| Your room's function is defined more by its furniture | | | | so that it's easy to carry on a conversation? You |
| arrangement than any other aspect of the design, and | | | | should be able to make eye contact with, and easily |
| as such, it's one of the first indicators of whether a | | | | hear, everyone in the grouping. No one should be |
| space will actually work. If your room is not functioning, | | | | craning their neck to see who is speaking, or have to |
| you can bet that your layout is to blame. See if any of | | | | raise their voices to be heard. The same principle |
| these scenarios sound familiar: | | | | applies to any other possible functions. If the purpose |
| | | | of an arrangement is to see something (i.e. the TV, a |
| 1. "Ring around the rosie"... or, in this case, room. You've | | | | view, or the fireplace), everyone's view should be as |
| got furniture slapped flat on every available wall, with a | | | | unimpeded as possible. |
| huge arena in the center, as if a circus act were going | | | | 4. Poor placement for movement and use: How is the |
| to perform at any moment. This look comes to you | | | | traffic flow in the space? Are there areas that are |
| straight from the 50's, although it didn't work well then | | | | cramped, or where the traffic pattern doesn't really |
| either. The feel is austere and uninviting, and while it | | | | make sense? You need about 18" to move |
| may create a sense of space to have the pieces | | | | comfortably around a piece of furniture, and 36" for |
| pulled wide apart, you're left with a useless void I refer | | | | major walkways. Tables should be positioned close |
| to as "the swimming pool." Unless you're planning on | | | | enough that you can reach them comfortably from a |
| hosting a dance or a cocktail party, pull your pieces | | | | seated position - not floating out in no-man's land. If you |
| away from the walls and into the room! Group them | | | | have to stretch, they're too far away. |
| based on the function you want to take place: reading, | | | | As you may imagine, or have experienced for |
| conversation, TV, eating, playing games, etc... | | | | yourself, this isn't always as easily done as said! |
| 2. At the other end of the spectrum, you sometimes | | | | Awkward placement of doors, windows, and fixtures, |
| find all of the furniture crammed into one end of the | | | | having multiple focal points or multiple functions in a |
| room, giving it the feeling of being uncomfortably out of | | | | single space can complicate things considerably, but |
| balance. You still have the "swimming pool" effect, but | | | | there's always an answer. If you have a difficult room, |
| now to one side, instead of in the center. This is a | | | | you may feel you've tried the furniture in every |
| common problem in offices and bedrooms in particular. | | | | possible arrangement (and perhaps you have), without |
| You paid for your home based on square footage, | | | | success. This is where professional inspiration is |
| right? So if your room has 200 square feet of space, | | | | exactly what's needed. |
| your goal should be to use that entire real estate | | | | We get very used to seeing things a certain way in |
| effectively. If you have the majority of your large, | | | | our homes, and change can be hard to visualize, |
| heavy pieces in one area, try to place at least one | | | | especially when that's not your skill! When you |
| sizable item opposite the main grouping. In a bedroom, | | | | purchase a room design from |
| try a large dresser or a seating area across from the | | | | OnlineHomeDecorating.com, your plan will include 2-3 |
| bed. In an office, a bookcase or loveseat can work | | | | sample floor plans, allowing you to envision |
| well to balance the workspace. | | | | arrangement options you can try in your own home. |
| 3. Poor placement for function: Is the furniture spaced | | | | |