Looking to change the look of a space without spending a lot of money? If so, then you can pull off some major “wow” factor by simply moving the room’s furniture around. The trick to getting the most out of your space is finding just the right arrangement to emphasize its best features and minimize those less than optimal features. Need some guidance? Here are some tips for how to find the right furniture arrangement in any room:
Clear the space. It’s important that you start with a clean slate, so that you can visualize your options. If moving all of the furniture out of the room is not any option, then you can accomplish the same objective by sketching the room’s floor plan on a sheet of graph paper. Be sure to include things like doors, windows, appliances, fireplaces, and staircases.
Choose a focal point. This may be an architectural element (picture window, fireplace, built-in entertainment center, etc.), or it may be a piece of furniture. Sometimes, even, the room’s purpose will determine the focal point; for example, the focal point of a bedroom is the bed and the focal point of the dining room is the dining table.
Plan an arrangement around the focal point. If your focal point isn’t already in place (as with an architectural element), then you should decide where to place your focal point before you attempt to arrange any of the other furniture pieces or decorative elements. The rest of the room’s components should be placed in a way that supports and accentuates your focal point. For example, if your sofa is the focal point, then your accent chairs should flank the sides of the sofa, the coffee table should sit in front of the sofa, and the wall art should hang above and behind the sofa. You will likely have to experiment with a number of layouts before you get it right.
Helpful hints. It’s a good idea to move furniture away from the walls so that it “floats” somewhere in the center of the room; you may use a decorative rug to “anchor” the area. Consider traffic flow when planning your arrangement, as people should be able to move through the space freely and easily. Sightlines are an important aspect of any room design; be sure not to block doors, windows, or views into other areas of the house.
Creating the right furniture layout for your room is not rocket science. However, it will take some forethought and experimentation. Follow these tips to get the arrangement in your room just right.
About the Author: Hal Rissman and his wife moved from a small apartment to a large house after years of saving. They not only had more space to work with, but ended up going to www.gowfb.com to replace most of their old furniture.
