Interesting furniture arrangement will create an outstanding room

Enhance the character and usefulness of your room by following these furniture arrangement techniques

Before you start your furniture arrangement, you should have the following worksheets completed:

1. Traffic flow chart
2. A drawing of your floor plan
3. The space analysis worksheet
4. The room analysis worksheet

If you have missed any of these steps, visit the Site Map for a complete listing of these pages. Along with this you should also have your furniture arranging templates handy.

Locate Your Room Focal Point

The first thing you should consider in furniture arrangement is the location of the focal point in the room. Sometimes it is something as obvious as a fireplace, or an architectural detail such as a large bow window.

Oftentimes there is no discernible focal point. In that case, it will be up to you to make one with a furniture arrangement. Walk into the room. What is the first thing you eyes light on? Is it the windows? The large expanse of wallspace? A great floor treatment? This is what you will build your focal point around. There is more information about this in each individual room section.

For instance, in the living room it may be a conversation area. The focal point in the bedroom may be the bed, and in the family room it will be the entertainment center.

Let's Play with your Furniture Arrangement

Place Your Largest Piece of Furniture First

• In the living room this would be your sofa
• In the bedroom it would be your bed
• In the dining room, your dining table would be first
• In your family room it would be the entertainment center
• In the kitchen your eating area would hold first place

For a great aid in furniture arrangement visit a site offering free online custom room planning software

You can actually enter your own dimensions,along with fireplaces, doors and windows. You can plan any number of rooms, and actually save them on the website for future reference. Once your dimensions are in place it is possible to arrange furniture in the room to suit your needs and tastes.

Take Advantage of Nooks and Crannies When Planning Your Furniture Arrangement

As you continue in arranging furniture, think about the use of the room. Is there enough flat space to put down your plate or cup if you eat or entertain in the living room? Do you have enough tables to place lamps for convenient lighting? How is the seating if you entertain? Are the chairs close enough so that you can hear someone sitting in another section of the conversation area? In the bedroom, is there enough room for two people to dress comfortably at the same time? In the kitchen, can two people work without getting in each others way? In the dining room, can people walk around the table without diners having to pull in their chairs?

There is more on this subject of furniture arrangement on the separate room pages, but keep the following considerations in mind as you go about the furniture arranging.

Consider the Mixture of Wood and Upholstery

Try to keep a good balance of wood and upholstered pieces. A room that has mainly wood or mainly upholstered pieces will be woefully out of balance and have no visual interest or practical use. Remember to consider rugs, draperies, and pillows as soft fabric areas. These items can be used to balance out the hard areas of wood furnishings.

Learn to Recognize Scale

It won't take you long to recognize a discrepancy of scale. When you see two small chairs opposite a large upholstered sofa, you'll know scale. When you see a really large coffee table in front of a tiny love seat, you'll recognize an error in scale. If you see an end table that is larger than the chair it's next to, or a dining room table in an area with no room to walk around it, you'll know it is all wrong.

Scale is something that you just know isn't right. If you have a piece that is out of scale, move it to another area, or store it until you find just the right spot for it.

Consult Your Traffic Pattern

As you make decisions about furniture arrangement, be sure to consult your traffic pattern. Keep entrances and exits clear. Make sure there is ample room for people to pass by without knocking lamps off tables, and running into furniture. This is especially important if you have young children constantly running through the home. If you would rather not have a straight run through the house that children can race through, by careful arrangement of furniture, you can change the traffic pattern in order to slow down the mad dash through the home.

Leave a minimum of two and a half to three feet for walkways. Arrange the furniture so that the traffic doesn't go through a conversation area. The ideal arrangement would have the traffic pattern go around the the room's perimeter. Not only is this less intrusive to the people and activities being conducted in the room, it also keeps the room neater and easier to clean. And what woman alive doesn't think that is a plus!

Move Your Furniture Away From the Walls

Don't line all your furniture up against the walls. Your room will then resemble an office waiting area. Start arranging your furniture in the center of the room or around your focal point.

• Don't be afraid to place furniture on the diagonal if it looks and fits better in that position. A bookcase or armoire placed on the diagonal can camouflage an awkward nook or corner. A conversation area placed on the diagonal in the middle of the room will add a sense of motion and interest.

• Pull your sofa away from the wall and put a long table behind it for the placing of interesting accessories or plants.

• If the room is large or a long rectangular shape, divide it into separate areas and set your furniture arranging for differant activity areas such as reading, game playing, or TV watching.

Consider Horizontal and Vertical Lines

Add variety and interest to your furniture arrangement by varying the heights and vertical lines of your furniture.

• A tall bookcase next to a horizontal desk
• A pair of lamps on a piano
• A high chair near a low side table

Above all, Have Fun and Let Your Creativity Shine!

So go ahead, play to your hearts content. Enjoy letting your imagination take over and let your creativity run free.

Always remember that you only have to please yourself and anyone who lives with you. You don't have to follow rules and regulations about furniture arrangement, or please your mother or neighbors.

It's your home. Make it uniquely yours. Have confidence in your personal taste and make your home a place that you always want to return to in order to revive your spirits and renew your soul.

At this point your are ready to assemble your room and your complete your room decorating plan.

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