Have you ever struggled with creating the best furniture layout for your home? Well, you’re not alone. So many people struggle with how to arrange their furniture so that it looks good and works with the way the family lives.
In my latest Design Guide post, I’m sharing the 5 Rules of Space Planning. These are the rules and guidelines you’ll want to use to create a pleasing arrangement for your furniture and decor.
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Don’t Hug The Walls
One of the most common mistakes people make when decorating their homes is to push all the furniture to the walls. The thought is that by keeping the center of the room open, the room will feel larger. I hate to burst the bubble but the opposite it true. When you push all the furniture against at the walls, a room actually feels disconnected and unwelcoming. Make better use of the space and create a cozy vibe by arranging furniture within the room instead of against it.
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Create A Layout With Function In Mind
A truly great space is one that functions well for you and your family. Before you begin decorating, analyze how you plan to live in and use the room so that you can arrange the furniture and decor to support that. As you being space planning, think about how each area of a room and each furniture piece will be used.
Caitlin Creer Interiors
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Create Pathways In and Out
You’ll want about 30 inches to 36 inches of walkway between pieces.This is what you need to be comfortable, without knocking into furniture and bumping into walls. Any type of furniture with doors or drawers also needs three feet of space to open properly. And keep in mind how you access a seating area within a room. Where possible you want to have more than one way to enter and exit.
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Create Conversation Areas
There is nothing less intimate than a gathering of people within a room and them having to yell to have a conversation. Arrange furniture so there are cozy groupings where conversations can easily happen and people can easily engage with each other. There should be no more than 10 feet and no less than 3 feet between people seated around the room to optimize intimate conversation and everyone’s personal space.
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Create Balance
An easy way to create balance within a room is to find the center point of the space. In some cases, this isn’t necessarily the middle of the room but most of the time it will be. Generally, this is where the coffee table or center table should sit. Arrange furniture around the center point to create a good flow and visually pleasing balance within the room. If your home has a very long, or very large living room, consider having two center points with two separate furniture groupings.
These guidelines will help you get started with space planning but you should adjust your decorating according to your own tastes and preferences. Use these rules to get started, but don’t be afraid to break them and go with your instincts if something feels right to you.
For more helpful decorating tips, read Key Measurement to Know When Decorating Your Home!
