You may have the most practical furniture and rooms with a lot of space, but if you don’t arrange them correctly, you can still end up with a messy house. Just placing furniture in the first place you think of will often reveal issues that could have been avoided with planning!

There are many things you should consider, and I want to break them down for you as clearly as possible. With this guide in hand, you should get better at arranging furniture, and only by understanding a few basic concepts.

It’s important to note though: this is a guide for any kind of furniture. It doesn’t matter if it cost you a thousand dollars or you got it for twenty dollars on a garage sale – knowing how to arrange furniture will still make a huge difference.

With that said, enjoy these tips for arranging furniture like the pros!

“Don't go through life, grow through life." – Eric Butterworth

Plan ahead

Planning ahead is easily the best way to start.

You can predict a lot of issues by simply imagining where you want to place something, or even by drawing a crude floor plan on paper to have an idea of where things will be.

But that’s assuming you already have the furniture with you. What if you just bought a new piece and it hasn’t arrived yet? Then you should definitely whip out a measuring tape and take notes – the last you want is for something to not fit! Once you have your measurements, you can lay out a much more precise plan.

Also, don’t stress over too much about smaller objects. These are easy to move if you make a mistake, but the large pieces deserve special attention. Not only are they heavy, but sometimes they have to be partially dismantled in order to be moved, so planning ahead is a must!

Focal point

A focal point is always a nice starting point for your planning stage. The focal point is basically the “center of your living room. For example, if you want the focus to be on the television, the furniture should point towards it.

But the focal point can also be the fireplace, or the coffee table, or a window… it’s up to you! Just decide early and then adjust your plans accordingly. This is something that an interior designer will always have in mind early on.

If you have a home with an open floor plan, consider our expert design ideas!

Flow

Putting your plans on paper is great, but if you can, try to physically walk in your living room while imagining the furniture in place.

Does it flow well? Can you walk from place to place without bumping into anything? Isn’t there any piece of furniture blocking paths or outlets?

It’s really good to have this experience so that you can feel your plans coming to fruition. Sometimes it may look aesthetically pleasing, but if it doesn’t flow well in a daily routine… maybe you can optimize it.

In fact, this goes for your home’s interior design in general. It should look good, obviously, but it also has to be practical!

Rugs

Rugs are actually tricky to place depending on their size, so you have to plan the best way to lay them out. Your furniture arrangement greatly benefits from the right rug placement.

There are basically three ways to set up your rug:

  • using a small rug that doesn’t touch the furniture legs
  • a rug that extends under all the furniture
  • or one that only touches the front legs of the furniture

Whichever one you choose may influence how you place your furniture. Perhaps, you can also first plan your furniture placement and then decide on the right rug for the best effect. It will come down to how much room you have to work with.

Lighting

Finally, the light also plays a major part in your furniture arrangement. For example, if your television is the focal point, it’s important that no windows or doors are reflected directly on it. Even regular ceiling lights can sometimes be a problem, so keep that in mind.

Logically, if the room is meant to be a conversation spot, it should be evenly lit – perhaps preventing that seating spot from facing a distracting sight or a huge window that might be uncomfortable during the day.

But every situation will be slightly different and exceptions have to be made, so be sure to picture yourself in the room with all the furniture in place to get a feel for it. You’ll quickly notice if something isn’t right once you put yourself in this headspace!

Did you know that you can make dramatic changes to your home with a small-scale remodel? Get free quotes from remodeling pros in your area today to plan for your next project!


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