It is worth planning an evening with a book on a new sofa before you buy it, rather than at the moment the furniture arrives at your door. Bringing in a sofa will be possible if you compare the largest dimension of the furniture with the actual door clearance, elevator dimensions, and the space required for turning on the staircase. Measure not only the width of the passageway but also its height, depth, and any obstacles along the way.
Do not assume that a wide front door solves the whole problem. A sofa might get stuck on a low door frame, in a cramped elevator cabin, or on a staircase landing turn. Before you choose a model from our sofas, prepare a simple route plan from the entrance to the spot where the furniture will be placed.
At IWC HOME, we design sofas so that clean form goes hand in hand with everyday comfort. If the access to your apartment is challenging, consider the modular collections Muto, Moyo, and Sendo. Individual elements are easier to bring in separately and then combine into a composition tailored to your living room.
List of measurements before delivery
Start with the passage that has the smallest dimension. Do not measure "by eye" and do not base your decision solely on the opening dimensions in your apartment floor plan. Take a tape measure, a piece of paper, and record every result in centimeters.
- Front door - measure the width and height of the clearance when the door is fully open. Check if the handle, door closer, or molding reduces the passage.
- Door frame and hallway - record the depth of the door frame and the width of the hallway just behind the door. This is where there is often a lack of space for changing the sofa's angle.
- Elevator - measure the width and height of the cabin door, as well as its internal width, depth, and height. Compare these with the dimensions of the package or the sofa element, not just the dimensions of the finished piece of furniture.
- Staircase turn - measure the width of the flight, the length of the landing, the height above the steps, and the distance from the corner to the opposite wall. You need space to turn the furniture.
- Apartment and living room doors - check all subsequent passages, including interior doors. A wide hallway will not help if the sofa cannot pass through the entrance to the room.
- Obstacles along the route - take into account handrails, mailboxes, radiators, protruding structures, low ceilings, and sharp turns.
Prepare a sketch of the route with dimensions and photos of difficult spots. Before ordering, read the information on the Delivery and pickup of orders page. If you have any doubts, describe the layout of your entrance, elevator, and staircase to an advisor instead of assuming that the standard delivery route will suffice.
How to measure a door before furniture delivery?
The most important thing is the actual clearance, i.e., the free space through which the sofa will pass. Open the door as wide as possible, measure the distance between the narrowest points, and subtract elements that cannot be safely bypassed. Also, measure the height from the floor to the lowest fixed point of the door frame.
When comparing dimensions, remember that a sofa can be brought in vertically, sideways, or at an angle. However, such a maneuver requires additional space in the hallway and at turns. Bringing in a sofa is not safe to plan solely on the basis of door width, because success often depends on the ability to turn.
Prepare three sets of data: the maximum dimension of the element, the smallest clearance on the route, and the space for turning. If any of these are borderline, do not risk a decision without consultation. Details regarding a specific model can be found on the product card, and we have collected additional answers in our FAQ.
| Route element | What to measure? | What can hinder passage? | Decision before purchase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Door | Width and height of clearance | Handle, door frame, door not opening fully | Compare clearance with sofa element dimensions |
| Elevator | Door, cabin width, depth, and height | Shallow cabin, low ceiling, narrow entrance | Check if the element also fits when the door is closed |
| Staircase | Width of flight, landing, and turn | Handrail, tight corner, low space above stairs | Assess the possibility of turning the furniture at an angle |
| Apartment hallway | Width of passage and length of straight section | Interior doors, radiator, built-in furniture | Plan the route all the way to the target room |
Modular or uniform sofa
When the elevator is small and the staircase has a tight turn, modular sofas like Muto, Moyo, and Sendo can be the solution. Each module is carried separately, which facilitates passage through difficult spots. Once set up, you can adjust the layout to your home's daily rhythm: more space for a family evening, a chaise longue for reading, or a simpler line along the wall.
Core and Loop sofas are worth considering if the delivery route is straightforward and you want a ready-made, defined shape. Before choosing, check the dimensions of the selected configuration and compare them with your recorded access plan. The price depends on size, fabric, and module configuration, so make your transport decision in parallel with choosing the furniture version.
A modular sofa offers greater flexibility during delivery and subsequent decorating, but it will not work if you are looking strictly for a single, predetermined shape without the possibility of changes. Conversely, a uniform sofa may require an easier transport route, even if it visually fits the interior well.
It is worth combining the delivery of a sofa with a decision on the finish. Velour, bouclé, structural fabrics, and Velvet gloss look different in the morning light than they do in the evening by a lamp. Order free fabric samples via the form on the website and view them in your home, next to the floor, walls, and wooden legs in oak shades.
When choosing a model, also ask about the construction and type of filling indicated on the product card. These elements influence the feel of the seat and how it will be used for years to come. A deep, soft seat is great for relaxing after work, but it may make it uncomfortable to sit with a laptop for several hours.
Space for a sofa in the living room
After successful delivery, all that remains is the calm placement of the furniture. In the morning, the sofa can be a place for coffee and a moment of silence, and in the evening, a meeting point for household members. Measure the wall and the space in front of the sofa before choosing its width and module layout.
Leave a minimum of 80 cm of free passage between the sofa and other furniture or a wall on the main traffic route. If there is a rug in front of the sofa, slide it out from under the front legs enough to optically connect the relaxation zone. At the coffee table, typically maintain about 40-45 cm of distance from the seat so you can sit comfortably and set down a mug.
If you are decorating a smaller living room, Muto, Moyo, and Sendo modules make it easier to match the layout to the room's proportions. In a larger space, you can expand the composition without losing material consistency. The same fabrics and wood finishes in different pieces of furniture help create a peaceful whole instead of a set of random elements.
Before making a final decision, see the sofas in available configurations and check if the chosen model matches both the dimensions of the living room and the delivery route. If you are planning changes in the future, a modular layout gives you more freedom than furniture with a fixed form.
Frequently asked questions
Will the sofa fit through the door and elevator?
A sofa will fit through the door and elevator if the dimensions of its element are smaller than the actual door clearance and the interior dimensions of the cabin. Check the width and height of the elevator entrance, as well as its depth. Factor in the space needed to position the furniture at an angle.
What is more important: door width or staircase turn?
Both measurements are important, but the staircase turn more often determines transport difficulty. Even if the sofa fits through the door, it may not be possible to turn it on the landing. Measure the width of the flight, the size of the landing, and the distance from the corner to the opposite wall.
When is it worth choosing a modular sofa?
A modular sofa is a good choice if you have a narrow elevator, tight doors, or stairs with a sharp turn. Muto, Moyo, and Sendo consist of elements that can be moved in separately. This solution also helps if you want to change the layout of your relaxation zone later on.
Where can I check delivery policies before ordering?
You can find current information on the Delivery and pickup of orders page and in the FAQ. If your delivery route has unusual constraints, contact an advisor before purchasing. Previously prepared dimensions and photos will help assess the situation more quickly.
Before you order, measure the entire route, check the dimensions of the chosen model, and compare them with your entrance, elevator, and staircase. Call an advisor at +48 530 457 457, available from Monday to Saturday between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM, to calmly discuss the delivery of your sofa and choose a solution tailored to your home.