TV unit, sideboard, chest of drawers, console table: what heights and what dimensions?

No standard sets the height of a low storage unit: the benchmarks below are usage benchmarks, named as such, and the dimensions recorded in the model titles in the catalogue that give their three dimensions (length, depth, height, sometimes in a different order: the largest horizontal dimension is the length).

TV unit height

Of the nine TV units in the catalogue whose title gives all three dimensions, the height ranges from 38.7 cm (HAY Combination 104) to 60 cm (Zuiver Faces), with a median of 50 cm (Home Design New Line, Metallbude Tavir at 52 cm, Mustard Made The Standard at 57 cm). The usage benchmark aims for the centre of the screen at eye level of a seated person, or slightly below, i.e. 90 to 105 cm from the floor in front of a standard sofa. The larger the screen, the lower the unit can be.

Wall-mounted TV unit height

A wall-mounted unit is adjusted by its top, which supports the screen: fix it so that this top reaches the height of a floor-standing unit, 45 to 60 cm from the floor. Its underside is then 15 to 30 cm from the floor depending on its own height, which allows the vacuum cleaner to pass underneath and visually lightens the wall.

TV unit dimensions

Usage benchmark: a TV unit 25 to 35 cm wider than the screen, so that the image doesn't overflow and you can place a speaker or lamp on either side. A 55-inch screen measures 122 cm wide: aim for a unit of 150 to 160 cm. The depth ranges from 29.5 cm (Home Design Serenity) to 50 cm (Custom Form): check that it exceeds that of your television's stand.

Chest of drawers height

Excluding tall units such as the Hübsch Read (190 cm), the chests of drawers in the catalogue range from 70 cm (Frama Ratio) to 112 cm (Zuiver Rise, a narrow model close to a tallboy): TCR Oréa at 80 cm, Hartô Marius at 90 cm, Ferm Living Kuben at 107 cm. The usage benchmark places the top of a bedroom chest of drawers between 80 and 100 cm, at hip height: you can place a trinket dish or lamp on it without bending down, and the top drawer opens without raising your elbow.

Sideboard dimensions

Of 32 sideboards in the catalogue whose title gives all three dimensions unambiguously, the height ranges from 44 cm (Normann Copenhagen Hybrid) to 98 cm (Dutchbone Herman), with a median of 65 cm and half the models between 55 and 74 cm. The depth is between 30 and 51 cm, most often 40 to 45 cm, enough for dinner plates. The lengths range from 75 cm (UMAGE Treasures) to 262 cm (Muuto Stacked).

Hallway console height

A hallway console is used whilst standing: the usage benchmark places its top between 75 and 90 cm, slightly below the elbow, to place keys and post on it without bending down. This is the range of the consoles in the catalogue: Tolix 55 at 74 cm, Zuiver Brave at 75 cm, Dutchbone Savone at 80 cm, Ferm Living Feve at 85 cm, Metallbude Ria at 86 cm, Hartô Marius at 90 cm.

Console dimensions

Its depth is what distinguishes it from a sideboard: 20 to 35 cm in a corridor, up to 46 to 49 cm in a large hall (Versmissen Ray and Nami). Allow 80 to 90 cm of clearance in front of it. The lengths range from 90 cm (Tolix 55) to 170 cm (Ethnicraft Stability). All sizes are in the console collection.

TV unit height from the floor

The calculation starts from the screen, not the unit. A 16:9 screen measures 87% of its diagonal in width and 49% in height: the table below gives these dimensions, excluding the frame, for five common diagonals. Subtract from the target height for the centre of the screen (90 to 105 cm) half the height of the screen and the height of its stand, here counted at 5 cm: you obtain the unit height. A 65-inch screen accommodates a unit of 45 to 60 cm, a 43-inch screen requires 58 to 73 cm, so rather a chest of drawers or a tall sideboard in a bedroom.

Wall-mounted TV unit height from the floor

Fix the unit so that its top reaches the height given by the table: the bottom is then, depending on the model, between 15 and 30 cm from the floor. Below 15 cm, the floor becomes difficult to clean and the unit appears to be standing; above 35 cm, the screen sits too high. A wall-mounted unit loaded with a screen and equipment is heavy: fix it to a load-bearing wall or to the studs of a partition wall, with fixings suitable for the support and following the manufacturer's instructions. The Woud Array is available in a wall-mounted version, in 150 cm. Conversely, a very low unit such as the HAY Combination 104 (38.7 cm) suits a large screen or a low sofa.

Width and depth

The unit extends beyond the screen by 25 to 35 cm in total: 150 to 160 cm for a 55-inch screen, 170 to 180 cm for a 65-inch screen. Depth-wise, 35 to 40 cm is sufficient for a screen with a central stand; a screen with stands spread apart at the ends requires checking the spacing of the stands against the length of the unit. Allow for cable management at the back or a unit set a few centimetres away from the wall. The models are in the TV unit collection.

Three configurations support a television in the catalogue: the floor-standing TV unit, the wall-mounted TV unit and the freestanding TV stand. Each addresses screen height, floor space and storage differently.

The floor-standing TV unit

The floor-standing TV unit fixes the screen height once and for all: its height, 38.7 to 60 cm depending on the model in the catalogue, must therefore match the screen size. It requires no drilling and offers the most storage. The Metallbude Tavir measures 180 × 40 cm and is 52 cm high.

The wall-mounted TV unit

The wall-mounted TV unit adjusts to the centimetre: you choose the height of its top, between 45 and 60 cm from the floor. The floor remains clear beneath the unit. On the other hand, it requires a load-bearing wall or the studs of a partition. The wall-mounted Woud Array measures 150 cm long, 37 cm deep and 25 cm high.

The freestanding TV stand

The freestanding TV stand supports the screen without a unit: it suits a wall you don't want to drill or a room with no available wall, in front of a bay window for example. The Pedestal stands in the catalogue measure 102 to 121 cm high: 107 × 78 × 54 cm for the Moon Rollin', 79 × 43 × 117 cm for the Rover. A freestanding stand offers no storage: plan another piece of furniture for equipment. The models are in the Pedestal collection.

To choose: a floor-standing TV unit if you have equipment and objects to store, a wall-mounted TV unit if the height of a floor-standing model doesn't suit your screen, a freestanding stand if the wall can neither accommodate a unit nor be drilled.

A soundbar changes three dimensions of the TV unit: the free height under the screen, the depth of the top and, if the soundbar is stored in the unit, the size of the compartment. Whatever the make of the soundbar (Sonos, Bose or another), note its length, depth and height from the manufacturer's datasheet before choosing the unit.

Soundbar placed in front of the screen

Placed on the TV unit, the soundbar slides under the screen. Its height must remain lower than that of the television stand, counted as 5 cm in this guide's calculations: a higher soundbar obscures the bottom of the image. In this case, fix the screen to the wall a few centimetres higher, or store the soundbar in a compartment.

Depth of the TV unit with a soundbar

The top receives the television stand and the soundbar, one behind the other: add the two depths together. In the catalogue, the depth of a TV unit ranges from 29.5 cm (Home Design Serenity) to 50 cm (Custom Form). With a television with spaced-apart feet, also check that the soundbar fits between the two feet.

Soundbar in a compartment or on a shelf

In an open compartment, leave the front of the soundbar flush with the unit, without recess, so that the sound is not reflected by the sides. A soundbar with speakers directed towards the ceiling should not be placed in a compartment: keep it on the top. On a Pedestal floor stand TV mount, Pedestal offers a Pipe shelf measuring 99 × 18 cm: it accommodates a soundbar whose depth does not exceed 18 cm. The speakers in the catalogue are in the speaker and turntable collection.

Low or tall sideboard

The low sideboard, or credenza, at 55 to 75 cm, keeps the wall free for a mirror or poster and serves as a side table next to the dining table: at 75 cm (Zuiver Barbier, Home Design Arista, Oréa haut by The Cool Republic), its top aligns with the height of the dining table. The tall sideboard or dresser, at 85 to 130 cm (HKliving at 89 cm, Hartô Marius at 130 cm), provides more storage on a reduced footprint, at the cost of an occupied wall.

Distance between table and sideboard

Leave 90 cm between the edge of the table and the sideboard: this is the recommended clearance in our dining table guide for pulling back a chair and passing behind. Therefore, in a dining room, allow for the depth of the sideboard (40 to 50 cm) plus 90 cm, plus half the width of the table, from the wall to the centre line of the table.

What size mirror above a sideboard

Follow the guidelines from our mirror guide: a mirror centred on the sideboard, two-thirds to three-quarters the width of the unit, i.e. 80 to 120 cm for a 160 to 180 cm sideboard, with its lower edge 15 to 25 cm above the top. The same rule applies to a poster or painting, detailed in our poster and frame guide.

A low sideboard as a TV unit

In the living room, a low sideboard at 45 to 60 cm makes a more spacious TV unit than a dedicated model: Gazzda offers its Fina as a low sideboard in 150 and 180 cm and as a TV unit in 160 and 200 cm, with a depth of 45 cm. Check that one of the doors or a recess allows cables to pass through. The wooden models are in the wooden sideboard collection.

Chest of drawers or tallboy

A chest of drawers, 80 to 100 cm high and 80 to 160 cm long, offers a top surface for placing items and three or four wide drawers. A tallboy, taller and narrower (Zuiver Rise, 45 cm wide by 112 cm high), stores just as much with a reduced floor footprint, in a bedroom where every metre of wall space counts. Ferm Living Kuben (90 x 45 x 107 cm) sits between the two.

The space in front of the drawers

A chest of drawers drawer opens 35 to 45 cm, the depth of the unit. Usage guideline: leave 90 cm clear in front of the chest of drawers to open the drawer and stand in front; 70 cm is sufficient for a tallboy with shallower drawers. At the foot of a bed, check that the open drawer does not touch the bed frame.

A chest of drawers beneath a screen

In a bedroom, an 80 to 90 cm chest of drawers readily accommodates a small screen: the table in the previous section shows that a 43-inch requires a unit of 58 to 73 cm, and that it is often viewed from the bed, higher than a sofa. In that case, fix the screen to the wall or on a stable stand. The models are in the chest of drawers collection.

Height of the TV unit in a bedroom, facing the bed

In a bedroom, the screen is watched from the bed, leaning against the headboard: the eyes are higher than on a sofa. Measure this height on site, sitting in bed, from the floor to the eyes: this is the height to aim for the centre of the screen.

The calculation remains the same as for the living room. A 43-inch screen measures 54 cm high: with a 5 cm stand, its centre is 32 cm above the unit. Placed on The Cool Republic's Oréa chest of drawers (80 cm high), the centre of the screen is 112 cm from the floor. On the Hartô Marius chest of drawers (90 cm), it is 122 cm. A Pedestal floor TV stand, 102 to 121 cm high, avoids drilling the bedroom wall. Chests of drawers are in the chest of drawers collection.

Low TV unit and young children

With young children, three precautions are added to the choice of height.

• Secure the unit. A freestanding TV unit is connected to the wall by an anti-tip attachment, as soon as a child can pull on an open drawer or hang from it.
• Secure the screen. A television placed on its stand tilts forward if pulled: fix the screen to the wall, or attach it to the wall with a strap.
• Close the storage. Drawers or doors put appliances and cables out of reach, which an open compartment does not. The Barber TV unit by Matière Grise, in steel, measures 160 x 35 cm, is 41 cm high and has three drawers.

A wall-mounted TV unit eliminates the risk of the unit tipping over, provided it is fixed to a load-bearing wall or to the uprights of a partition. Closed units are in the TV units collection.

Console and narrow hallway

In a 110 cm wide entrance, a 30 cm deep console leaves 80 cm clearance: this is the minimum recommended spacing. Below this, choose a 20 to 25 cm console such as the Yamazaki (126 x 20.5 x 65 cm), lower in height and fitted with a shelf, or a wall shelf positioned 80 to 90 cm from the floor.

Console and mirror

Above a 75 to 90 cm console, our mirror guide recommends 15 to 25 cm between the top and the bottom of the mirror, and a mirror narrower than the console. Add a lamp and a trinket tray: three items are enough on a 30 cm top. Coat hooks and the entrance bench have their own dimensions, in our coat rack and hook guide. Wooden consoles are in the wooden console collection.

Bookcase dimensions

A bookcase is sized by its books. Rule of thumb: 25 to 30 cm depth for standard books, 35 cm for large formats or vinyl records, whose sleeves measure 31.4 cm per side. In height, 180 to 220 cm remain accessible without a step stool; for a 250 cm bookcase reaching the ceiling, a modular system (String, wall shelves on uprights) adjusts to the centimetre.

Bookcase shelf height

Rule of thumb for spacing between two shelves: 25 to 30 cm for standard books, 35 to 40 cm for large formats, which are placed at the bottom, where the shelf is most stable. Reserve the shelf at eye level, between 140 and 170 cm, for the books you consult most often.

Shelf dimensions

A wall shelf measures between 20 and 30 cm in depth. Rule of thumb: beyond 80 cm span between two fixings, a loaded wooden shelf will sag; add a bracket or upright. See the shelf collection.

Wardrobe: height and depth

A wardrobe requires 55 to 60 cm depth for hangers to fit facing forward (rule of thumb). In height, check the assembly: a wardrobe assembled lying down is raised by pivoting, and its side diagonal must pass under the ceiling. A 240 x 60 cm wardrobe has a diagonal of 247 cm: it stands up under a 250 cm ceiling, just barely. Models are in the wardrobe collection and the bookcase collection.

Solid wood

Solid oak, ash or walnut (Hartô Marius, Zuiver Barbier, Ferm Living Kuben): heavy, stable, it can be sanded and re-oiled after years of use. It moves with humidity: leave a few centimetres between the piece of furniture and a radiator.

Veneer

A thin sheet of fine wood glued onto a panel (noo.ma Hido, Ferm Living Parcel, Dutchbone Herman): the appearance of wood, with large doors that move less than solid wood. It can be cleaned with a damp cloth but cannot be sanded deeply.

Steel

Lacquered steel (Metallbude Tavir, Mustard Made The Standard) creates slender, colourful pieces of furniture that are easy to clean, which mark from impacts but not from liquids. Its metal doors resonate a little more than wood: a detail in a living room where you listen to music. Oak furniture is gathered in the oak storage furniture collection.

A 65-inch screen facing a sofa, 320 cm wall

The screen measures 144 cm wide and 81 cm high: the unit should be 170 to 180 cm long and 45 to 60 cm high. The Metallbude Tavir (180 × 40 × 52 cm) places, with a 5 cm foot, the centre of the screen at 97.5 cm from the floor, in the middle of the range; 70 cm of wall remain on each side for two lamps or shelves.

A dining room with a 200 cm table

A Hartô Marius low sideboard measuring 185 × 45 × 65 cm, centred on the table, 90 cm from its edge. Above, a mirror 120 to 140 cm wide, two thirds to three quarters of the sideboard, whose bottom sits 15 to 25 cm above the top, i.e. 80 to 90 cm from the floor.

Switching from a standing TV unit to a wall-mounted TV unit allows you to correct screen height. Example: a 55-inch screen on a 40 cm unit has the centre of the image at 79.5 cm from the floor, below the 90 to 105 cm range. The steps below give the new dimension.

1. Measure the existing setup. Note the height of the current unit, the height of the TV stand and the screen height without the bezel: 69 cm for a 55-inch.
2. Calculate the top height. Target height for the centre of the screen, minus half the screen height, minus the stand. For a 55-inch, the top of the unit is between 51 and 60 cm from the floor.
3. Work out the bottom. Subtract the unit height. The wall-mounted Woud Array measures 25 cm high: with a top at 55 cm, its bottom is at 30 cm from the floor and the centre of a 55-inch at 94.5 cm.
4. Identify the wall. Load-bearing wall, or hollow partition where you must locate the studs: fix to the studs, never to the plasterboard alone.
5. Mark and fix. Mark the top line with a spirit level, then fix the unit with fixings suitable for the support, following the manufacturer's instructions.
6. Route the cables. A wall-mounted unit exposes the wall beneath it: group the cables behind the unit or in trunking, and check that a socket is at its height.
7. Check whilst seated. Replace the screen, sit on the sofa and check that the centre of the image is at eye level or slightly below.

The wall-mounted Woud Array is available in oak, black oak and walnut, in 150 cm length. Other models are in the TV unit collection.

Oiled wood: damp cloth, oil once a year on the top, local sanding of a ring mark. Varnished, lacquered or veneered wood: soapy water, never use abrasives or silicone-based products. Lacquered steel: damp cloth; a scratch can be touched up with paint in the same shade. Stone and travertine (Dutchbone Arda): wipe up liquids immediately, water repellent once a year. Adjust hinges and slides once a year: a rubbing door will eventually mark the front. A TV unit or tall sideboard must be fixed to the wall with an anti-tip restraint if children might hang from it.

What orders placed on The Cool Republic between January and September 2026 in the TV units collection show. Shares are counted by number of orders, not by quantities, so that a large purchase carries no more weight than another.

The most requested brands

In order of orders: Pedestal, Metallbude, Home Design, Woud.

The most ordered models since January

• Array 150 cm oak wall-mounted TV unit, Woud
• Tavir black steel TV unit 180x40x52cm, Metallbude
• Fawn oiled whitened oak TV unit with 2 drawers, Gazzda
• Viva pink metal TV stand 45x102cm, Pedestal
• New Line beige wood TV unit with feet 180x35x50cm, Home Design

• Choosing the height of the TV unit without considering the screen: a 43-inch set on a 40 cm unit puts the centre of the image 72 cm from the floor, well below eye level.
• Taking a TV unit narrower than the screen: a 75-inch measures 166 cm wide; on a 150 cm unit, it overhangs and becomes unstable.
• Fixing a wall-mounted TV unit in a hollow partition without finding the studs: loaded with a screen and equipment, it tears out its fixings.
• Placing a sideboard 60 cm from the table: chairs no longer push back; keep 90 cm.
• Sliding a 45 cm deep console table into a 110 cm corridor: only 65 cm of passage remains; aim for 20 to 30 cm.
• Forgetting the assembly diagonal of a wardrobe: a 240 x 60 cm wardrobe requires 247 cm of ceiling height to be stood upright.