Arranging Furniture

Are you getting sick of the way your rooms are looking? Do you find your dining room dull? Is your living room lost? Don’t rush out and purchase all new furniture to spice up your living space. Instead, a simple home décor shuffle can help to renew all of the rooms in your house! By arranging your furniture in new and exciting ways, you can help to redefine your rooms and make your house a real home. Arranging furniture can be a big job, which many people find intimidating. However, with the right decorating tips you can rearrange all of your furniture to fit your family better.

Why Arrange Furniture?
Many people simply set up their furniture haphazardly throughout their house. This can be quite understandable; after all, furniture can be heavy and awkward to move, and many homes simply aren’t friendly to furniture arrangement. However, by taking the time to arrange your furniture creatively, you can reap multiple benefits. Proper furniture arrangements can help to:

• increase your comfort
• improve your organization
• define a space
• make smaller spaces appear larger
• make larger spaces appear more intimate

Where Do You Start?
In order to arrange furniture comfortably and effectively, you need to know where to start. Before arranging furniture in any room, keep these basics in mind:

• Define the Function: Before you can arrange your furniture, you need to know the function and purpose of a room. Determine which areas will be your dining room, living room, family room, or office, and work from there.
• Find a Focal Point: Every room needs a focal point which can be used to anchor furniture around. In your dining room, a focal point may be a china hutch; in your living room, your focal point could be your television. Other common focal points include fireplaces, picture windows, and aquariums.
• Determine Traffic Flow: All rooms have a specific traffic pattern. Determine how you will be walking into and out of each room, as well as how you will walk through it. This will help you to place furniture around major traffic routes.

Placing the Furniture
Once you have determined the purpose of your room and its focal point, you can begin to place the furniture. Try following these steps for the most effective and easy arrangements:

• Large Pieces First: It is always best to place large pieces of furniture first. Situate your sofa, bed, or desk opposite your focal point. Try to echo architectural details with your larger pieces. For instance, if you have a curved window, buy a sofa with a curved back. Try to keep large pieces parallel or at right angles to the walls of the room, as this will make better use of the space. Pull larger pieces out from the walls to create a cozier, more intimate setting.
• Arrange Related Pieces: Once the main piece has been placed, you can arrange other tables and chairs in the room. Consider pieces that will look beautiful, but will also serve a purpose. For instance, make sure that there are tables and bookcases. Try to create a sense of balance with your related pieces. Place two similar pieces of furniture opposite one another, or combine both wood and upholstered pieces.
• Add Accents: After all your major pieces of furniture have been arranged, you can add your accents. Home accent pieces should help to make your room more functional. Try adding cupboards to corners, or install shelves over larger pieces.

Arranging Furniture for Specific Rooms
Need some advice on arranging furniture in your living room, dining room, or bedroom? Here are some great tips to get you started!

The Living Room:
The first step in arranging living room furniture is to find your focal point that will anchor the room. Many people choose either a fireplace or television unit to serve as their focal point. Build your furniture arrangement around this point, starting with your largest sofa and chairs. Move your furniture in from the walls to create an intimate gathering. Be sure to place chairs within eight feet of one another, so that people aren’t too far away to hold a conversation. Put a table within reach of each seat. Add lamps for adequate lighting. Try to maintain traffic pathways by allowing enough room between pieces: keep the coffee table between 14 and 18 inches from the sofa, for ample legroom; reserve two to three feet for highly traveled pathways.

The Dining Room
Dining rooms can often be difficult to organize because of the location of fixtures and the furniture needed to make the room functional. Typically, begin by locating your dining room table. Tables are usually centered directly beneath the chandelier or lighting fixture, however, they can be placed on a diagonal with the chandelier. If you chandelier is not centered in the room, try moving it over a few feet. Locate chairs around the table – try mixing the colors or styles up a bit, for a little excitement. You can also place armchairs on either side of a sideboard or hutch for added drama. If you are using a dropleaf table, locate it along a window or wall.

The Multipurpose Room
Today’s home designs often rely on multipurpose, open-plan rooms, which can be quite tricky to arrange furniture in. The key is to provide each area of the room with a feature. For instance, in your dining area you could use a hutch as a focal point, and in your living area you could use a fireplace or television. Create natural room divides with furniture placement: try placing your sofa or chairs in a vertical line between the rooms. Use screens to divide rooms or allocate rugs to each space to help define separate areas.

The Bedroom
The focal point of your bedroom should always be the bed. To create drama, angle your bed so that it is placed on a diagonal. This will help to keep the room intimate, and allow for furniture groupings. Place a side table on either side of the bed to maintain balance, and add a bed headboard or footboard to interest the eye. Area rugs or runners can also work to anchor the room. If you have the space, create a sitting area with matching chairs or a chaise.