One of my absolute favorite parts of interior design and decorating is getting to decide on how to best arrange the furniture. It can be so tempting to go back and rearrange rooms from time to time to try something new, or see if there's an even better set up for you and your family, and it's always a ton of fun playing around with set ups. If you're anything like me, once you get a vision in your mind there is no going back. Throughout the years, I've put together a few tips and tricks that help maximize both space and functionality. Therefore, before we turn the room upside down, let's look at the five main things to keep in mind when rearranging any room in your home.
Keep the function of the room in mind
One can easily become distracted when it comes to rearranging furniture. For example, if you have an especially spacious dining room, you might be tempted to add additional seating to complement your main dining table. However, is it the best idea to add a sofa to your dining room? Even if you have the space to do so, a sofa will take away from the main function of the dining room. The interior design balance in that space could potentially be thrown off completely and end up creating a disorganized, cluttered appearance.
Another example is when it comes to decorating your living room with furniture such as couches, chairs, sofas, etc. The living room’s primary function is to create a relaxing space that encourages social environments. If the couch and chairs are too far apart, conversation will be a lot more difficult for everyone to take part in and comfortably enjoy. Therefore, when arranging or rearranging furniture, always keep the room’s main function in mind and try not to stray too far away from that function.
Consider the flow of foot traffic through your rooms
Furniture should be positioned in a way that is beneficial to so the natural flow of foot traffic. If a room has two separate doorways to two individual rooms, blocking the entrance from one room to the other would end up creating so much more of a hassle than it's worth. Likewise, if there isn't much room for foot traffic either with end tables or coffee tables taking up most of the space, then the room will feel cluttered and be less functional.
If you realize that you’re having problems rearranging furniture in a way that promotes the flow of foot traffic no matter how you arrange it, it may be simply because you have too much furniture or too big of furniture pieces. Don’t be afraid of getting rid of furniture or simply moving it to another room. Getting rid of a piece of furniture that's not beneficial to the room can greatly help open up your room. Likewise, if a room has enough space to add extra furniture, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should fill it up.
Determine the focal point of the room
A focal point of a room will act as an anchor in the room that draws everyone's attention to it. This in turn assists in creating balance as it gives you something to design the room around. One example is if you were to have a fireplace in your living room as this will most likely be the focal point. Unless you have an especially large room, you should try to stick to one focal point as much as possible as having two focal points generally clashes with the other for attention.
Depending on the room, there could be a natural focal point such as a fireplace. Even in an empty room, one's eye is naturally drawn to the fireplace. However, other rooms might not have natural focal points. Most bedrooms don't have natural focal points, which means you get to create them yourself. In areas without natural focal points, typically the largest piece of furniture becomes your focal point. For example, a bed will be the focal point in a bedroom, your focal point should be the dining table in the dining room, and the couch in the living room.
Position The Largest Furniture First
When it comes down to finally positioning the furniture, begin by determining where each piece of furniture will go starting with the focal point. This is easily one of the most important factors since it anchors a room's overall feel and everything else flows around it.
A dining room table that is too big for your dining room will make the room feel small and cramped, while a table that’s too small can make the room feel too big and hurt the overall intention behind the placement. Therefore, consider each piece of furniture being placed in a room and decide whether or not its purpose and size are acceptable for the function of the room.
Use Mirrors To Open Up The Space
Mirrors are useful to incorporate into the design of a room for many reasons. Not only are they decorative and capable of adding a touch of elegance to any design, but they are also incredibly useful in reflect light and opening up a space to make it feel more inviting. Finally, mirrors also aide in creating an increased perception of space, which makes them ideal in smaller rooms.
However you decide to decorate, arrange, or rearrange your home, I hope you enjoy the process as much as I do and find what works best for you and your family!
~This blog was brought to you by S. Donnelly Interiors. Learn more about the interior design project process by following Stephanie Donnelly and her interior design services in Glen Ellyn, Illinois and the surrounding areas!
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