Imagine that you’ve found the perfect piece of furniture. You and your interior designer agree that it’s the ideal piece with both the style and elegance to complement the room you intend it for. When you measure room for new furniture, you see that it fits like it was built especially for you, to precisely occupy that spot in your living room, bedroom or wherever you plan to display it. Perhaps you even worked with your designer to select from hundreds of custom fabric options and other custom selections so the piece truly is built just for your design taste and available space.

However, there’s more to measuring than assessing where a furnishing will end up. Your white glove delivery service has to get it there–and then set-up any pieces and ensure that everything is ready for you to enjoy. It may need to find its way through doorways, up and down stairs and around corners before it comes to rest at its destination. You have to ensure that there’s a pathway the deliverers can follow from the outside door to the room where the piece will finally be placed.

It would be a disappointment if, come delivery day, you discovered that there was no good route for the furniture to travel through your home. However, if you work with a Gabberts interior designer, they can help you ensure that won’t happen. They’ll make sure the measurements include not only the space where the furniture will wind up but also the hallways and doorways it will traverse to get there. Here are the steps you should follow in collaboration with your designer to be confident that your furniture delivery will proceed seamlessly.

Step 1: Measure Your Space

Entryway: Hallways and Doors

The first step is to measure the height (A) and the width (B) of all the hallways and doorways that your furniture may have to pass through. Measure the interior dimensions to account for the doorframe. If it appears to be a tight squeeze, you often can gain an inch or so if the door is removed from its hinges.

Don’t forget stairways or, for a condominium, elevators. Take obstacles such as overhead lights, banisters and low ceilings into consideration.

An additional critical measurement is clearance (C). Clearance is the distance from one wall through a doorway and to the opposite wall. The door opening may be sufficient to accommodate the height and depth of the piece, but if there’s not enough room to turn it once you move through, it’s not going to get where it needs to go.

Step 2: Measure Your Furniture

Next, you need to know the furniture width (A), height (B) and depth (C). Your interior designer can provide these for the sectional, sofa or other furnishings of your choice. If there are removable parts, such as legs, feet and bases, they’ll know how to exclude them from the measurement.

You and your designer will also take into account the diagonal distance, that is, the distance from one corner to its opposite. It could be important when maneuvering through some of your doorways. Also, if the piece is a recliner, sofa, or other item that is not boxy, you can consider the angles or curves. A piece like this might navigate some corners where a box-shaped unit can’t go.

Step 3: Find the Best Pathway

With all the measurements in hand, you and your designer can determine the best pathway to your furniture’s new home. It isn’t always obvious, especially if there is more than one outside door the movers can use or more than one hallway they can take.

Before you settle on a pathway, think about any obstacles that you might encounter. These could include ceiling height, low-hanging fixtures, banisters and other obstructions that can’t be moved aside. Consider each doorway and whether the furniture can come straight through or will have to go at an angle.

Step 4: Prep for Delivery

Prepare for furniture delivery by taking steps to ensure everything goes seamlessly:

• The designer/concierge will be calling with arrival windows so you can know when to expect the arrival of your furniture.

• Remove obstacles. Move anything that might disrupt your furniture’s pathway. This could include wall art, plants in floor pots, loose rugs and smaller pieces of furniture. Move anything that could possibly get knocked off a shelf or table. Remember that the furniture may be coming along the sidewalk and up the porch, so make sure that those areas are clear as well.

• Arrange to have children and pets out of the way. Sometimes an outside door may be open for a minute of two, and you don’t want your indoor cat or dog to escape.

Enjoy Your New Furniture!

Integrating new furniture into your home involves more than measuring inches and making sure it fits. Properly chosen furniture not only is the right size; it also looks right and feels right for the space it occupies. That’s why it’s so useful to engage a Gabberts interior designer when furnishing the place where you live. Their experienced eye will help you make selections that are the right size, shape, color and style to make every room in your home a showcase.

In fact, you can hire a designer to work with you on any project large or small, from completely furnishing a new home to updating a single room. They’ll be with you every step of the way, from the first stages of planning to actually moving the furniture into the rooms and placing the final accessories. Even if you’re just looking for a piece or two, like a new sofa or sectional, they can guide you in choosing one that fits perfectly, not only in dimensions but also in comfort, appearance and style.

However, life doesn’t stand still, and your interior design may change as well. That new sofa or bedroom set might not always stay in the room where you situated it when you first brought it home. When it becomes time to move your furniture to a new room, or even a new home, you can consult the same steps that you followed for its delivery. This proper handling will protect your furnishings and preserve their longevity.

When you prepare for furniture delivery by following the steps listed here, you can be confident that everything will proceed smoothly on delivery day. You can relax as the special furniture you’ve chosen travels efficiently to the room where it will enhance the beauty and charm of your home.

Schedule a design consultation.