Length, Width, Depth, Height - clearing up measurements

There are only 3 measurements displayed for every product, which is quite self-explanatory, and those measurements are:

Now, above formula is an industry standard for furniture. When you see some measurement like: Sectional Sofa: 126" W x 67" D x 31" H, you 100% know what that means. However, sometimes people are misunderstanding W & D measurements - with Height everything is pretty much clear.

Slight misunderstanding appears when people are instinctively looking for L or Length (every product should have a length, right?). However, for the ease-of-use L is typically either W or D. We'll explain!

What's Width?

The main rule you'd have to understand - W or Width measurement refers to a product width when we LOOK at it.

Most things are pictured with a clear front reference to viewer (us). For example, let's assume we look at the couch. Its width would be a whole couch width when it faces us. For instance, take a look at sofa picture below. This 'width' (width of product faces us) is 81.5" inches. Now, what would you say this sofa length is? It's 81.5, correct! That's what you'd say when asked to measure a couch length too, correct? Yes, that's right.

81.5" inches for sofa width which is sofa length as well

So, Width is Length then? Can we assume W is L?

Well, essentially, we could write down something like W(L) and would be right. Right? Well, for almost all products that would be true, since in most cases width = length, but not for all of them.

How would that be possible, you ask?

Ok, let's assume you're looking at some bed. Beds are typically pictured from headboard which faces a viewer to a headboard. That applies to beds pictured at angle - in absolute most cases footboard part is the one that faces a viewer.

Now, bed width or W is essentially a measurement from one side of the bed to the other (from one nightstand to another).

88.26" inches is bed 'width' here, while D is only 81"

Beds are perfect example for this since in most cases when you'd be asked what a bed 'length' is - you would measure it from headboard to footboard, correct?

Correct. However, when we do have measurement for a bed this length would essentially be D or depth. By the way, beds can be quite different, and D can be larger measurement than W which it totally normal.

So in this case we could write something like D(L) and be right.

But truth is - L is always omitted, so people don't get confused. Everyone just uses W D H measurement. Just remember:

Measurements are given as you look at the piece.

Width is width and depth can even be larger than width.

Hopefully that clears things up.