Bench and Hall Tree Size Guide for Entryways

A bench and hall tree size guide works when you measure your corner first, compare those measurements to a size chart, and test the footprint on the floor before you buy, rather than trusting a photograph, a product name like small or large, or a single width number on a listing. Hall trees and benches vary widely by product, so sizes in this guide are typical ranges, approximately, and you should always check the listing for the exact piece you are considering, because sizes vary and a few centimetres can decide whether a hall tree blocks a door, narrows a walkway, or fits perfectly.

Key takeaways

• Measure width, depth, and height in your corner, at several heights, plus door swing arcs and the walkway you must keep clear.
• Bench seat height is typically approximately 45 to 50 cm, bench depth approximately 35 to 50 cm, and hall tree height approximately 170 to 200 cm, approximately, varying by product.
• Hall tree width is typically approximately 90 to 180 cm, with small pieces around 90 to 120 cm, medium pieces around 120 to 150 cm, and large family pieces around 150 to 180 cm or more, approximately.
• Test the footprint with masking tape on the floor, then walk past it, open doors fully, and sit on an imaginary bench, before you buy.
• Anchor any tall hall tree to the wall, following its instructions, and get landlord permission before drilling if you rent.
• If a hall tree would narrow the walkway below a comfortable width, choose a bench plus hooks, or a shoe rack plus hooks, instead.

Measure Your Corner the Right Way

Start with width, depth, and height, in that order, and measure each one at several points, not just once. Width is the wall length available for the hall tree, measured from the corner outwards along the wall, at floor level, at bench height, and at hook height, because a wall that is wide at the floor can be narrower higher up, where a door frame, a light switch, or a skirting board sticks out. Write down the smallest width at each height, because the smallest width is the width that matters.

Depth is how far the piece will stick out into the room, from the wall to the front edge of the bench or shoe rack. Depth decides whether you can walk past comfortably, and whether a door can open fully, and it is the measurement most people underestimate. Measure depth from the wall, not from the skirting board, and add a little room for coats that hang on hooks, because a coat on a hook sticks out further than the back panel of a hall tree, and a bag on a hook sticks out further still.

Height is the total height of the hall tree, from the floor to the top of the back panel, including any top shelf or decorative top. Measure the ceiling height, and check for lights, beams, or picture rails that could get in the way, and check that a tall hall tree will not block a light or a window. A hall tree that is too tall for a low ceiling will look cramped, and a hall tree that blocks a light will make the corner dark, even if it fits in width and depth.

Then measure the door swing arcs, as in the earlier guides, and the walkway you must keep clear, approximately 75 to 90 cm as a general comfort guide, not a building code. Mark the arcs and the walkway on the floor with masking tape, and walk through the corner, carrying a bag, opening each door fully, and sitting down on an imaginary bench, to see if the space feels comfortable, or if it feels tight. That walk through, with tape on the floor, will tell you more than any size chart alone.

Size Chart: Benches and Hall Trees

The chart below gives typical ranges, approximately, for benches and hall trees, to help you shortlist pieces, not to replace checking a listing. Sizes vary by product, country, and maker, so always check the exact width, depth, and height for the piece you are considering, including whether the width includes side panels, whether the depth includes a bench cushion, and whether the height includes a top shelf.

Size chart:

• Small bench, no back: width approximately 60 to 90 cm, depth approximately 30 to 40 cm, seat height approximately 45 to 50 cm, best for one or two people, a tight corner, or a hallway where floor space is very limited.
• Medium bench, no back: width approximately 90 to 120 cm, depth approximately 35 to 45 cm, seat height approximately 45 to 50 cm, best for a couple, or a small family, with shoe storage underneath.
• Small hall tree: width approximately 90 to 120 cm, depth approximately 40 to 50 cm, height approximately 170 to 185 cm, hooks approximately 165 to 175 cm for most adults, best for a tight corner that needs hooks, a bench, and shoe storage in one piece.
• Medium hall tree: width approximately 120 to 150 cm, depth approximately 40 to 50 cm, height approximately 180 to 195 cm, best for a family, with room for several coats, a bench, and shoe storage, provided the corner is wide enough and the walkway stays clear.
• Large hall tree: width approximately 150 to 180 cm or more, depth approximately 45 to 55 cm, height approximately 185 to 200 cm or more, best for a large entryway, with room for many coats, closed storage, and a wide bench, provided it can be anchored safely and does not block doors or walkways.
• Shoe rack or shoe cabinet, for comparison: width varies, depth approximately 25 to 35 cm for a rack, approximately 30 to 40 cm for a cabinet with doors, height varies, best paired with hooks, as in the corner storage guide, when a full hall tree would be too deep for the corner.

Seat height deserves a special note. A bench seat at approximately 45 to 50 cm is comfortable for most adults to sit on to change shoes, while a seat much lower will be hard to get up from, and a seat much higher will leave feet dangling, especially for shorter people and children. Check seat height on the listing, and, if you can, sit on a similar bench in a shop, to see if the height feels right for you, before you buy online. A bench cushion, if you add one, will raise the seat height by a few centimetres, so allow for that in your measurements.

Hook height also matters. Hooks at approximately 165 to 175 cm are comfortable for most adults, with a lower hook for children if needed, as in the earlier guides, and hooks on a hall tree are usually fixed at that height, so check the hook height on the listing, not just the total height of the piece. A hall tree that is tall, but with hooks that are too high or too low for the people who use it, will not be used, however good it looks.

Fit Checker: Will It Fit Your Corner?

Use this fit checker, step by step, before you buy, and answer each question honestly, with your measurements in front of you, not from memory.

Fit checker table:

• Width: is the hall tree width, including side panels, less than the smallest wall width you measured, at floor, bench, and hook height, with a little room to spare for skirting boards and door trim? If no, choose a narrower piece, or a bench plus hooks instead.
• Depth: is the hall tree depth, plus the walkway you must keep clear, approximately 75 to 90 cm as a comfort guide, less than the total hallway or entryway width? If no, choose a shallower piece, or a shoe rack plus hooks instead.
• Height: is the hall tree height less than the ceiling height, with room for lights, beams, and picture rails, and with hooks at a comfortable height for the people who use it? If no, choose a lower piece, or a bench plus a hook rail instead.
• Door swing: does the hall tree sit outside every door swing arc, so every door opens fully without hitting it? If no, move the piece, or choose a narrower or shallower piece that sits outside the arcs.
• Skirting and trim: does the hall tree sit flat against the wall, or does a thick skirting board push it away at the bottom, leaving a gap and a wobble? If it wobbles, check the listing for a design that handles skirting boards, or choose a freestanding bench instead.
• Sockets, switches, radiators: does the hall tree cover a socket, switch, radiator, or thermostat? If yes, choose a different piece, or a different wall, because covering those will be a daily annoyance and, for a radiator, a safety issue.
• Anchoring: can the hall tree be anchored to the wall safely, following its instructions, with fixings suited to your wall type, and with landlord permission if you rent? If no, choose a lower, wider piece that does not need anchoring, or do not buy a tall hall tree at all.
• Walkway test: with the footprint taped on the floor, can you walk past comfortably, carrying a bag, opening doors, and sitting down, without turning sideways? If no, the piece is too deep or too wide for that corner, however good it looks.

If a piece fails any one of these checks, it is not the right piece for that corner, even if it passes the others. A hall tree that fits in width but blocks a door, or that fits in depth but covers a socket, will be a daily problem, and it is better to choose a smaller piece, or a bench plus hooks, that passes all the checks, than to force a large piece into a corner it does not fit.

The Masking Tape Test

The masking tape test is the simplest, cheapest way to check a hall tree size before you buy, and it takes about ten minutes. Mark the width and depth of the piece you are considering on the floor with masking tape, in the exact corner where it would sit, with the tape forming a rectangle for the footprint, and a line for the door swing arc, if the piece would be near a door.

Then live with the tape for a day, or at least walk through it several times, at different times of day, carrying a bag, opening the front door fully, sitting down on an imaginary bench, and putting on imaginary shoes, to see if the space feels comfortable, or if it feels tight. Ask other people in the home to walk through it too, especially children, older people, and anyone who carries a bag or a child, because they will use the corner differently from you, and they will notice a tight spot you might miss.

Check the tape at night, with the lights on, and in the morning, with natural light, because a corner that feels spacious in daylight can feel cramped in the dark, especially if the hall tree would block a light. Check the tape with coats on imaginary hooks, by holding a coat out from the wall to the depth a real coat would stick out, to see if coats would block the walkway, even if the hall tree itself does not. That coat test is important, because a hall tree depth on a listing does not include coats, bags, and scarves hanging on its hooks, and those items add depth in real life.

If the tape test feels tight, choose a narrower or shallower piece, or choose a bench plus hooks, or a shoe rack plus hooks, and tape that footprint instead, to see if it feels better. Repeat the test until the footprint feels comfortable, with room to walk, sit, and open doors, without turning sideways, and then buy a piece that matches that footprint, checking the listing sizes against your tape measurements, not just against a size chart.

Choosing by Household: Small, Medium, and Large

A single person in a studio needs a small piece: a small bench, or a small hall tree around 90 to 120 cm wide, with one or two hooks, a bench, and shoe storage for one or two pairs, provided the walkway stays clear. A small piece will be used every day, while a large piece in a small home will dominate the corner, block light, and make the space feel cramped, even if it holds more.

A couple needs a medium piece: a medium bench around 90 to 120 cm wide, or a medium hall tree around 120 to 150 cm wide, with hooks for two coats, a bench for two people to sit in turn, and shoe storage for at least one pair per person, plus a boot tray in winter. A medium piece fits most entryway corners, provided the width, depth, and door arcs are checked, and it will not dominate the space, while still holding daily items for two people.

A family needs the largest piece the corner can safely hold, but a family also needs the clearest system, because a family corner fills fastest. A large hall tree around 150 to 180 cm wide, with hooks at adult and child heights, a wide bench, and shoe storage for several pairs, will work, provided it can be anchored safely, the walkway stays clear, and the door arcs stay clear, and provided each person has a hook and a shoe space, so coats and shoes do not pile up. If a large hall tree would block the walkway or a door, a medium hall tree plus a separate shoe rack, or a bench plus hooks plus a shoe rack, will serve a family better than a large piece that does not fit, because a system that fits and is used every day is better than a system that is large but blocked.

Pets and strollers change the size choice, as in the earlier guides. A pet needs a hook and a basket near the door, and a place for a wet coat to drip, which takes a little room, while a stroller needs its own clear space, not a space borrowed from the walkway, and it must not block the exit route. If a stroller lives by the door, a hall tree may need to be smaller, not larger, to leave room for the stroller to stand safely, without blocking the door swing or the walkway.

Anchoring, Stability, and What to Skip

Tall hall trees must be anchored to the wall, following the instructions that come with the piece, using fixings suited to your wall type, and with landlord permission before drilling if you rent. Tall furniture can tip, especially in a home with children or pets, and a hall tree is often leaned on when people sit down or reach up, so anchoring is not optional for a tall piece, it is a safety requirement. If you cannot anchor a hall tree safely, choose a lower, wider piece instead, or a bench plus hooks, which does not need anchoring in the same way.

Check stability before you buy, if you can, by pushing a similar piece gently in a shop, to see if it wobbles, and check the instructions for anchoring, weight limits, and wall types, before you order online. A hall tree that wobbles on an uneven floor, or that is pushed away from the wall by a thick skirting board, will be unstable, even if it is anchored, and it should not be used in that corner, or it should be levelled and fitted properly, following the instructions.

Skip a hall tree that is too wide, too deep, or too tall for your corner, even if it is on sale, because a piece that does not fit will be a daily problem, and it will be hard to return once it is assembled. Skip a hall tree that covers a socket, switch, radiator, or thermostat, skip a hall tree that blocks a door or an exit route, and skip a hall tree that cannot be anchored safely, because each of those is a safety or practical problem, not just a style issue. Skip a hall tree with closed storage that you will not open, as in the corner storage guide, because closed storage for daily items will be ignored, and coats will end up on the bench instead.

Small Corners and Hallway Corners

In a very small corner, or a narrow hallway corner, a full hall tree may not fit at all, and that is not a failure, it is a measurement result. In that case, a bench plus hooks, or a shoe rack plus hooks, as in the hallway guide, will work better, because each piece is shallow, wall based where possible, and can be placed outside door arcs, with the walkway kept clear. A small bench around 60 to 90 cm wide, with a hook rail above it, will hold one or two coats and one or two pairs of shoes, and it will not block the hallway, while a small hall tree that is too deep for the hallway will block it, even if it is narrow.

In a hallway corner, depth matters more than width, because the hallway itself is narrow, and a hall tree depth of 40 to 50 cm, plus coats on hooks, can narrow a 90 cm hallway to an uncomfortable width, while a bench depth of 30 to 40 cm, plus hooks, will leave more walkway. Measure the hallway width, subtract the depth of the piece, plus coats, and check that the remaining walkway is still comfortable, approximately 75 to 90 cm as a comfort guide, before you buy. If it is not, choose a shallower piece, or no bench at all, with wall hooks only, which take no floor space.

Checklist: Before You Buy a Bench or Hall Tree

• Measure width at floor, bench, and hook height, depth from the wall, and total height, and note the smallest width.
• Measure door swing arcs and the walkway you must keep clear, approximately 75 to 90 cm as a comfort guide.
• Check skirting boards, door trim, switches, sockets, radiators, and thermostats on both walls.
• Compare your measurements to the size chart, and shortlist pieces that pass width, depth, and height checks.
• Use the fit checker, step by step, and do not buy a piece that fails any check.
• Tape the footprint on the floor, walk through it, open doors, sit down, and check it at night and in daylight.
• Check the listing for exact width, depth, height, seat height, hook height, and weight limits, because sizes vary by product.
• Plan anchoring for any tall piece, with fixings suited to your wall type, and landlord permission if you rent.
• Keep the exit route and door swing clear, and live with the layout for a few weeks before adding more.

Conclusion

Bench and hall tree sizes are not about choosing the largest piece you can afford, they are about choosing the piece that fits your corner, your doors, and your walkway, and that you can anchor safely and use every day. Measure width, depth, and height at several points, compare those measurements to a size chart, use the fit checker step by step, and test the footprint with masking tape on the floor, before you buy, and check the listing for exact sizes, because sizes vary by product. A small hall tree around 90 to 120 cm wide suits a tight corner, a medium hall tree around 120 to 150 cm wide suits a couple or small family, and a large hall tree around 150 to 180 cm wide suits a large entryway, provided the walkway stays clear, the door arcs stay clear, and the piece can be anchored safely.

Measure first, tape the footprint, check the listing, and anchor tall pieces, and the bench or hall tree you buy will fit, will be used every day, and will make coming home and leaving home easier, without turning a useful corner into an obstacle.

Related reading

• Corner Entryway Ideas for a Tight Corner
• Mini Mudroom Entryway Ideas for Apartments and Small Homes
• Corner Storage Ideas for Entryways
• Winter Entryway Organization Ideas for a Tidy Corner
• Hallway Corner Ideas for Narrow Hallways
• Renter Friendly Entryway Ideas Without Drilling
• Rug Calculator
• Budget Entryway Makeover, Open Entryway Ideas, Functional Entryway Zones, Entryway Corner Decor, and Entryway Storage for Kids and Pets, in this series, to follow.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a standard hall tree size?

There is no single standard size, because hall trees vary by product, but typical ranges are approximately 90 to 180 cm wide, 40 to 55 cm deep, and 170 to 200 cm high, approximately, with small pieces around 90 to 120 cm wide, medium pieces around 120 to 150 cm wide, and large pieces around 150 to 180 cm wide. Always check the listing for the exact piece, because sizes vary.

How deep should an entryway bench be?

A bench is typically approximately 35 to 50 cm deep, with small benches around 30 to 40 cm deep, and hall tree benches around 40 to 50 cm deep, approximately. Check that the bench depth, plus the walkway you must keep clear, approximately 75 to 90 cm as a comfort guide, fits within your entryway width, and that the bench does not block a door swing.

What seat height is comfortable for an entryway bench?

Seat height is typically approximately 45 to 50 cm for most adults, which is comfortable for sitting down to change shoes. A seat much lower will be hard to get up from, and a seat much higher will leave feet dangling, especially for shorter people and children, so check seat height on the listing, and allow a few centimetres if you add a cushion.

How do I test if a hall tree will fit before buying?

Mark the width and depth on the floor with masking tape, in the exact corner where it would sit, then walk past it, open doors fully, sit on an imaginary bench, and check it at night and in daylight, with coats held out to the depth they would stick out from hooks. If the tape test feels tight, choose a narrower or shallower piece, or a bench plus hooks instead.

Do I need to anchor a hall tree to the wall?

Yes, tall hall trees must be anchored, following the instructions that come with the piece, using fixings suited to your wall type, and with landlord permission before drilling if you rent. Tall furniture can tip, especially in a home with children or pets, and a hall tree is often leaned on, so anchoring is a safety requirement, not an optional extra. If you cannot anchor safely, choose a lower, wider piece instead.

What if a hall tree is too big for my corner?

Choose a bench plus hooks, or a shoe rack plus hooks, instead, because each piece is shallower and can be placed outside door arcs, with the walkway kept clear. A system that fits and is used every day is better than a large hall tree that blocks a door, narrows the walkway, or cannot be anchored safely, however good it looks in a photograph.