In a large house you can put a piano wherever it looks best. In a New York apartment, the right spot is usually a compromise between four things: heat, sunlight, neighbors and the space you need to play. This guide goes through the rules first and then applies them to four layouts that come up again and again in the city.
The four rules
1. Keep it away from heat
Radiators, heating vents and baseboard heaters dry the air next to them. The National Park Service’s guidance on wooden objects gives the example of a surface near a radiator becoming drier than the surface underneath, which can make wide boards cup. A piano right next to a radiator dries unevenly all winter. The guidance also advises against heating a space on and off, so a spot with steady conditions is better than one that swings.
2. Keep it out of direct sun
The same guidance explains that ultraviolet light, most often from sunlight through unshaded windows, fades wood and finishes and breaks down the wood itself. A sunny window also heats one side of the case. If the only good wall gets afternoon sun, a blind or sheer curtain during those hours is enough.
3. Think about who is on the other side
An upright sends much of its sound into the wall behind it. A wall shared with a neighbor’s bedroom is the worst choice; an inside wall between two of your own rooms is usually the best. See Piano Noise and Neighbors in New York City for more on sound.
4. Leave room to play
The player needs space for the bench, room to slide it back and good light on the music. A piano squeezed into a corner where the bench hits a doorframe will be played less.
Tip: Exterior walls in older buildings can be colder in winter than inside walls. If you can choose, an inside wall is usually steadier on temperature as well as kinder to the neighbors.
Four layouts and where the piano goes
| Layout | Usually the best spot | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | An inside wall away from the kitchen and the radiator, with a rug under the piano | The wall under the window, which usually has the radiator |
| Railroad apartment | A wall in a middle room, away from the windows at either end | Walls shared with the next building if you hear neighbors through them |
| One-bedroom with a small living room | The wall between the living room and your own bedroom | The wall shared with the hallway or a neighbor |
| Loft or large open room | A spot with a rug, away from tall windows and floor vents | Directly in front of big windows with afternoon sun |
Studios
In a studio, the radiator is often under the window and the kitchen is along one wall. The best spot is usually the longest inside wall, away from both. Put the piano on a thick rug, which also helps the neighbor below. If the only free wall is shared with the next apartment, talk to that neighbor before the delivery and think seriously about a digital piano.
Railroad apartments
Long, narrow railroad layouts often have windows only at the ends and walls shared with the next building along their length. A middle room keeps the piano away from the windows and radiators at either end. Listen to the side walls first: if you can hear the neighbors through them, they can hear you.
One-bedrooms
The wall between the living room and your own bedroom is usually ideal, because the only person on the other side is you. It is often an inside wall, away from the radiator under the living room window.
Lofts and big open rooms
Space is less of a problem in a loft, but tall windows and floor vents are common. A large rug under the piano helps the room’s acoustics as well as the floor below. The city’s Department of Environmental Protection notes that hardwood floors reflect and amplify reverberant noise within a room, so a bare loft can make even a small piano sound loud.
Small details that help
- Leave a small gap between an upright and the wall so the sound is not trapped against it.
- Put caster cups under the wheels to protect the floor and spread the load.
- Place a hygrometer near the piano and check it during heat season; see Caring for a Piano During New York’s Heat Season.
- Keep plants, drinks and humidifier mist off the piano.
Choose the spot before you choose the piano
The spot decides the size. Measure it, tape the footprint on the floor and take those numbers to the showroom along with the measurements from Will a Piano Fit in Your Apartment? Measuring the Route and the Rules. It is easier to fall in love with a piano that already fits.