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Furniture Placement In a Room

By December 7, 2017January 8th, 2021No Comments
staged entrance

 How and Where to Place Furniture

How and where to place furniture placement can be tricky in some rooms. When you approach an empty room to decorate, the challenge lies in trying to figure out how much furniture and where to place the furniture. The first and most important thing before you go shopping is to take measurements so you know the size of a room.

Proportion and Size

A client needed a new dining room table. The room was a long space that would serve as a living room/ dining room area. The first thing I recommended to them was to measure the space where they would like the table to go. They went shopping and did not measure the room, found a table they “loved” but when placed in the space it appeared to be the size of an elephant- a costly mistake. The other mistake many people make in this room is to account for the space of the chairs. Typically a three-foot space is needed between the wall or other furniture to comfortably pull out a chair and sit down.

Lesson learned from this, measure first. Take your time when purchasing items. Make sure the furniture is in proportion to the size of the room not overwhelming the room.

The proportion of furniture is also very important in a space. If the room has tall ceilings, the size of the furniture is important. Taller chairs and larger scaled pieces will balance the room. The type of furniture that you place in a room with standard 8-foot ceilings might look dwarfed in a room that has taller ceilings, consider the height,  size, material of the furniture you will be using in a room. Furniture that is too large will look out of proportion also if the room is smaller and with standard ceilings. Notice that although a room has a tall ceiling the placement of the bed does not work, making all the other furniture look like doll furniture in the bedroom.

Balancing the room

If the furniture is sized properly for the space, the placement must also be balanced. Typically we will place furniture around the parameter of the room against the walls. In some situations, it might work, but consider how the room is going to be used. In a living room, you want to create conversation areas. Here using a rug to anchor your furniture into a grouping will allow you to create a better-balanced room.

Too many pieces of furniture placed on one side of a room can make it feel lop-sided.  Place a large couch for instance across from two chairs to balance the space. Find a focal point in the room if there is one, and place the furniture highlighting that point.

find a focal point a place furniture to accentuate it

An open concept home can be challenging because spaces need to be defined to make the space appear cozier. Again, consider making groupings or create zones within the open space. Possibly you might have an area for eating, an area similar to a living room with conversation seating, or maybe an area for just reading. Again here, consider the size of the furniture you are placing in the open concept area.

Balanced furniture is more pleasing to the eye. It allows you to look from one area to the next without having something that is jarring in your mind. It can be very challenging for some to envision how much furniture and what size furniture will fit in an empty space. If you are not sure it is well worth the investment to enlist a decorator to assist with the layout and the selection of the furniture so you do not incur costly mistakes.

 If you’re still stuck send me a picture, we can work virtually, or if you are local in person with you to create rooms that impress.

Other Great Reads:

5 Decorating Elements to Make a Room Look Fantastic

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Karen GP

Author Karen GP

Karen GrayPlaisted is the principle owner of Design Solutions KGP. She is a graduate from Pace University and The Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. Her marketing background and design sense are a perfect combination for home sellers. In the first year she began her staging business, she won the ‘Rising Star’ accolade from RESA, selected from all North American stagers, USA and Canada. In 2016 she won top Occupied Stager in the USA. Karen’s ability to educate and empower clients using simple solutions allows homeowners to transform their spaces with desirable affordable decadence.

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