Proportion Guide

How it works

The guide uses rules of thumb that designers have relied on for generations: a coffee table of about two thirds of the sofa length, a gap of 40 to 45 cm between them, roughly 60 cm of table edge for each person at dinner, and about 90 cm for main walkways.

These figures are guidance, not norms. Bodies, habits and furniture differ, so sit, walk and set the table before you order anything.

The rules of thumb behind it

• Coffee table: about two thirds of the sofa length, 40 to 45 cm from the sofa, its height close to the seat height.
• Dining: about 60 cm of table edge per person, 70 cm for generous settings; table depth 90 to 100 cm.
• Clearance behind dining chairs: at least about 90 cm to the wall or the next piece.
• Walkways: about 90 cm for main routes, about 60 cm for secondary paths.
• Art above a sofa: about two thirds of the sofa width, its lower edge 15 to 25 cm above the backrest.

All values are widely used rules of thumb from interior and lighting design, offered as guidance and never as norms.