NEXT PLACE THOSE PIECES RELATING TO THE MAIN
PIECEThe arrangement must make your activity
comfortable and convenient as well as flatter your furniture. Think
about the use of the room as you place the furniture. If you
typically eat or drink there, is there a place to set your cup or
plate down? Is there enough storage for books or CDs? If the room is
used for socializing, is there enough seating and is it
appropriately arranged? Wherever possible keep pieces of similar
scale together. A small occasional chair would look better next to
an accent table or floor lamp than next to a large overstuffed sofa.
Try to balance pieces opposite one another. A pair of upholstered
chairs is visually more balanced across from a sofa than a pair of
small scale occasional chairs. Mix straight lines for interest in a
room. A round table or curved chair breaks up the monotony of an
otherwise linear room. Balance the number of wood and upholstered
pieces. Mix hard and soft surfaces by adding rugs or fabric covered
tables to a room otherwise filled with wood, metal and stone.
ADD ACCENT PIECES FOR SECONDARY ACTIVITIES
Creating an area for a secondary use adds function
to a room. A reading corner in a bedroom or a game area in a family
room can be created with a minimum of space. A long empty wall can
be made into a focal point by grouping pictures over a long narrow
table. Place a desk under a window to take advantage of the natural
light and view. Place a curved item in a corner to soften the angle.
A corner cupboard or curio cabinet is a wonderfully functional piece
that adds character to the room while displaying your favorite
collection.
PLACE YOUR FURNITURE WHERE IT LOOKS BEST
Be aware of the light in the room when selecting
and placing your furniture. A dark cabinet may disappear in a dimly
lighted alcove. Bright pieces may seem garish under a picture
window. Break up the horizontal lines of the room by mixing in
taller items. A secretary or bookcase against the wall, a high back
chair next to the sofa or a pair of lamps on a credenza will give
the eye some variety and improve the view. A sofa may be placed
diagonally in front of a corner that has been softened by a plant or
screen.
BE AWARE OF TRAFFIC PATTERNS
You can direct the flow of traffic through a room
with the placement of your furniture. Leave a minimum of two and a
half feet for walkways and avoid flowing traffic through a
conversational grouping if possible. Guide the traffic around the
room's perimeter to create a less disruptive environment. Be aware
of the usage of adjacent rooms in laying out your floor plan and
flow colors from one adjacent room to the next when they are visible
from one another.
LET YOUR PERSONALITY SHINE THROUGH
Ultimately, your home is an expression of who you
are. Design your rooms so that you are comfortable, with a realistic
eye on your own taste and habits rather than relying on a picture
from a magazine. After all,
you're going to be living there.
In
furnishing any room the major piece for the primary activity of the
room must be considered first - the sofa in the living room, the bed
in the bedroom, the desk in the office. This piece in most cases
should face the focal point of the room. The focal point can be a
view window, fireplace or, as is often the case, the television.
Large pieces should be evenly distributed so as not to put the room
off balance. Leave room around them for the best affect. In
selecting these pieces, keep the architectural shapes in the room in
mind. To echo a curved bay window with a curved sectional sofa or
curved desk is pleasing to the eye.