Design standards

The numbers behind a comfortable home.

Good interiors are built on a small set of dimensions, clearances and light levels that fit the human body. These are the standards our studio designs to — drawn from the National Building Code of India, the Indian lighting code, international kitchen planning guidelines and decades of Indian joinery practice.

Every tool and calculator on this site uses exactly these values. A designer adapts them to each site and each family.

Dimensions

Kitchen

Element	Standard	Notes	Source
Worktop height (finished)	850–900 mm (2′9″–2′11″)	Elbow height minus ~100 mm. 850 mm suits most users; add 25–50 mm for taller cooks.	NKBA
Worktop depth	600–650 mm (2′0″–2′2″)	600 mm takes standard appliances; 650 mm adds a back ledge for jars.	NKBA
Base unit height (carcass, without legs and top)	720 mm (2′4″)	Standard factory module; legs 100–150 mm make up the rest.	—
Wall unit depth	300–350 mm (1′0″–1′2″)	Deep enough for plates, shallow enough not to hit your head.	—
Worktop to underside of wall units	550–650 mm (1′10″–2′2″)	Lower end for shorter users; keep 650 mm+ above the hob zone.	NKBA
Hob to chimney bottom	650–750 mm (2′2″–2′6″)	Follow the chimney maker; Indian high-heat cooking favours 700–750 mm.	—
Aisle — one cook	1000–1100 mm (3′3″–3′7″)	Clear floor between facing counters / counter and wall.	NKBA
Aisle — two cooks	1200–1500 mm (3′11″–4′11″)	Lets one person pass behind another holding a hot pan.	NKBA
Landing space beside hob	300–450 mm (1′0″–1′6″)	Each side, for setting down vessels.	NKBA
Landing space beside sink	450–600 mm (1′6″–2′0″)	Both sides ideally; at least one side.	NKBA

Dimensions

Bedroom & wardrobe

Element	Standard	Notes	Source
Wardrobe depth (hinged)	560–600 mm (1′10″–2′0″)	Fits a hanger (≈ 450 mm) plus doors and back panel.	—
Wardrobe depth (sliding)	600–650 mm (2′0″–2′2″)	Extra 50 mm for the two shutter tracks.	—
Hanging rod — long garments	1650–1750 mm (5′5″–5′9″)	Rod height from floor for sarees, dresses, coats.	—
Hanging rod — shirts (double hang)	1000–1100 mm (3′3″–3′7″)	Two rods one above the other doubles shirt storage.	—
Clear space in front of hinged wardrobe	750–900 mm (2′6″–2′11″)	Door swing plus standing room.	—
Clear space beside the bed	600–750 mm (2′0″–2′6″)	To walk and make the bed; 450 mm absolute minimum.	—
Clear space at the foot of the bed	750–900 mm (2′6″–2′11″)	More if a wardrobe or dresser faces the bed.	—
Bedside table height	550–650 mm (1′10″–2′2″)	Roughly level with the mattress top.	—

Dimensions

Joinery & furniture

Element	Standard	Notes	Source
Desk / study table height	720–750 mm (2′4″–2′6″)	Pair with an adjustable chair; keyboard tray if lower.	—
Desk depth	600–750 mm (2′0″–2′6″)	750 mm if a monitor sits on the desk.	—
Kitchen tall unit height	2100–2250 mm (6′11″–7′5″)	Usually aligned with the top of the wall units.	—
Plinth / cabinet leg height	100–150 mm (0′4″–0′6″)	Adjustable legs make the floor easy to clean.	—
Loft height above wardrobe or kitchen	600–900 mm (2′0″–2′11″)	Anything taller is hard to reach without a ladder.	—
Wardrobe shelf spacing	300–350 mm (1′0″–1′2″)	Folded clothes; 400 mm for bags and blankets.	—
Drawer front height — shallow / deep	150–300 mm (0′6″–1′0″)	Shallow for cutlery and accessories, deep for vessels and woollens.	—
Shoe cabinet depth	300–350 mm (1′0″–1′2″)	Angled shelves fit in 250 mm.	—
Bookshelf depth	250–300 mm (0′10″–1′0″)		—
TV unit (low cabinet) height	400–450 mm (1′4″–1′6″)		—

Dimensions

Standard Indian bed & mattress sizes

Element	Size (width × length)	Notes	Source
Single	914 × 1905 mm	36 × 75 in (3 × 6.25 ft)	—
Double	1219 × 1905 mm	48 × 75 in	—
Queen	1524 × 1981 mm	60 × 78 in (5 × 6.5 ft)	—
King	1829 × 1981 mm	72 × 78 in (6 × 6.5 ft)	—

Dimensions

Living & dining

Element	Standard	Notes	Source
Sofa seat height	400–450 mm (1′4″–1′6″)		—
Sofa to coffee table	400–450 mm (1′4″–1′6″)	Close enough to reach a cup, far enough for knees.	—
Main walkway through a room	900–1000 mm (2′11″–3′3″)	Minimum comfortable clear passage.	NBC 2016
TV centre height (seated viewing)	1000–1100 mm (3′3″–3′7″)	Roughly seated eye level.	—
Dining table height	740–760 mm (2′5″–2′6″)		—
Width per diner at the table	600 mm (2′0″)		—
Clearance behind a dining chair	900–1000 mm (2′11″–3′3″)	To pull out the chair and pass behind it.	—

Dimensions

Doors, ceilings & stairs

Element	Standard	Notes	Source
Habitable room ceiling height (minimum)	2750 mm (9′0″)	Measured floor to ceiling.	NBC 2016
False ceiling drop for coves / services	150–300 mm (0′6″–1′0″)	Keep ≥ 2.4 m clear under a ceiling fan.	—
Main door width	1000–1050 mm (3′3″–3′5″)	Height 2100 mm. Common Indian practice.	—
Bedroom door width	900 mm (2′11″)	Height 2100 mm.	—
Bathroom door width	750 mm (2′6″)	Height 2100 mm.	—
Stair riser (residential, maximum)	190 mm (0′7″)		NBC 2016
Stair tread (residential, minimum)	250 mm (0′10″)		NBC 2016
Handrail height	900–1000 mm (2′11″–3′3″)	Measured from the nosing of the tread.	NBC 2016

Kitchens

The kitchen work triangle

Each leg 4–9 ft, the three legs together 13–26 ft, and no full-height unit or island corner cutting a leg.

Indian kitchens add two working points the triangle doesn't cover — the water purifier and the mixer-grinder — so we plan sockets and counter space for both inside the triangle, never across a walkway.

Check your kitchen →

Rule	Value
Each leg (sink–hob, hob–fridge, fridge–sink)	4–9 ft
Sum of the three legs	13–26 ft
Aisle, one cook	1000–1100 mm (3′3″–3′7″)
Aisle, two cooks	1200–1500 mm (3′11″–4′11″)

Lighting

Recommended light levels by room

Maintained illuminance in lux, in line with IS 3646 and the National Building Code. Layer ambient, task and accent light on separate switches.

Room	Ambient (lux)	Colour temperature	Task / accent
Living room	150–300	2700–3000 K	Reading corner 300 lux
Dining	150–200	2700–3000 K	Pendant over the table
Kitchen	300–500	3000–4000 K	Worktop task light 500 lux
Bedroom	100–150	2700 K	Bedside reading 300 lux
Children's room	200–300	3000–4000 K	Study desk 500 lux
Study / home office	300–500	4000 K	Desk 500 lux
Bathroom	150–300	3000–4000 K	Mirror 300–500 lux
Pooja room	150–200	2700 K	Accent on the idol / mandir
Corridor / stairs	100–150	3000 K	Step lights at night
Office work area	300–500	4000 K	Workstations 500 lux
Retail floor	300–750	3000–4000 K	Display accent 2–3× ambient

Work out how many lights you need →

Measurement

How quantities are measured

Rule	Value
Paintable area (walls + ceilings)	3.5 × carpet area
False ceiling in a home	about 60% of carpet area
False ceiling in an office	about 80% of floor area
Built-up area	carpet area × 1.1–1.2
Super built-up loading (apartments)	25–40% on carpet area
Kitchen cabinetry by home size	1 BHK 10 rft · 2 BHK 12 rft · 3 BHK 14 rft · 4 BHK 16 rft
Wardrobe front per bedroom	50 sq ft (7 × 7 ft)

Carpet area is defined in Section 2(k) of the RERA Act, 2016. Convert between the three in the carpet area calculator.

Wastage & coverage

Allowances when ordering

Material	Allowance
Tiles, straight lay	5–8%
Tiles, diagonal / herringbone	10–15%
Wood / laminate flooring	5–10%
Wallpaper	10–15%
Emulsion paint coverage	100–140 sq ft per litre per coat
Primer coverage	100–120 sq ft per litre
Wall putty	about 1 kg per 10–15 sq ft for two coats

Paint calculator · Tile calculator · Wallpaper calculator

Rules of thumb

Eight design rules we work by

60-30-10 colour rule

60% dominant colour (walls, large surfaces), 30% secondary (furniture, curtains), 10% accent (cushions, art, a feature wall).

Kitchen work triangle

Sink, hob and fridge 4–9 ft apart, 13–26 ft in total, with no tall unit breaking a leg.

Rule of thirds

Place focal points — art, a niche, a pendant — on the third lines of a wall or room rather than dead centre.

Layered lighting

Every room gets ambient + task + accent light on separate switches; task areas need roughly twice the ambient lux.

Scale & proportion

A rug should let at least the front legs of all seating sit on it; artwork about two-thirds the width of the furniture below it.

Clear circulation

Keep a 900 mm clear path through every room and 750 mm around beds and tables.

Odd groupings

Accessories read best in groups of three or five at varied heights.

Contrast for function

Switches, handles and step edges should contrast with their background for older eyes.

Sources

Standards are guidelines: structural, fire and accessibility requirements for your building always take precedence. See also our pricing & rate card.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the standard kitchen counter height in India?

Most finished worktops are 850–900 mm (2′9″–2′11″) high. A useful rule is elbow height minus about 100 mm; the sink zone can sit slightly higher to save your back.

What is the kitchen work triangle?

The three paths between sink, hob and refrigerator. Each leg 4–9 ft, the three legs together 13–26 ft, and no full-height unit or island corner cutting a leg. Our kitchen calculator checks it for you.

How deep should a wardrobe be?

560–600 mm (1′10″–2′0″) for hinged doors and 600–650 mm (2′0″–2′2″) for sliding doors, which need room for two tracks.

How much space should I leave around a bed?

600–750 mm (2′0″–2′6″) on the sides you walk past and 750–900 mm (2′6″–2′11″) at the foot. Try it in the room planner.

How much light does a room need?

Living rooms 150–300 lux, bedrooms 100–150 lux, kitchens 300–500 lux and desks about 500 lux. The lighting calculator turns that into a number of fittings.

What is the minimum ceiling height for a room?

The National Building Code of India sets 2750 mm for habitable rooms. Keep at least 2.4 m clear under a ceiling fan when you add a false ceiling.

Want these numbers applied to your floor plan?

Our designers check every room against these standards before anything is built.

Book a consultation