Bedroom Furniture Dimensions and Layout Clearances
Standard sizes of nightstands, dressers, chests, wardrobes, benches and vanities, the walking and drawer clearances each needs, and what furniture actually fits in a 10 × 10, 10 × 12 or 12 × 12 ft bedroom.
Standard bedroom furniture sizes: a nightstand is about 20–24 in wide, 16–18 in deep and 24–28 in tall (51–61 × 41–46 × 61–71 cm); a six-drawer dresser about 60 × 18 × 32 in (152 × 46 × 81 cm); a tall chest about 36 × 18 × 50 in; and a wardrobe 22–26 in deep and 72–84 in tall. Leave at least 24 in beside the bed and 36 in in front of a dresser.
- Nightstand height
- 24–28 in (61–71 cm)
- 6-drawer dresser
- 60 × 18 × 32 in
- Wardrobe depth
- 22–26 in (56–66 cm)
- Walkway by bed
- 24 in min (61 cm)
On this page
Standard bedroom furniture dimensions chart
Bedroom furniture is not standardized, but makers cluster around sizes that fit the human body and a standard bed. The ranges below cover most pieces on the market; the typical value is a good planning default when you have not chosen a model yet.
| Piece | Typical (in) | Typical (cm) | Common range (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nightstand | 22 × 17 × 26 | 56 × 43 × 66 | 18–28 × 14–20 × 24–30 |
| Dresser, 6-drawer double | 60 × 18 × 32 | 152 × 46 × 81 | 55–72 × 16–20 × 30–36 |
| Dresser, 9-drawer | 66 × 18 × 34 | 168 × 46 × 86 | 60–72 × 17–20 × 32–38 |
| Single dresser (3–4 drawers) | 36 × 18 × 32 | 91 × 46 × 81 | 30–42 × 16–20 × 30–36 |
| Tall chest of drawers | 36 × 18 × 50 | 91 × 46 × 127 | 30–40 × 16–20 × 44–55 |
| Wardrobe | 48 × 24 × 78 | 122 × 61 × 198 | 36–60 × 22–26 × 72–84 |
| Armoire | 42 × 22 × 72 | 107 × 56 × 183 | 36–48 × 20–26 × 60–80 |
| Bench (foot of bed) | 48 × 16 × 18 | 122 × 41 × 46 | 40–60 × 14–20 × 16–20 |
| Vanity / dressing table | 42 × 18 × 30 | 107 × 46 × 76 | 36–48 × 16–20 × 29–31 |
| Desk | 48 × 24 × 30 | 122 × 61 × 76 | 40–60 × 20–30 × 28–30 |
Bed footprints depend heavily on the frame style; a queen takes anything from 61 × 81 in to 68 × 97 in. The full breakdown by mattress and frame type is in the bed frame size guide, and the mattress sizes themselves are in the mattress size chart.
Nightstand dimensions
A nightstand's height matters more than its width. The top should sit within about 2 in of the top of the mattress, so a lamp, phone or glass is in easy reach from lying down without stretching up or down.
| Top of mattress from floor | Nightstand height | Typical setup |
|---|---|---|
| 14–18 in (36–46 cm) | 16–20 in | Low platform or floor bed |
| 20–25 in (51–64 cm) | 22–27 in | Platform bed, or frame with low-profile foundation |
| 26–30 in (66–76 cm) | 26–30 in | Metal frame, box spring and thick mattress |
- Width: 18 to 24 in suits a queen or full; a king can take 24 to 28-in nightstands. Leave 24 in of walkway beside the bed regardless; a nightstand sits next to the pillows and does not take up that walkway.
- Depth: 14 to 18 in. A deeper nightstand projects past the pillows and can catch your knee when you get up.
- Drawer interior: a 22-in nightstand drawer is usually about 17 to 19 in wide, 12 to 15 in deep and 3 to 5 in high, enough for books and a tablet but not a CPAP machine.
More nightstand styles and sizes are covered in the nightstand dimensions guide.
Dresser and chest of drawers dimensions
Dressers are named by drawer count, and drawer count roughly predicts width. A low, wide dresser doubles as a TV or mirror surface; a tall chest gives similar storage on less floor.
| Type | Width | Height | Floor area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single (3–4 drawers, one column) | 30–42 in (76–107 cm) | 30–36 in | 3.8–5.3 sq ft |
| Double (6 drawers, two columns) | 55–72 in (140–183 cm) | 30–36 in | 6.9–9.0 sq ft |
| Triple (9 drawers, three columns) | 60–72 in (152–183 cm) | 32–38 in | 7.5–9.0 sq ft |
| Tall chest (5–6 drawers) | 30–40 in (76–102 cm) | 44–55 in | 3.8–5.0 sq ft |
| Gentleman's chest / media chest | 36–42 in | 50–60 in | 4.5–5.3 sq ft |
The floor areas assume an 18-in depth. They show why a tall chest is the usual choice for small rooms: on the same 4 to 5 sq ft of floor as a single dresser, it holds one or two more drawers.
Dresser drawer sizes
Interior drawer dimensions follow from the outside width. Subtract the cabinet sides (about 0.75 in each), any center dividers, the drawer box sides and about 0.5 in each side for metal slides.
- 48-in single-column dresser: 48 − 1.5 (cabinet sides) − 1 (slides) − 1 (drawer sides) leaves about 44 in of interior width.
- 48-in two-column dresser: about 46.5 in inside, minus a 0.75-in divider, gives two 22.9-in openings, so each drawer is about 21 in wide inside.
- Depth: an 18-in deep dresser has drawers about 14 to 16 in deep inside (36 to 41 cm).
- Height: top drawers are often 3 to 5 in deep inside for socks and accessories; lower drawers 6 to 9 in for sweaters and jeans.
A folded T-shirt or sweater takes about 10 × 12 in, so a 21-in drawer holds two stacks side by side. For more on individual models, see the dresser dimensions guide.
Wardrobe and armoire dimensions
Hanging storage sets the depth. An adult coat hanger is about 17 to 19 in wide, so a wardrobe needs at least 22 in (56 cm) of interior depth for clothes to hang straight without the doors pressing them. The same logic is behind the standard 24-in (61 cm) closet depth.
| Piece | Width | Depth | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single wardrobe | 18–24 in (46–61 cm) | 22–24 in | 72–80 in |
| Double wardrobe | 36–48 in (91–122 cm) | 22–26 in | 72–84 in (183–213 cm) |
| Triple wardrobe | 54–72 in (137–183 cm) | 22–26 in | 72–84 in |
| Armoire | 36–48 in (91–122 cm) | 20–26 in | 60–80 in (152–203 cm) |
| IKEA PAX frame | 50, 75 or 100 cm (19.7, 29.5, 39.4 in) | 35 or 58 cm (13.8 or 22.8 in) | 201 or 236 cm (79.1 or 92.9 in) |
- Hanging length: shirts and jackets need about 38 to 42 in under the rail; dresses and long coats 60 to 70 in. A wardrobe with two rails stacked (double hang) only works for short garments.
- Ceiling clearance: a wardrobe assembled on its back needs its diagonal to be less than the ceiling height to stand up. A 24-in deep, 92.9-in tall unit has a diagonal of about 96 in, so it will not tilt up under an 8-ft ceiling.
- Shallow units: wardrobes under 20 in deep use front-facing pull-out rods instead of a side-to-side rail.
Wardrobe and armoire styles are compared in detail in the wardrobe size guide and the armoire dimensions guide.
Benches, vanities, desks and mirrors
- End-of-bed bench: about two thirds to three quarters of the bed width looks proportionate: 40 to 45 in for a queen, 50 to 60 in for a king. Keep the seat at 16 to 20 in, slightly lower than the mattress top.
- Vanity or dressing table: 29 to 31 in tall with an 18-in stool, and at least 30 in of clear space behind the stool to sit down.
- Desk: 28 to 30 in tall and at least 20 in deep for a laptop, with 36 in behind the front edge to pull out a chair. See desk dimensions.
- Full-length mirror: at least 48 in tall shows most of an adult; 60 to 65 in shows head to toe. Mirror sizes are in the mirror size guide.
Bedroom clearances
Clearances are what make a room usable. None of these are code requirements for furniture; they are the working distances designers use so that drawers open and people can pass.
| Space | Minimum | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|
| Beside the bed (each open side) | 24 in (61 cm) | 30–36 in (76–91 cm) |
| Foot of the bed to wall | 24 in (61 cm) | 36 in (91 cm) |
| In front of a dresser | 36 in (91 cm) | 42 in (107 cm) |
| In front of a hinged wardrobe | Door width + 12 in | 36 in (91 cm) |
| In front of a sliding wardrobe | 24 in (61 cm) | 30 in (76 cm) |
| Main path through the room | 30 in (76 cm) | 36 in (91 cm) |
| Desk chair pull-back | 30 in (76 cm) | 36 in (91 cm) |
A 30 to 32-in bedroom door sweeps a quarter circle of the same radius. Draw it on the floor plan, along with the closet doors and the open depth of the bottom dresser drawer; most layout problems show up there, not in the furniture footprint.
What furniture fits in common bedroom sizes
These layouts put the bed against the wall opposite or beside the door, use a slim frame (a queen at 62 × 84 in, a king at 78 × 84 in) and keep the clearances above.
| Room | Bed | What else fits |
|---|---|---|
| 9 × 10 ft (2.7 × 3.0 m) | Full or twin | One nightstand and a tall chest; a full leaves 26 in on each side when centered on the 9-ft wall |
| 10 × 10 ft (3.0 × 3.0 m) | Queen | Two nightstands (29 in each side); 36 in at the foot is walkway only, so storage goes on the door wall or in a tall chest |
| 10 × 12 ft (3.0 × 3.7 m) | Queen on the 10-ft wall | Two nightstands and a 60-in dresser facing the bed: 144 − 84 = 60 in, which leaves 42 in in front of an 18-in deep dresser |
| 12 × 12 ft (3.7 × 3.7 m) | King | Two 24-in nightstands, a dresser at the foot with 42 in clear; or a queen plus a desk or reading chair |
| 12 × 14 ft (3.7 × 4.3 m) and up | King or Cal king | Dresser, tall chest or wardrobe, bench and a chair |
Room sizes for each mattress, with and without other furniture, are summarized in the mattress size chart. A rug under the bed usually runs crosswise, long side parallel to the headboard: an 8 × 10 ft rug then extends about 29 in past each side of a slim queen frame, and a 9 × 12 ft rug about 33 in past each side of a king. Rug sizes are listed in the rug size guide.
Minimum bedroom size under building codes
In the US, most local building codes are based on the International Residential Code (IRC). The 2021 IRC sets the following for rooms used for sleeping; local amendments can be stricter, so confirm with your building department.
- Floor area: every habitable room needs at least 70 sq ft (6.5 m²) and must be at least 7 ft (2.13 m) in every horizontal direction (R304).
- Ceiling height: at least 7 ft (2.13 m) for habitable rooms, with exceptions for sloped ceilings and beams (R305).
- Emergency escape opening: every sleeping room needs a window or door that opens to at least 5.7 sq ft (0.53 m²) of clear area (5.0 sq ft at grade floor), at least 24 in high and 20 in wide, with the sill no more than 44 in above the floor (R310). Do not block it with a wardrobe or a tall headboard.
A 70 sq ft room, such as 7 × 10 ft, holds a twin bed and a nightstand. With 24-in clearances, a queen needs at least about 9.5 × 9 ft, more than the code minimum.
Frequently asked questions
What are standard nightstand dimensions?
Most nightstands are 20 to 24 in (51 to 61 cm) wide, 16 to 18 in (41 to 46 cm) deep and 24 to 28 in (61 to 71 cm) tall. The best height is within a couple of inches of the top of your mattress, so measure the bed before choosing one.
What is the average size of a bedroom dresser?
A typical six-drawer double dresser is about 60 in wide, 18 in deep and 32 in tall (152 × 46 × 81 cm). The full range for double dressers is about 55 to 72 in wide, 16 to 20 in deep and 30 to 36 in tall.
What are the dimensions of a 9-drawer dresser?
Nine-drawer dressers usually have three columns of three drawers and measure about 60 to 72 in wide, 17 to 20 in deep and 32 to 38 in tall (152–183 × 43–51 × 81–97 cm). Their drawers are narrower than those of a six-drawer dresser of the same width.
How tall are bedroom wardrobes in cm?
Freestanding wardrobes are typically 180 to 215 cm (71 to 85 in) tall. IKEA's PAX system, a common reference, comes in 201 and 236 cm heights. Measure your ceiling and any sloping ceilings first, and allow a few centimeters to tilt the wardrobe upright during assembly.
How much space do you need between the bed and a dresser?
Allow at least 36 in (91 cm) between the bed and the front of a dresser. A drawer pulls out 16 to 20 in, and you need room to stand in front of it while it is open.
How high should bedroom armoires be?
Armoires are usually 60 to 80 in (152 to 203 cm) tall. Leave at least 2 to 3 in below the ceiling, and more under a sloping or beamed ceiling, so the piece can be stood up after assembly or delivery.