To measure your room for an entertainment unit, follow seven steps in order: gather your tools, measure the usable wall width, record the ceiling height, work out the floor depth you can spare, check your viewing distance, map sockets and obstacles, and confirm the unit can be carried into the room. With these figures written down, comparing entertainment units becomes quick and far more reliable.
Our modern entertainment units UK range includes everything from compact media cabinets to full width wall systems, and the measurements below will tell you which size suits your space. Take your time over each step, as a few extra minutes now saves a great deal of frustration later.
You will need a metal tape measure, ideally at least five metres long, a notepad or phone for recording figures, a pencil and a roll of masking tape. A spirit level is useful for checking whether walls and floors are straight, and a second person makes measuring long walls much easier.
Measure in centimetres, since most furniture dimensions are listed that way. Write down each figure as you go and label it clearly: wall width, ceiling height, and so on.
It is also worth having the product pages of any units you are considering to hand. Browsing our wider selection of TV stands and cabinets UK sale designs while you measure helps you picture which sizes are realistic.
Measure the full width of the wall where the unit will stand. Do this at floor level, just above the skirting board, and again at around one metre high. Older walls are often slightly out of true, and the smaller figure is the one to work with.
Next, note anything that reduces usable space: door frames, radiators, light switches, windows and alcove edges. Subtract these to find the width actually available for the unit.
As a guide, leave some clear wall at each end of the unit. A piece that fills every centimetre can look cramped unless it is designed to fit wall to wall.
Measure from the floor to the ceiling in at least two places. If the room has coving, picture rails or a sloping section, measure to the lowest point that affects the unit.
Ceiling height matters most for tall entertainment systems with upper cabinets or shelving. Leave a comfortable gap above tall units so they do not look forced into place. For low units, the ceiling height helps you plan art, shelving and lighting above.
Depth determines how far the unit projects into the room, and it is the measurement people most often forget.
Measure from the wall to the nearest item you need to walk past, such as the sofa or coffee table. Subtract the depth of the proposed unit. The remaining space is your walkway, and it should be wide enough to pass through comfortably.
Remember that skirting boards push furniture slightly forward. If your skirting is deep, add its thickness to the unit’s depth when calculating clearance.
Measure from the wall where the TV will sit to the front edge of your main sofa. This viewing distance helps you decide what screen size, and therefore what unit width, suits the room.
A common guide is to sit around one to one and a half times the diagonal screen size away. For example, a 55 inch TV, which has a diagonal of roughly 140cm, suits a viewing distance of approximately 1.4m to 2.1m. A 65 inch screen suits roughly 1.65m to 2.5m.
Then measure your television’s width, not its diagonal, and note the spacing of its feet if it stands on them. The unit must be wider than the screen and deep enough for the feet. If you plan to wall mount instead, our modern wall TV brackets UK collection offers fixed and tilting options, and you should note the height at which the screen centre will sit.
Mark the position of every power socket, aerial point and network connection on the wall. Measure their distance from the floor and from the nearest corner. This tells you whether cables will reach and whether a solid back panel might block access.
Note radiators, including valves and pipework, which can stick out further than you expect. Furniture should not cover radiators, as it reduces heating efficiency and can damage electronics. Check windows too: curtains and blinds need space to hang and open freely.
Finally, open every door in the room fully and note where it swings. A unit that blocks a door, even partially, will quickly become an annoyance.
A unit that fits the wall still has to get there. Measure the width and height of your front door, the hallway, any tight corners and the doorway into the living room. If the room is upstairs, measure the width of the staircase and the headroom on turns.
Many entertainment units arrive in several boxes or as modular sections, which makes access easier. Still, check the size of the largest box or section against your narrowest point.
Once you have your measurements and a shortlist of units, mark the footprint of your preferred option on the floor with masking tape. Add a second outline on the wall showing its height and where the TV will sit.
Leave the outline in place for a day or two. Walk around it, sit on the sofa and open the doors. This simple test reveals problems that numbers alone can hide, such as a walkway that feels tight or a unit that overpowers the wall.
While you are testing, consider the floor in front. A rug helps anchor the seating and the media wall together, and our living room rugs UK collection includes sizes suited to compact and larger lounges alike.
Many UK living rooms have a chimney breast flanked by two alcoves. Measure each alcove separately: width, depth and height, as they are rarely identical. Then measure the width and depth of the chimney breast itself.
You might place a low unit across the chimney breast with shelving in each alcove, or choose a single long unit that spans the whole wall in front. Each approach needs different measurements, so record them all. For a more detailed look at planning these walls, our guide to media wall unit measurements for UK homes explains how alcoves, bay windows and sloping ceilings affect your options.
Most furniture listings show width, depth and height in that order, but it is worth double checking. Look for the overall dimensions including legs, handles and any overhanging top. For modular units, add together the widths of every section you plan to use.
If a product lists internal shelf heights, compare them with your devices. A games console or media box standing upright needs more height than one lying flat.
Measurements are not only about fit. Before settling on a position, look at where daylight falls across the wall at different times of day. A window directly opposite the screen can cause strong reflections, while a window beside it is usually easier to manage with blinds or curtains.
Note the positions of ceiling lights as well. A pendant hanging directly in front of the screen may reflect in it at night. If you have a choice of walls, the one with the least direct light is often the better home for an entertainment unit, even if it means moving other furniture.
Before choosing, make sure you have recorded the usable wall width, ceiling height, available depth, viewing distance, TV width and foot spacing, socket positions, obstacles and your narrowest access point. With these figures, you can shortlist entertainment units in minutes and order with confidence.
When you are ready, you can explore entertainment units, TV stands and living room storage at Furniture in Fashion, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.
Leave some clear wall at each end so the unit looks balanced, unless it is designed to fit wall to wall as a fitted piece.
Measure across. The diagonal size is used for marketing, but the width tells you how wide the unit needs to be.
A common guide is one to one and a half times the diagonal screen size, so around 1.4m to 2.1m for a 55 inch TV.
Yes, if the unit is going upstairs or through tight spaces. Check the size of the largest box or section against your narrowest point.
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