The easiest and most inexpensive way to invigorate the design of your living room is to rearrange the furniture items you already own. Furniture placement can be a daunting task, no matter how big or small the room. If you are someone who always figured furniture placement would be better left to professional interior designers, fret no more. These tips will help you embrace the task of balancing your sofa with your coffee table or armchair, and allow you to create peace and harmony amongst all your furniture.
Location, location, location
A room must be balanced. Specifically, the furniture in every room should be placed in a way that is pleasing to the eye and easy to maneuver around. If all the heavy furniture pieces like sofas, armchairs, entertainment centers and bookshelves are loaded on one side of the room, a room can feel like a sinking ship.
On the other hand, if you spread your furniture around the room haphazardly, a room can feel cluttered even when it is relatively empty. Think about the size of your living room in relation to the amount of furniture you have.
You can anchor the room by situating a large entertainment center against one wall, and then arrange all seating comfortably around that anchor. Or, anchor your sofa against a wall, add a small side table or a coffee table in front for convenience, and voilá! Your room is balanced.
Sofa Secrets
Using your sofa as an anchor, or as the focal point for your living room can be an effective furniture placement tool. However, modular sofas, or sofas with many components, can be too heavy an anchor, tipping the balance of the room with its bulkiness. A creative solution to this problem can be found in breaking up the pieces of the sofa.
Place the largest sofa piece against the longest wall of the room, then the smaller sections on the opposite side. If you have the smaller sections of the modular sofa face the long sofa at an angle, you will avoid that boring, boxy look that comes with having all furniture pieces pressed with their backs straight against a wall.
A fresh alternative to placing your sofa against the longest wall is to bring the sofa out, away from the wall. If you prefer this look and feel for your sofa placement, allow at least two and a half to three feet between the sofa and the wall for comfortable walking space. Less space is needed between chairs and a sofa, but always keep in mind walking patterns.
Go with the Flow
Imagine how you and your guests will maneuver in your living room with all the furniture in its proper place. For example, if there are two doors, you may want to place sofas and chairs in a manner that will allow passersby to walk behind or around the seating arrangement instead of through it.
If there is only one door to the room, don't block the flow with a large coffee table right in the way of the sofa. Make sure you allow easy access directly to the sofa and chairs from the door, allowing for some space around the seating area as well.
Larger living rooms can be designed so that they function effectively as two areas. For example, have one social, entertainment center seating arrangement in one section, and a quieter study arrangement in another. Tall side tables can be placed behind a sofa with decorative vases and pictures on top, as long as there is still walking space behind the couch.
When deciding on how to arrange your living room furniture, listen to your instincts. Wait to decorate the walls for a few days or even a week once you have decided on where you are going to put each piece of furniture, to give yourself a chance to get used to the new placement. Live in the space for a bit, and assess how you feel. If something doesn't feel right, you can always move it, and use these tips to help you bring your living room back into balance.
Please find the original article and more information about this subject at http://www.homeandli ving.com/DesignAdvice.aspx?Category=FurnPlaceSecrets
When Yale graduate, BatSheva Vaknin is not writing helpful and insightful articles like the one you just read from http://www.homeandliving.com, she writes plays, screenplays and short stories. In fact, she has just completed her first novel.
If you would like to publish this article on your own site, please feel free to do so. Please let us know the url of the posted article by emailing the url to batsheva@homeandliving.com. All we ask is that you include the whole article, without changes, including the link to the original article location, author information, this disclaimer and the following link.
Find great home furniture online at
Part of the attraction of any collectible is the story... Read More
We all take a certain pride in the interior of... Read More
When it comes to decorating a child's room, your approach... Read More
When I think of decorating a room with posters, I... Read More
Got a room that's crying out for a bright accent... Read More
Bamboo flooring is a relatively new alternative to standard hardwood... Read More
Ozone air purifiers or "ozone generators" are known for their... Read More
Want your front door to really "sing?" Then paint it... Read More
Creating intimacy in a room is about finding a mixture... Read More
Colors have many different meanings. Have you ever been in... Read More
Now if your children are like mine they want to... Read More
After searching decorating books, using trial and error decorating, and... Read More
Conservatories are such lovely and serene rooms that homeowners want... Read More
Buying bedroom furniture can be an exciting time; unfortunately if... Read More
Anyone perusing through the websites looking for lighting fixtures to... Read More
Summer decorating is a wonderful time to lighten up the... Read More
Mini-blinds are very convenient and attractive window treatments. They typically... Read More
Deciding what colors to use when decorating your house can... Read More
Oak was always used for furniture because of its strength... Read More
Because there are several air filter manufacturers on the market,... Read More
Massage recliner chairs are different than traditional home recliners. These... Read More
We spend a great deal of time in our bedrooms,... Read More
As cuckoo clocks have been around since 1730 and have... Read More
This article provides a detailed review of popular adjustable beds... Read More
Granite, like marble and other stones, is as old as... Read More
The nursery is your newborn's first room, his own little... Read More
Human resource officers have, over the past decade or so,... Read More
Decorating anything is one of the easiest things in the... Read More
Have you ever wondered why interior designers place slippers on... Read More
One of the easiest ways to leave a lasting, warm... Read More
Psychologists have studied the influence of color on the mind... Read More
Looking for the most impact from a small decorating budget?... Read More
Redesigning your home for summer gives you the opportunity to... Read More
If you've ever seen Frank's decorations on TLC's Trading Spaces,... Read More
Wood vertical blinds, a style of wood blinds falling vertically... Read More
Adjustable beds, also known as Semi-Fowler beds, can be adjusted... Read More
In this time period, people are as busy as ever.... Read More
Decorating with area rugs is one of the easiest ways... Read More
Fitting new couch slipcovers is a great way to instantly... Read More
Solid hardwood floors should neither be installed over a concrete... Read More
You see it all the time in retail discount stores:... Read More
Limestone is a type of sedimentary rock. It is chemically... Read More
If your bathroom is looking a bit tired, but you... Read More
Rustic country decor and how to decorate cottage style homes... Read More
When it comes to decorating a child's room, your approach... Read More
Deciding on just a few candles is rarely easy. With... Read More
Bunk bed mattresses are perhaps the most important kind of... Read More
This article provides a detailed review of popular adjustable beds... Read More
Although the exact date remains a mystery, it is commonly... Read More
A latex mattress is not exactly the same thing as... Read More
Back in the day, fireplaces were an integral part of... Read More
A comfortable recliner is the prime parking spot for many-a-man.... Read More
Many people cannot immediately identify why they may like or... Read More
Most people would agree that wood shutters are beautiful. They... Read More
Over the past several months I have been actively working... Read More
Looking for the most impact from a small decorating budget?... Read More
The basic belief behind Feng Shui is that there are... Read More
Did you know that our bodies can automatically react to... Read More
It is a cliché that wines get better with age.... Read More
One of the first improvements that ceiling fan inventor Philip... Read More
Roman shades are inexpensive and elegant window treatment to block... Read More
Waterbeds provide a unique sleeping experience. They can be great... Read More
Feng Shui (say "fung shway") associates the kitchen with both... Read More
We spend a great deal of time in our bedrooms,... Read More
Bathroom vanity lights are often overlooked in a bathroom. Artificial... Read More
Clocks can be of any type - they could be... Read More
Interior Design & Decorating |