To size a low storage unit, measure the wall width you have free, the height to the lowest obstacle above it (usually a window sill, the back of a sofa or a wall mounted TV), and the depth you can spare in front of it while still keeping a clear route. Most low units sit roughly between 40 and 80cm high and 35 to 50cm deep. Allow a few centimetres either side of the unit, check that doors and drawers can open fully, and confirm the unit can travel through your home to reach the room.
Low storage is some of the most adaptable furniture in a home. A long, low unit can sit beneath a window, behind a sofa, under a television or along a hallway, giving you surface space and hidden storage without overwhelming the room. Our range of modern storage furniture UK includes low cabinets and units in a wide choice of widths and finishes. Getting the size right is what separates a piece that looks built in from one that looks borrowed.
Decide what the unit is for. A low unit beneath a TV needs space for devices and cables. One under a window needs to stay below the sill. One behind a sofa needs to sit just below the sofa back. Each purpose sets a different limit, so knowing it first saves you measuring the wrong things.
Also make a quick list of what you plan to store. Board games, vinyl records, shoes, files and toys all have their own sizes. A unit that looks the right size from the outside can still be too shallow inside for the things you own.
Measure the full width of the wall at floor level, then note anything that interrupts it: door frames, radiators, sockets, pipework and corners. The usable width is the longest clear stretch between those obstacles.
Leave a small margin at each end. A unit squeezed tight between a door frame and a corner looks crammed and can be hard to clean around. A few centimetres either side gives a cleaner finish. If you want the unit to feel balanced, centring it beneath a window or a piece of artwork often works better than pushing it into a corner.
Consider proportion too. A low unit beneath a window often looks best when it is roughly the width of the window or slightly wider. Behind a sofa, a unit that is a little shorter than the sofa looks neat and intentional. In a living room, a long low unit usually works alongside other pieces from our living room furniture UK sale range, and our modern sideboards UK offer similar proportions with more closed storage.
Low units are defined by what sits above them. Measure from the floor to:
Subtract a few centimetres for clearance. Under a window, the gap lets curtains hang and allows you to open the window without knocking objects. Behind a sofa, a unit sitting just below the top of the sofa back looks tidy and is easy to reach from a seated position.
Seat height matters if the unit will double as a bench, such as in a hallway or at the foot of a bed. Ordinary seating sits at roughly 43 to 48cm, so a unit in that range is comfortable to perch on.
If you need more vertical storage on the same wall, a low unit can be paired with taller shelving units and storage UK designs at one or both ends. Keeping the low unit and the shelving in the same finish makes the arrangement look planned.
Depth is easy to underestimate because units often look slimmer in photographs than in a room. Measure the distance from the wall to the nearest piece of furniture or walkway edge, then decide how much you can give up. Most low units fall somewhere between 35 and 50cm deep.
Leave at least 60 to 70cm of clear space in front for comfortable access, and more where the unit sits on a main route. Remember that doors and drawers project when open. A unit with deep drawers needs extra space in front so you can open them fully and still stand comfortably.
Skirting boards affect depth as well. They push the unit slightly away from the wall, so if space is tight, add their thickness to your calculations.
Measure sill height, window width and the space between the window frame and any radiator below. If there is a radiator, avoid covering it completely: blocking warm air reduces the heat reaching the room and can dry out wood. A unit placed beside the radiator, or on a different wall, may be the better choice.
Measure the height of the sofa back and its length, and the distance between the sofa and any wall or walkway behind it. A unit roughly the same height as the sofa back, slightly shorter in length, creates a useful ledge for lamps and books.
Measure the width of the screen and its height from the floor if it is wall mounted. A low unit usually looks best when it is wider than the television. Leave room at the back for cables and ventilation for devices. Our guide to low TV unit measurements for UK living rooms goes into this in more detail.
Hallways are usually the tightest spaces in a home. Measure the width of the corridor and subtract the depth of the unit to see what walking width remains. Check that front and internal doors can still open fully. A shallow unit, around 30 to 35cm, is often the most practical option in a narrow hall.
At the foot of a bed, measure the width of the bed and the space between the bed and the wall or wardrobe. Leave enough room to walk past and to open wardrobe doors. A low unit slightly narrower than the bed looks balanced. If you are comparing a low unit with a chest of drawers, our guide to standard chest of drawers dimensions in the UK gives useful reference points.
Long low units can be awkward to move, especially if they arrive assembled. Measure doorways, hallways, stair widths and any tight corners between the front door and the room. In flats, check lift dimensions and communal corridors. If a long unit will not fit through, two shorter matching units placed side by side can give a similar effect.
Imagine a living room wall of 320cm with a window centred on it. The window is 150cm wide and its sill sits 85cm from the floor. The radiator is on a different wall, and the sofa stands two metres away facing the window.
A sensible low unit here might be 160 to 180cm wide, centred under the window, and no more than about 75cm high so it clears the sill with room for curtains. With the sofa two metres away, a depth of 40 to 45cm still leaves plenty of space to move around it, and the unit gives a generous surface for plants and a lamp.
Once you have your figures, cut a piece of flattened cardboard to the width and height of the unit and prop it against the wall, or lay it on the floor to show the depth. Leave it in place for a day. Walk past it, open nearby doors, sit on the sofa and check sightlines. This quick check catches problems that numbers on paper can miss, such as a unit that blocks a socket or crowds a doorway.
Low storage units are simple pieces, but the right size makes them look as though they were made for the room. Measure width, height to the lowest obstacle above, and depth with walkways in mind, then check the route in. With those figures, choosing a design is straightforward. Explore low storage, sideboards and living room furniture at Furniture in Fashion.
Most low storage units sit roughly between 40 and 80cm high. The right height depends on where the unit goes, for example below a window sill, behind a sofa or beneath a television.
Between 35 and 50cm suits most rooms. In narrow hallways, a shallower unit of around 30 to 35cm is often more practical.
It is best avoided. Covering a radiator reduces the heat reaching the room and can dry out wooden furniture. Position units beside the radiator or choose a different wall.
Allow around 60 to 70cm of clear space for comfortable access, and more if the unit has deep drawers or sits on a busy route.
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