm built-under dishwasherBosch SMV4HCX19E | 59.8 × 55 × 81.5 | Feet adjust 6 cm |
| Induction hobBosch PWP611BB5E | 59.2 × 52.2 × 5.1 | Cut-out 56 × 49–50 |
| Induction hobBosch PPI82560MS | 78 × 45 × 5.9 | Cut-out 70 × 40 |
| Electric hob (ceramic)Bosch PKE611CA3E | 59.2 × 52.2 × 4.6 | Cut-out 56 × 49–50 |
| Gas hobBosch PBH6B5B60 | 58 × 51 × 4.5 | Cut-out 56–56.2 × 48–49.2 |
| Gas hobBosch PMD93A31AX | 92 × 51 × 8 | Cut-out 88 × 45.5 |
| Single-bowl sinkTeka Be Linea RS15 50.40 | 54 × 44 × 20 | Base unit 60 cm |
| Double-bowl sinkTeka 840.483 2B | 84 × 48.3 × 20.3 | Base unit 84 cm |
| Side-by-side fridgeSamsung RS5000R | 91.2 × 71.6 × 178 | Doors fully open, W × D 172.6 × 116.5 |
Laundry
Washer and dryer
A front-loading washer is 55 cm deep but needs 107.2 cm with its door open; a dryer needs 110 cm. Beside a washer, the manual asks for 55 cm in front. Stacking a dryer on a washer takes that model's own stacking kit.
The tap must be within 120 cm of the back of a front-loading washer, and the standpipe 60–90 cm above the floor, or 90–100 cm for a top loader. The app warns when the tap is too far away or the standpipe too high or too low.
| Appliance | W × D × H | Clearances |
|---|---|---|
| Front-loading washerSamsung WW9*T | 60 × 55 × 85 | sides 2.5, top 2.5, back 5, front 55 |
| Top-loading washerSamsung WA5000R | 61 × 67.5 × 105–110.5 | sides 10 |
| Freestanding dryerSamsung DV9*T | 60 × 60 × 85 | sides 2.5, top 2.5, back 5, front 49 |
Furniture
Starting sizes, before you make them fit
When you place a new piece, the app gives it the size in this table; tap any piece to change it to a number. Every brand's furniture is a different size, so these are a starting point, not a standard.
Work out the room's air-con and light with the Air-con BTU calculator and the Lighting calculator
| Piece | W × D × H |
|---|---|
| 3-seat sofa | 200 × 90 × 80 |
| 2-seat sofa | 150 × 90 × 80 |
| Armchair | 80 × 85 × 80 |
| Coffee table | 100 × 60 × 40 |
| TV cabinet | 180 × 40 × 45 |
| Sideboard | 160 × 45 × 80 |
| Rug | 200 × 140 × 1 |
| Dining table | 120 × 80 × 75 |
| Chair | 45 × 50 × 85 |
| Bar stool | 38 × 38 × 76 |
| 6 ft bed | 180 × 200 × 50 |
| Bedside table | 45 × 40 × 50 |
| Bench at the foot of the bed | 140 × 45 × 45 |
| Desk | 120 × 60 × 75 |
| Full-height built-in | 120 × 60 × 240 |
| Kitchen counter | 240 × 60 × 85 |
| Wall cabinet | 120 × 35 × 70 mounted at 150 |
| Wash basin | 60 × 45 × 85 |
| Toilet | 40 × 70 × 78 |
| Bathtub | 160 × 75 × 55 |
Around furniture
It fits, but can you use it?
A chair needs room to be pulled out, a bed needs a way in and out, a cabinet door needs to open all the way. This table lists the clearance the app keeps round each piece. If another piece stands in it, or the front or back of a piece is too close to a wall, the app warns you in Plan → More → Real use. Things used together do not count as in the way: a bedside table beside the bed, or a chair tucked under a desk.
These are planning defaults. They do not come from any handbook and they are not legal requirements, unlike the kitchen clearances in the first table, each of which cites NKBA. In a kitchen the app checks both: the 90 cm in front of a counter catches anything placed in the way, and the aisle width is checked against NKBA.
| Piece | Clearance | For |
|---|---|---|
| 3-seat sofa | front 45 | Legroom |
| Armchair | front 45 | Legroom |
| TV cabinet | front 40 | Opening the cabinet doors |
| Sideboard | front 50 | Opening the cabinet doors |
| Display shelf | front 60 | Reaching the shelves |
| Piano | front 90 | Playing the piano |
| Chair | back 45 | Pulling the chair out |
| Bar stool | back 40 | Pulling the stool out |
| 6 ft bed | each side 50 | Walking past the bed |
| 6 ft bed | front 50 | Walking round the foot of the bed |
| Bedside table | front 30 | Opening the drawer |
| Bench at the foot of the bed | front 50 | Walking round the foot of the bed |
| Full-height built-in | front 60 | Opening the cabinet doors |
| Desk | front 70 | Working at the desk |
| Kitchen counter | front 90 | Standing to cook |
| Kitchen island | drawer side 100 | Standing to cook and opening the drawers |
| Fridge | front 75 | Opening the fridge door |
| Wash basin | front 60 | Standing at the basin |
| Toilet | front 60 | Using the toilet |
| Bathtub | front 60 | Stepping into the bath |
FAQ
Questions about sizes and clearances
- How wide should a kitchen aisle be?
- At least 106.7 cm if one person cooks and 121.9 cm if several cook at once, by NKBA Kitchen Planning Guidelines 6–7. A path used only for walking past needs 91.4 cm.
- How high above the hob should a hood go?
- Over a gas hob, the makers the app keeps ask for at least 65–70 cm; over induction, 50–65 cm. A hood draws best 65–75 cm above the cooking surface. Before installing, check the manual of the hood you bought.
- What niche does a built-in oven need?
- For example, the Bosch HBF512BS1T measures 59.4 × 54.8 × 59.5 cm and needs a niche of 56–56.8 × 55 × 57.5–59.7 cm (width × depth × height). Niches differ by model, so use the spec sheet of the oven actually bought.
- How much room does a front-loading washer need?
- The Samsung WW9*T manual asks for 2.5 cm at the sides and top, 5 cm behind and 55 cm in front for the door. The tap must be within 120 cm of the back of the machine.
- How much clearance should I leave beside a bed?
- The app keeps 50 cm clear on both sides of the bed and at its foot. A bedside table or a bench at the foot can stand in that space; the app does not count them as in the way. It is a planning default, not a legal requirement.
- How much room does a dining chair need behind it?
- The app keeps 45 cm clear behind a chair so it can be pulled out to sit on, 40 cm behind a bar stool. If a wall or another piece stands in that space, the app warns you in Real use.
- Are the furniture sizes in the app standard sizes?
- No. They are starting sizes, and every piece can be set to any number. The kitchen and laundry clearances the app checks plans against all have sources; they are guidance from use, not legal requirements.
Terms
Terms on this page
More words you meet when doing up a home are in the Interior design glossary
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