The way the furniture is arranged in a room can be the difference between creating a harmonious, comfortable and welcoming space and an awkward, irritating area the family avoids. And, it's not really that hard to arrange the furniture in a room to make it aesthetically pleasing and practical even though it might seem like a disheartening task at first.
There are ways and means, and interior designers know all about these easily applied, simple formulas that work every time. Check out the following rules and tips and you’ll enjoy creating your room, and without the stress.
1) Choose a Focal Point
The focal point of your room draws attention to it, and there is nothing more powerful, so choose wisely. Perhaps your focal point is a natural one like a fabulous marble mantelpiece over a fireplace. If your mantelpiece is a bit lacklustre, you can use some reclaimed moulding or tiles to spruce it up. Large mirrors can make a room look bigger and brighter or create your room around a fabulous sculpture or work of art.
2) Don’t Shove Furniture Against a Wall
Give your furniture some breathing space by pulling it away from the walls because even in a small room, you can allow a few centimetres out from the wall to give an impression of spaciousness.
3) Create Conversation Hubs
Nobody likes to have to shout across a room to talk to people so make yourself and your guests feel comfier by arranging the chairs and sofas so they face the other chairs diagonally. Make them close enough so people can easily hear what others are saying and so you can talk without needing to yell. In a larger room, you can create multiple conversation hubs.
4) Think About the Flow of Traffic
You can’t arrange the furniture without considering the flow of traffic through, into and out of the room. There’s nothing worse than traversing a room and bumping into a table or falling over the furniture.
There should be enough space to walk between the sofa and the coffee table or any tables without running into some other person or squeezing through the furniture. An unobstructed path should be created so you can traverse freely across the room.
5) Get the Right Size Rug
A perfect rug can be the second most important focal point of a room so if yours is skimpy and not large enough to accommodate all the furniture on it, then you need a bigger one. Leaving an area around the room’s edges can make a stylish statement but the rug must be big enough both for the room and the furniture.
The back legs of a sofa or large furniture item can rest on the floor with the front legs on the rug, that’s perfectly OK style-wise. And if your floorboards are exposed, lay a large enough rug down so there’s enough shining wood exposed around it.
6) Choose Your Coffee Table Carefully
A coffee table can anchor a room, so choose a size that allows you to walk comfortably around it, but not so small that it looks odd. Place sofas or chairs facing the table. This is both fun and functional. A coffee table can be a place to display your prized living room possessions and gives guests a handy place to set down their drinks.
Arrange the table in such a way that people don’t have to struggle or knock their shins on the table when they stand up and pass through. Make certain you locate the coffee table or side tables within easy reach of every seat in the room. People shouldn’t have to stand up to find somewhere to put their coffee cups, drinking glasses or a newspaper.
Table heights for both coffee and side tables ought to be: Coffee tables - Locate at a similar height or lower than chairs or sofas. Side tables - Place these also at a similar height as the arms of the seating or lower.
7) Keep a Sense of Balance
Make sure you arrange your furniture with balance in mind and take care when thinking about where you place various items. Don’t group all your smaller or bigger pieces on one side of the space. This makes everything look lopsided. A sense of balance is imperative when furnishing and decorating, especially a lounge or family room. You need variety, so if your seating is square, opt for a round coffee table, for example.
8) Shine Some Light on the Subject
Variety is the spice of life and also of a living room when it comes to lighting, which is an essential part of arranging any room - however, many people overlook this aspect. Use a combination of different styles of lighting including overhead, sconces, and desk or table lamps.
Place a standing lamp at one end of your favourite couch and watch the room transform before your eyes. Put a light on a table, on the mantelpiece or shelves for a lovely look. Don’t have the lighting all at the same level. Try staggering them at different heights for proper balance, and use a mix of fixtures.
9) Choose Artwork With Size in Mind
The skill needed to place art, sculptured objects and mirrors on a wall is an art in itself. These should be hung in accord with the furniture and in strategic positions. If you have a favourite small artwork and can’t live without hanging it, make sure it’s not placed above a large item of furniture such as a sofa. You could use it there if you re-frame it in a big frame that is artfully made, but why not use a larger artwork for that area? You can also group some smaller works above large items of furniture.
10) Draw Up a Plan
The main thing to take away from this list is the necessity to plan your furniture arrangement and the placement of your art and accessories. This works well, especially if you are going to buy new pieces. You can use a planner from an online site or get some graph paper and sketch out a plan. You’ll thank yourself when you see the fabulous results.
Author’s Bio
Alex Morrison has been a SEO Expert in Melbourne for over 10 years. In this time he has worked with a range of businesses giving him an in depth understanding of many different industries including home improvement, financial support and pest control. As the owner of Integral Media he is now utilising his knowledge and experience with his rapidly increasing client portfolio to help them achieve their business goals.
Blog images were supplied by Alex