The space for an electric recliner is not the same as the rectangle it occupies when closed. You need to take into account the opening of the backrest and footrest, the paths of its other intended movements, the area for the person and for whoever is providing care, and the delivery route. There is no distance from the wall that applies to every model. The check starts from the dimensions of the chosen configuration and from the real obstacles in the room: doors, radiators, furniture, cables and walkways that must be kept clear.
In brief
The space needed covers the chair when closed and when fully open, the path of its movements and the area for using it or helping the person. Measurements start from the real obstacles, including radiators and protruding furniture. The rise function and vertical height adjustment must be assessed separately. Modular construction can make delivery easier, but everyday moves require you to check that the assembled chair can get through.
Three spaces to check: placement, movements and delivery
When you look at a photograph, it is easy to picture the chair next to the sofa or the bed. The first question is whether it fits when closed. The second is whether all the functions can move freely. The third is whether the product can reach that room through the doorways, corners and lift.
These are separate checks. A chair may get in thanks to its removable modules and then be impossible to move, assembled, into another room. Or it may open without knocking into anything, but take up the passage needed to reach the bathroom. The room layout must also take these uses into account.
For an older person or someone with reduced mobility, what matters is what happens during the day, not just the footprint of the piece of furniture. If a family member has to move a side table before every adjustment, that extra task becomes part of the routine and should be assessed from the outset.
What data to ask for before taking measurements
Ask for the external width, depth and height of the configuration under consideration, as well as the maximum length when open and the clearances specified for the movements. Ask whether the figures include the footrest extension, backrest wings, armrests and other elements present on the chair as delivered.
Separately, you need the dimensions and weight of the modules used for transport. Do not work these figures out from a photograph or from the seat width. On Sollevita, the 52 or 63 cm figures describe the seating space: they are not the external width to compare with a doorway. [1]
The table is for collecting the data for the specific set-up. If a figure does not appear in the specification sheet, write “to be confirmed” and ask the Sollevita Team for it. Leaving a missing figure visible is more useful than entering a plausible but unverified measurement.
| Figure | What it is needed to check | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Closed footprint | Basic position in the room | Configuration specification sheet |
| Open footprint with extension | Area taken up in the reclined rest position | Specification sheet or technical demonstration |
| Movement paths and clearances | Backrest, footrest, rise function and vertical height adjustment | Manual and the Sollevita Team |
| Footprint for moving indoors | Passage of the assembled chair | Wheeled base instructions |
| Dimensions of the delivery modules | Doors, corners, stairs and lift | Delivery arrangements |
| Weight for transport and use | Lift and planned handling | Configuration and route data |
Behind the chair: start from the point that protrudes most
The wall may have a radiator, a windowsill, a low shelf or a deep skirting board. The usable distance should be measured from the element that the backrest could reach, not from the surface furthest back.
Also check the height of obstacles. A piece of furniture that does not touch the chair in the seated position could be in its path during an adjustment. The side profile helps you understand the movement better than a floor plan alone.
For the distance from the wall, use the data for the proposed configuration, without applying those of another chair. The functions of the Sollevita riser recliner chair with integrated care features include different movements: check the space required by the backrest in the intermediate positions too.
In front and at the sides: leave space even when the activity changes
In front, you need the area covered by the footrest and, when used, by the rise function. A walking frame, a side table or a bag must not be in the area of movement. The support to be used after standing up should be arranged with the people who look after the person, without leaving it as an obstacle near the footrest.
At the sides, consider the real activities: reaching the handset, a family member coming close, using the removable armrest section or setting up side access. The space needed by a person who is independent is not necessarily the same as the space required when care workers and aids are involved.
In the context of home care, the INRS (the French National Research and Safety Institute) draws attention to cramped spaces, cluttered floors and poor lighting. It is therefore useful to consider not only the outline of the chair, but also how the person, carers and aids move around it. [2]
So it is not enough to leave one side clear in the abstract. The position of care workers and aids must be the one planned for the actual situation. The whole route through the home is covered in more detail in the checklist of measurements for preparing your home for transfers: here the central check remains the footprint of the chair in its various configurations.
Vertical height adjustment: it changes the height but does not cancel out the other movement paths
Vertical height adjustment raises or lowers the whole structure while the person remains seated or lying down. The rise function, by contrast, supports the person towards a standing position. Sollevita integrates both: they are not two alternative names for the same movement. [1]
Consequently, it cannot be claimed that vertical height adjustment makes the area in front of the chair unnecessary. To use all the functions provided, you need to check every movement path, the permitted combinations and the clearances specified by the manufacturer.
Also check overhanging elements and any surfaces the chair is brought up beneath. If a table top is above an armrest, a change in height can cause interference. Adjustments must not be operated against an obstacle “to see if it clears”: compatibility should be established before trying it out.
A floor plan in three layers makes the space taken up visible
Draw the room with its doors, furniture and fixed obstacles. First mark the closed footprint of the chair, then the area taken up during the planned opening movements, and finally the space needed for the person, for care and for walkways. Use three different types of line and note where each measurement comes from.
You can mark a reference outline on the floor with tape suited to the surface, without creating edges that become obstacles. The outline helps you visualise the space, but it does not reproduce the movement paths in height and is no substitute for proper testing.
Check the room in unfavourable but normal situations too: door open, dining chair pulled out, wheelchair parked, footrest extended. A passage that exists only when everything is perfectly tidy may not be available at the moment it is needed.
This plan helps you prepare for the discussion, but it does not certify that the room is accessible. The check requires the chair’s data and, in complex cases, input from people who know the aids and the care required.
Modular delivery and moving the chair with the person seated
Sollevita has a modular construction with a removable backrest, armrests and backrest wings. This can make transport easier through passages that would not be compatible with the fully assembled product. The sequence and the people needed for delivery should be agreed in advance, without improvising the dismantling of the mechanism. [1]
The manually moved wheeled base, used with the person seated, is instead for short indoor moves along suitable routes. It does not turn the chair into an outdoor wheelchair, nor does it make it possible to get over thresholds, slopes or rugs automatically. Any need for a ramp should be addressed with a specific assessment, not with a makeshift solution suggested by a blog.
For the lift, the door and the depth of the car are not enough. You need to consider access, manoeuvring and the total planned load, distinguishing transport of the modules from moving the chair with the person and a companion. The fact that a lift is spacious does not in itself prove that the whole operation is suitable.
Battery, cables and maintenance: keep genuine access
The Sollevita lithium battery powers the motors and allows adjustments without a continuous connection to the socket. It is still necessary to organise charging and keep the power supply and connections within reach, as set out in the instructions. The battery does not make the chair self-propelled. [1]
Avoid cables across walkways, under rugs or in the area of the linkages. Do not stretch a cable to reach a distant socket and do not hide it in a way that prevents the scheduled checks. If the charging point requires frequent moves, take that route into account as well.
The chair must remain accessible for cleaning and servicing. An alcove that holds the product perfectly but makes it impossible to reach a connection can make day-to-day management harder. The information on Sollevita support and maintenance also helps you plan this aspect, without promising that every intervention will be resolved in the same way.
When the placement needs rethinking
Rethink the position if opening the chair blocks the only exit, if a care worker has to step over cables or if an aid cannot get close as planned. Simply using fewer functions is not enough without clarifying which ones the person really needs.
Moving a piece of furniture or choosing another wall may be enough. In other cases the room needs a broader reorganisation. Do not sacrifice a necessary seat dimension just to fit the product into a spot that has already been decided: body build and surroundings should be assessed together.
Before confirming, prepare a floor plan, the available measurements and photographs without unnecessary personal data. Point out what has not been measured and any movable obstacles. The check will be more accurate than a single panoramic photograph accompanied by “there seems to be plenty of space”.
FAQ
Common questions
How do I check the space for an electric recliner?
Compare the closed footprint, the open footprint and the movement paths with the actual room. Add the area for walkways and for the person providing care. The data must refer to the chosen configuration: a single depth figure is not enough.
What is the correct distance from the wall?
It is the one specified for the model and for the functions used. Measure from the obstacle that protrudes most, including windowsills and radiators. Do not use a distance found in the specification sheet of another chair or inferred from a photograph.
Will a 63 cm seat fit through a 70 cm door?
You cannot deduce this from these two figures. The 63 cm refers to the seat, not the external dimensions. For delivery you need the dimensions of the modules; for everyday moves, those of the assembled chair and the space to manoeuvre.
Does vertical height adjustment need less space than the rise function?
No general conclusion can be drawn. They are different movements and Sollevita integrates both. The room check must consider their respective movement paths and the permitted combinations, not just the most compact final position.
Does the battery allow Sollevita to be placed anywhere?
No. It gives more freedom from the socket during use, but it does not remove the need for charging, floor compatibility and space for the movements. It must remain possible to manage the power supply and care by following the instructions for the configuration.
Does the floor outline replace the technical check?
No. It helps you visualise the footprint, but it does not show obstacles at height, the dynamics of the movements or compatibility with aids. It should be used together with the technical data and the checks appropriate to the situation.
Sources and references
[1] Sollevita — Riser recliner chair with integrated care features: modular construction, wheeled base, battery and movements.
[2] INRS (French National Research and Safety Institute) — Home help (in French): working environment and organisation of care at home.
The next step: checking the room before delivery
Bring the floor plan, photographs and information about the route to the Sollevita Team. Say which movements will be used and who will need to get close to the chair. The aim is not just to get it in, but to leave enough space for it to be used every day with the functions that are really needed.
