OROA BUYING GUIDES / FURNITURE / BEFORE YOU ORDER
To check whether furniture can reach your room, measure the narrowest points and turns along the entire delivery route, then compare them with the packaged item dimensions. Room fit and delivery fit are separate questions. A sofa can fit your living room and still be difficult to move through a doorway or around a stair landing.
Measure the route before choosing the final piece
Start where the delivery will be received and continue to the item’s final position. Include the building entrance, interior doors, hallways, turns, staircases, elevator and the room itself. In an apartment building, check whether the service elevator and loading area have separate access requirements.
Record clear openings rather than nominal door sizes. Handles, frames, closers, railings and light fixtures can reduce the space available. Measure at more than one point if the opening or passage is uneven.
| Location | Record | Remember |
|---|---|---|
| Doorways | Clear width and height | Open-door position, hardware and frame |
| Hallways and turns | Width plus the space available to rotate | The corner before and after the turn |
| Stairs and landings | Clear width, overhead space and landing dimensions | Railings, ceiling slope and changes in direction |
| Elevator | Door opening and interior width, depth and height | A roomy cabin can still have a narrow entrance |
| Final room | Furniture footprint and operating space | Doors, drawers, recliners and extensions |
Get the right dimensions from the product information
Overall assembled dimensions describe the furniture in use. Packaged dimensions describe the carton or protected item that must travel through the building. For a large piece, request missing packaged measurements before relying on the assembled size.
Some products arrive in several cartons, while others remain one rigid piece. Confirm carton count, carton dimensions and whether the delivery team is permitted to unpack the item before moving it through the route. Do not assume that a large sofa separates into modules or that a table base can be removed.
Do not rely on one diagonal calculation
A diagonal can help describe an opening, but it does not prove that a three-dimensional item can turn through it. The space immediately before and after a doorway also matters. Packaging, furniture shape and handling clearance can change what is practical.
Do not plan to remove legs, arms, doors or structural parts unless the manufacturer confirms that this is intended and the delivery service can accommodate it. Hoisting or unusual access should be discussed in advance rather than treated as a delivery-day solution.
Check how the furniture works once inside
For a sofa, measure overall depth as well as width, and include any reclining or pull-out position. For a dining table, test the fully extended footprint. For a sideboard, allow space for its doors and drawers to open.
Mark the floor with tape and walk the routes you use every day. A piece may physically fit inside the room while obstructing a doorway or leaving too little space to use the storage. Check the final layout with the neighboring furniture included.
Confirm the service and building requirements
Read OROA’s current shipping information for the delivery arrangement that applies to the item. Ask about stairs, appointments, unpacking, assembly and any other service you need instead of assuming they are included.
Before placing a large order, send the OROA team the product name, selected configuration and relevant route measurements. Photographs of a tight turn can help explain the situation, but measurements and delivery-service confirmation are still needed. Check building booking rules with your building management.
Questions shoppers ask
Are product dimensions the same as shipping dimensions?
Not necessarily. Assembly, protective materials and carton layout can change the shipped size. Use packaged dimensions for access planning and assembled dimensions for the final room layout.
Can the delivery team remove furniture parts to make it fit?
Do not assume so. Confirm both the manufacturer’s instructions and the scope of the delivery service before ordering.
Will an in-stock sofa definitely fit in my elevator?
Stock and access are separate issues. Compare the actual packaged item with the elevator door, cabin and approach route, and confirm any uncertainty before delivery.
Continue planning your room
- Buying Modern Furniture, Lighting & Décor Online: An OROA Guide
- Round vs. Rectangular Coffee Tables: Which Fits Your Sofa?
- How Many Dining Chairs Fit Around a Table?
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