Guides
How to choose a cabinet width
Bell & Harrison cabinets come in five widths, from 419 mm to 1259 mm. Every width has the same 460 mm depth and comes in the same five heights, so width is usually the first decision, and the space often makes it for you.
The five widths
Each series has a code, and the code is a label, not a measurement. The S1310, for example, is 1259 mm wide. Plan from the external width in the table, never from the name.
| Series | External width | Internal drawer width |
|---|---|---|
| S420 | 419 mm (16.5 in) | 350 mm (13.8 in) |
| S600 | 600 mm (23.6 in) | 520 mm (20.5 in) |
| S840 | 839 mm (33.0 in) | 755 mm (29.7 in) |
| S1010 | 1010 mm (39.8 in) | 940 mm (37.0 in) |
| S1310 | 1259 mm (49.6 in) | 1190 mm (46.9 in) |
The S840 and S1010 each come in 19 configurations, the S600 in 17, the S420 in 16 and the S1310 in 10. External depth is 460 mm (18.1 in) on every cabinet. Inside, every drawer is 420 mm (16.5 in) deep, and its width depends on the series.
Measure the space
Measure the wall from side to side twice: once at floor level and once at the height the top of the cabinet will reach. Use the smaller figure. Baseboards, sockets, pipes and door frames often take a few millimetres that one measurement at eye level misses.
Then check how far into the room the cabinet will sit. It is 460 mm (18.1 in) deep, before the room you need to open the drawers.
Keep a small allowance rather than planning to the last millimetre, because walls and floors are rarely perfectly straight.
Leave room in front
A drawer needs clear floor in front of the cabinet to open, and you need room to stand at it. Allow for an open drawer plus space for yourself.
Look for anything an open drawer would meet: a door that swings across the front, a chair, or another cabinet at an inside corner.
Plan from the millimetres, not the name.
Check the way in
Cabinets are supplied assembled, with four plinth feet included. There is nothing to put together, which also means the cabinet travels at its full size. Before settling on a wide cabinet, measure the doorways, stairs and turns between the entrance and its place. Delivery is confirmed in your quote.
Match the width to what you store
If you store long items, measure the longest one and compare it with the internal drawer width. A 900 mm straightedge fits inside an S1010 drawer, which is 940 mm wide inside, but not inside an S840 drawer at 755 mm.
Where two widths both fit, the choice is about the drawers. A wider cabinet gives each drawer more floor. Two narrower cabinets side by side give you more separate drawers in almost the same length: two S420 cabinets are 838 mm wide together, 1 mm less than one S840. Planning a run of cabinets works through the combinations.
Not sure yet? Design your own takes you through width, height and drawers and only offers configurations that are made. Drawer heights explained covers the next choice.
