Measuring your space

A good kitchen design depends on accurate measurements. First, decide what you need, what you want and what you'd like to keep and incorporate in your new kitchen. Then, help organize your thoughts and make it easier for others to understand your ideas by drawing a preliminary room outline and floor plan. They don't have to be works of art, just clear overhead sketches of your new kitchen. Your designer or salesperson will double check measurements.

Tools needed

  1. 25 foot metal tape measure
  2. graph paper (use our printable grid)
  3. pencil and paper

Some of the first things you will need to know about your room are the dimensions. If you are building, your builder or architect can provide you with a set of plans to provide you with all the information needed. If you are remodeling, measure the space carefully and create a sketch of the room. In the finished design you will show the locations of all appliances, plumbing, electrical outlets, light switches, windows and doors you wish to keep.

Here is a picture of a sample drawing:

sample drawing

How to measure your kitchen

(note - all measurements should be in inches)

Walls

  1. Begin in one corner, select a wall and measure its length from corner to corner.
  2. Write the measurement on the corresponding wall on your sketch.
  3. Go to the next corner and measure the length of the next wall.
  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until all wall measurements are complete.
  5. Measure the height of the room. Write this dimension in the space provided.

Windows and doors

  1. Begin in the upper left corner of your drawing.
  2. Moving clockwise, number the windows until you reach the starting point.
  3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for the doorways.
  4. Measure the width of the window. See note below. Write the dimension on the drawing.
  5. Measure the height of the window. See note below. Write the dimension in the table on the drawing corresponding to the window number.
  6. Move clockwise around the room measuring each window until you reach the starting point.
  7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for the doorways.
NOTE:The trim is considered part of the window or door. Measure from the outside of the trim on one side to the outside of the trim on the other side.

Utilities
Locate any existing plumbing and measure the distance from each wall and floor. Repeat for electrical outlets, light switches, lighting hookups and telephone jacks.

Appliances
If you plan to keep any of your existing appliances, record the dimensions of each and a location where they are to be placed.

Assessing your needs

Measuring your space

Transferring your measurements

Creating your layout

Expressing your style

Cabinetry selection