Room planning calculators

The finishing decisions that make a room work: what size rug anchors the space, how much light it needs, how wide the curtain rod should be, how many panels give the fullness you want, and how far the couch should sit from the TV.

Room Planning calculators

Rug Size Calculator

Find the largest standard area rug that leaves a balanced floor border.

Room Planning

Curtain Size Calculator

Size the rod, curtain length, and number of panels for the fullness you want.

Room Planning

Lighting Calculator

Work out lumens and how many bulbs or fixtures a room needs for its use.

Room Planning

TV Viewing Distance Calculator

Find the seating distance range for a TV size, or the TV size for your couch.

Room Planning

Room Planning workflow

Work through it in order.

Each step feeds the next, so the measurement you trust becomes the quantity you buy.

  1. Step 01 Size up the room Room Size Calculator: Floor, wall, and ceiling area. Open calculator
  2. Step 02 Refresh the walls Paint Calculator: Gallons from coverage and coats. Open calculator
  3. Step 03 Choose the floor Flooring Calculator: Boxes with waste shown. Open calculator
  4. Step 04 Anchor the floor Rug Size Calculator: A rug that fits the room. Open calculator
  5. Step 05 Dress the windows Curtain Size Calculator: Rod width, panels, and length. Open calculator
  6. Step 06 Set the seating TV Viewing Distance Calculator: Screen size for your couch. Open calculator

Keep assumptions visible from start to finish

A box, roll, sheet, or gallon is a purchasing unit, and the label is the best source for its coverage. Enter that coverage directly rather than relying on a generic number, then carry the same room measurements from one calculator to the next.

Waste depends on room shape, pattern, cuts, seams, installer experience, and material. Use each allowance field as an explicit planning control, then confirm your final order against the product and installation instructions.

Room Planning guides

Short, practical answers to go with the calculators.

All guides
Room Planning guide

What size rug do I need?

Rug sizes for living rooms, bedrooms, and dining rooms, with the floor-border rule and placement layouts.
Room Planning guide

How to budget a room makeover

Build a room budget line by line: paint, flooring, tile, trim, and supplies, with a contingency you choose.
Room Planning guide

How to measure for curtains

Rod width, extension past the frame, fullness, and length, with the math to count panels.
Room Planning guide

How many lumens do I need for a room?

Foot-candles, lumens per square foot by room, and how to turn a target into a bulb count.
Room Planning guide

What size TV for my room? Viewing distance explained

How the 30° and 40° viewing-angle guidelines turn into seating distances and screen sizes.

Common questions

In what order should I plan a room?

Measure first, then work from the top down: ceiling, walls, floor, trim, and finally furnishings such as curtains and the TV.

How wide should curtains be?

Size them to the rod, not the window. Panels together are usually 2 to 3 times the rod length.

How far should the couch be from the TV?

Roughly 1.2 to 1.6 times the screen diagonal for a 16:9 TV, which corresponds to a 40° to 30° viewing angle.