Home Measuring Guide

Measure your space

Want to gather a few dimensions? Use this guide and the printable worksheet to give your designer a helpful starting point. Home measurements are completely optional and are for planning. Your designer will confirm the measurements needed for your final design.

Gather a few simple tools

Use a tape measure, pencil, and the printed worksheet. A helper can hold the other end of the tape.

Sketch the room from above

Draw the inside outline as if looking down from the ceiling. Include every wall, recess, and doorway. Start with Wall 1 to the left of the doorway and number each wall section clockwise. Your sketch does not need to be to scale.

Measure walls and height

Record each wall between finished wall surfaces, above baseboards where possible. Keep the tape straight and level. Measure from the finished floor to the ceiling, and note sloped ceilings, soffits, and unfinished flooring.

Use inches throughout, including fractions you can read confidently, such as 72 1/4 in. Do not round to the nearest foot or subtract clearance for the storage system. Leave existing shelving in place, and do not climb on shelves or furniture.

Capture doors, trim, and fixed features

Measure the clear opening width between the inside edges of the door frame. Separately measure each wall section from its corner to the outside edge of the door trim. Note trim width and door type. Draw the swing of a hinged door or identify a pocket door.

Mark every outlet and switch, including those behind furniture. Record its wall, the distance from a named corner to the nearest edge of the cover plate, and the height from the finished floor to its bottom edge. Also mark windows, vents, pipes, and access panels with their sizes and locations. Note baseboard height and projection.

Take photos and print a worksheet

Photograph every wall, wall plate, vent, and unusual detail. The PDF includes a top-view example and a worksheet for your sketch, wall dimensions, door and trim, and obstructions. Print one worksheet for each space. Leave uncertain measurements blank and mark them on your sketch.