There are more times than I can count when I am in the middle of a project and think to myself, “what is the standard size of “x”?” or “how high should I hang “y”?”  Whether it is trying to figure out the distance between a table top and light fixture or where the toilet paper holder should be with respect to the toilet, the devil is in the details.  If you get the answer to these questions wrong, the room just won’t look or feel right.

Thankfully, the wonder of the internet brings us answers to all the questions we have (and some we may not even know we have).  I find myself going back to certain resources time and time again for answers to these questions (because I of course forget the answers in between projects).  So, I thought I would share my favorites here.

One of my all time favorites is ThisOldHouse.com.  The site offers advice on basic design questions that come up all the time.  The illustrations below are indicative of the no-nonsense advice you can find there.  When I want to know the correct height of my towel bar or the distance between the bottom of a pendant light and the top of a countertop, I am sure to find the answer here.

My other trusty resource is the guide provided on buzzfeed.com.  The information on BuzzFeed is a little more decor-oriented.  For example, along with provides lists of dimensions of furniture, it also illustrates the right way to decorate a mantle or hang curtains (among many, many other things).  See below.

If you are working on a project, large or small, I highly recommend taking a look at these sites.  Or, even if you aren’t working on anything at the moment bookmark them for future reference.  You’ll be glad you did.