When moving into a new place you are presented with a bunch of empty rooms. This can be overwhelming. Where is the furniture going to go? How will it fit? How will I set it up? The stress sets in. You want your house to feel like a home and the way you present it has a lot to do with achieving that goal.
I can't really tell you where to place what furniture, but I do know some questions and have some guidelines that may help you get started.
-Do you use this room as a pathway to another room or is it a destination? (Do you go through this room or to this room?)
If the room is for passing through you want to try and keep a simple pathway going through it. Straight lines are best. You want this space to be efficient. Walking around pieces of furniture detracts from the simple task of the space.
-What feeling do you want to create when you are in this space? Warm and cozy? Open and spacious?
Warm cozy spaces are created by placing the furniture in groups closer together. An open feel needs more space.
-Will the room be used for entertaining?
If so you will need flexibility. Extra seating maybe placed out of the way and moved into use when company is over.
Some guideline to help:
-Place the largest piece of furniture first.
-Place the next largest piece and work your way down to the smallest. Add tables last.
-Keep pairs of chairs together, separating them reduces their impact.
-Area rugs anchor groups of furniture.
-Try to leave 36-100 inches in between the sofa and side furniture. This makes the pathways more efficient to travel through. If you don't have that much space, be sure that you can walk through the the room with out bumping into pieces.
-Coffee tables are usually placed 14-20 inches from the sofa.
-If the room is used as a TV room it will help that you can see the TV from the main pieces with out having to move them. The TV does not need to be the focal point where all the furniture faces just viewable from the main pieces.
-Three feet of spaces is recommended for pathways in and around the room.
-For ideal bed placement, allow at least 24 inches between the side of the bed and wall. Also allow 36 inches between the foot of the bed and wall or the bed and door.
Here are some ideas to get you started. Enjoy!
