I believe good design isn’t just in the look and balance of a room –
Good Design is also... “All in the Detail” (of course)
Arrange the main piece of furniture in a room first (for instance, the bed in the bedroom or the sofa in the living room), next related pieces of furniture (the bedside tables or end tables), and finally the secondary pieces (a reading chair & a side table and dresser for the bedroom; or the coffee table and accessories for the living room).
Keep traffic patterns in mind when arranging a room. Leave at least 2 feet for walkways and avoid forcing traffic patterns through conversational spaces if possible.
Interiors should be both functional and comfortable while maintaining a sense of style. Think carefully about how the room will be used and who will be using it. For instance, if the room is going to be used for entertaining… be sure to plan for extra seating.
Try separating a large room into several different areas with different functions. Think about an area for reading; an area for conversation; and maybe even an area for dining all in the same living room. These divisions can be accomplished by using distinct furniture groupings and rugs to define the area.
A small space may require furniture that has extra storage and versatility, like a media cabinet with shelves, an ottoman that serves as a trunk at the foot of a bed, a trunk that serves as a coffee table or a dining table with extensions to help it vary in size and function.
Identify the focal point of a room, such as a fireplace, the television or a window with a view. Then place your furniture to draw attention to that focal point.
Identify the focal point of a room, such as a fireplace, the television or a window with a view. Then place your furniture to draw attention to that focal point.
Arrange the main piece of furniture in a room first (for instance, the bed in the bedroom or the sofa in the living room), next related pieces of furniture (the bedside tables or end tables), and finally the secondary pieces (a reading chair & a side table and dresser for the bedroom; or the coffee table and accessories for the living room).
Consider the balance of the furniture. Keep pieces of similar scale together. A large coffee table would look better in front of a sofa than in front of a small love seat. Balance large pieces such as a sofa with either another large feature or with several smaller items, such as two small armchairs.
Tips on Spacing:
- To encourage conversation, place chairs and sofas
within 8 feet of each other. Remember to place tables next to seating for
food and drinks.
- If a home office is going to be used as an occasional
guest bedroom, consider a day bed or a sleeper sofa instead of trying to
squeeze a full size bed into the space.
- Plan at least 24" of clear space behind dining and
desk chairs (measure this by assuming someone is already seated).
- Allow sufficient space in front of dressers and console
to allow doors and drawers to be opened easily.
- Allow 14 to 18" between a coffee table and the
front of the sofa.
- You may want to position newspaper on the floor of the
room itself, representing each furniture piece in actual size, to see how
your layout will impact the traffic flow.
- Before purchasing any large pieces of furniture, make
sure the items will fit through all doors and entryways, elevators, and
staircases.
Ultimately, your home is an expression of who you are so design your space to be comfortable and to reflect your personality and lifestyle.
