How To Create A Feel Good Furniture Layout

The way you place your furniture in your living space is arguably the most important piece of creating a comfortable room. I understand that it’s a lot of pressure to figure out not only what furniture you need, but also where to put it. It’s one of the biggest irritations we help homeowners with when we go to a consultation. People have tried every arrangement and are still left with a weird feeling space but they refuse to move a chair because its perfectly centered on the tv or they need an entertainment center to put all of their stuff in. 

Heres the deal… You can’t have a cluttered home that feels good. When was the last time you actually looked objectively at what you have in your living room? Do you use all of the furniture or are you keeping it out of convenience or obligation? Furniture is meant to define a space and invite you in not to hide all of the stuff you refuse to get rid of. And as for that perfectly centered chair? Its perfectly distracting to anyone who comes to visit. So lets talk about some basics that will get you on the right track to a feel good furniture layout.

1. Start from scratch: it’s about more than moving things around. Push all of the furniture out of the room so you can honestly assess how much space you have and what the most important features in the room are.
2. Find your focus: Have a fireplace, windows with an amazing view or a place where the tv has to go? Great! that is the spot that furniture should point to!
3. Determine your pathway: where do people enter the room? Are there multiple spaces attached? Keep the pathway clear and try not to put the back of the couch to it. It cuts off the view of the room and can make people feel blocked from coming in and getting comfy.
4. Bring in the furniture: Just the main pieces though! Couch, chairs, and coffee table for now. Leave the extras out until you figure out the flow of your room.
5. Arrange, Rearrange, rearrange, stop!: There are a lot of configurations you can try to make your space feel good. Most often you will want your couch facing the focal point or against the closest wall, the coffee table should be about 3 feet away from the couch and your chairs can float into the room. Try a few different layouts before making a decision! You never know until you try.
6. If there is still room you can add one or two more things: I say this with extreme caution. Don’t overfill your room. You want space to move (ideally 3 feet between items)! Some rooms just need a touch more to feel comfortable. Side tables are a big yes in most spaces but after that really think about how you live in the space and what the furniture is adding. Not every wall needs to be filled. If it doesn’t fit find it a new home! Edit your furniture to suit the room.

This is overwhelming to most people. Sometimes it just takes some rearranging and editing to make a room perfect! We do this every day and still have to try a few different arrangements in some spaces. If you just can’t get it right and want help, give us a call! We will set up a design consultation and help you sort through what’s right and what’s wrong with your space.