Switch Board Design Ideas, Room by Room
Good switch board design starts with what each board has to control, then picks the plate size, the finish and the position to suit the room. A bedroom board needs a 2 way switch at the bed, a kitchen board needs 16A sockets at counter height, and a living room board is usually the largest in the house. Below, room by room, is how to lay out each modular board, with the plate sizes and finishes we make in Mumbai.
Key takeaways
- Plan the modules first, then choose the plate: 1M to 18M in our KEMPS and VIZA ranges.
- Bedroom — 6M at the door plus a small board at the bed, with a 2 way switch for the light.
- Kitchen — 16A sockets above the counter; a finish that wipes clean.
- Living room — the largest board, often 8M to 12M, where a premium finish shows most.
- ⚠ Decide board positions before plastering. Moving a concealed box later means breaking the wall.
Switch board design: start with what the board controls
A switch board design is decided by three things, in order: what the board has to control, where it sits in the room, and how it looks. Start by listing every light, fan and socket the board serves. That list gives you the modules, the modules give you the plate size, and only then do the finish and colour come in.
Most disappointing boards fail at the first step, not the last. A beautiful glass plate cannot fix a board that is missing a 2 way switch at the bed or a 16A socket where the iron is used.
We make modular switches, sockets and plates in Mumbai under KEMPS and VIZA, from 1M to 18M. The ideas below use our own range, but the planning applies to any modular board.
How to size the plate for each board
Count modules: a switch is 1M, a 16A socket is usually 2M, a 6A 2 pin socket can be 1M, and a fan regulator is 1M or 2M. Add them up and pick the next plate size: 1M, 2M, 3M, 4M, 6M, 8M, 12M, 16M or 18M. Leave a spare module only if you know what will go there.
Typical plate size by board (modular)
Typical sizes, not rules. The modules you need decide the plate.
The plate size calculator does the counting, and our modular plate sizes guide shows each size.
| Room / board | Typical modules | Plate | Finish idea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedroom door | Light, fan, regulator, 16A socket | 6M | Wood or texture |
| Bedside | 2 way switch, socket | 2M–4M | Same as the door board |
| Kitchen counter | 16A sockets, 6A socket, lights | 6M–8M | Smooth white, wipes clean |
| Living room | Lights, fans, regulator, entrance | 8M–12M | Glass, acrylic or Peony |
| TV wall | Sockets at unit height | 4M–8M | Match the living room |
| Bathroom (outside) | Light, exhaust, geyser DP | 3M–4M | White |
Bedroom switch board design
A bedroom usually needs two boards. At the door: switches for the main light, fan and any wall light, a fan regulator if the fan has no remote, and one socket, which typically fits a 6M plate. At the bed: a small 2M to 4M board with a 2 way switch for the main light and a socket for a phone charger or lamp.
The 2 way switch is the detail people regret missing: without it, you walk to the door in the dark. It needs a matching 2 way switch at the door board, wired before the walls are closed. Our 1 way vs 2 way switch guide explains how the pair works.
Soft finishes suit bedrooms: a wood-look VIZA V-Wood plate or a KEMPS Orchid texture plate reads warmer than bright white.
List what the board controls before choosing a plate.
A 2 way switch at the bed, paired with the door board.
16A sockets above the counter, finish that wipes clean.
Positions are fixed once the wall is closed; plates are not.
Kitchen switch board design
Kitchen boards are about sockets. Put 16A sockets above the counter for the mixer, microwave and kettle, a separate socket for the refrigerator, and a switch for the chimney near it. Heavy appliances such as an oven or induction hob should have their own circuit, which your electrician sizes.
Choose a finish that wipes clean: a smooth white or glossy plate handles oil and turmeric better than a deep texture. Keep boards away from the sink and the hob, and never above the gas.
Do not run a microwave, kettle and mixer from one socket through a multi-plug. Give heavy appliances their own 16A sockets. See 6A vs 16A sockets.
Living room switch board design
The living room board is usually the largest in the house, and the most visible. It often controls the main lights, cove or accent lights, one or two fans and the entrance light, so 8M to 12M is common. The TV wall needs its own board with sockets at the height of the TV unit.
This is the board where a premium finish is worth it: a VIZA Glasso glass plate, a VIZA Cristal acrylic plate in a colour, or a KEMPS Peony plate. If the board is long, consider splitting it into two smaller boards, one per group of lights, so it is easier to use.
Our Glasso, Cristal and Peony range pages show each finish in every size.
Bathroom, balcony and passage boards
A bathroom board usually sits outside the door: the light, the exhaust fan and a DP switch for the geyser, which typically fits a 3M or 4M plate. A socket inside the bathroom, if you want one for a hair dryer, belongs well away from the shower.
A balcony light is best switched from inside the door. A passage longer than a few steps needs a 2 way switch at each end. Both are easy to forget, and both mean a new wire in the wall if you add them later.
A geyser switch should be a double pole switch of the right rating. Our switch replacement guide explains why a single pole switch is not enough.
Where to place a switch board
Put the door board on the latch side of the door, the side you reach as you open it, not behind it. Keep it clear of where furniture will stand, and keep boards in a room at the same height so they line up.
Heights vary by home and by who uses them, so agree them with your electrician or interior designer before the boxes go in. Common practice is to keep switch boards at a comfortable hand height, bedside boards just above the mattress, and counter sockets above the backsplash. Once the concealed box is plastered in, the height is fixed.
Choosing a plate finish for each room
Our plates come in five finish families: white, metallic, wood, acrylic and glass. A simple rule is to keep one finish per room, and to spend on the rooms guests see.
6M plate MRP by finish (2026 catalogue)
Same size, same modules behind it. The finish is where a design budget goes.
Our switch board colour guide covers colour by room, and plate finishes compared covers durability and cleaning.
Matching switches, plates and the rest of the house
Modules fit the frame of their own range, so choose one range per house where you can: KEMPS modules in KEMPS plates, VIZA modules in VIZA plates. Within a range you can mix finishes room by room, a white plate in the kitchen and a glass one in the living room, with the same switches behind both.
If you want a matching look, VIZA plates such as Royal and Cherry come in black as well as white, which suits dark walls and wood panelling. Browse KEMPS and VIZA switches and the Royal and V-Wood plates.
Plan every board before the walls are closed
The cheapest time to get switch boards right is before plastering. Walk every room with the electrician, stand where you will stand, and decide each board’s position, size and modules. Mark the 2 way switches in pairs, and note which sockets carry heavy loads.
After plastering, moving a board or adding a wire means breaking the wall. The plate finish, by contrast, can change any time: with modular boards you can swap a white plate for glass years later without touching the wiring.
Write the plan down as a list per room: board, position, modules, plate size, finish. It doubles as the order for your dealer.
Two modules deserve their own reading before you finalise a board: fan regulator types and the USB socket for a switch board.
FAQs
How do I design a switch board?
What size modular plate do I need for a bedroom?
Which switch board finish is best for a kitchen?
Can I change the plate design later?
What colours do modular plates come in?
Where should a switch board be placed?
Why buyers choose Vinayak Electricals
- Modular (KEMPS, VIZA) and conventional (VIYONA) switches, both made in-house in Mumbai.
- Switches made to IS 3854 under ISI licence CM/L-7567794.
- MRPs published openly in our catalogue, code by code.
- Plates from 1M to 18M in white, metallic, wood, glass and acrylic finishes.
- Sold through dealers across India; dealers can order from us directly.
- Over 30 years manufacturing electrical goods; ISO 9001:2015 certified.
Plan your boards
Enter the switches and sockets for each board; get the plate size.
Open the plate size calculator
