Designing your home can be a daunting task. You have to consider a lot of factors, such as your budget, preferences, and even your culture. With design principles such as proportion, rhythm, and contrast, it can be challenging to translate your vision for a space into something that works in real life. The first step to designing a functional environment that reflects your style is to create a layout.
The Internet has made furniture shopping easier and more accessible for everyone. But what happens when your family room furniture arrives from a store and you realize you have no idea where to place them? When arranging furniture, you need to consider both style and function. Luckily, there are techniques to help you along the process.
1. Pick a focal point
Every room is built around a purpose. Kitchens are for cooking, living rooms are for entertainment, and so on. The layout of a room should facilitate that purpose, and it starts by identifying a focal point.
Some rooms have a natural focal point, such as large windows or art pieces. Arrange your furniture around a focal point so that people can take advantage of its features. A sofa or two near a fireplace allows people to enjoy the heat of the fire, for example.
If the room doesn’t have a natural focal point, you can create one. If you have a big, boxy room you want to turn into a living room, you can add a TV stand or media cabinet as a focal point. If you want a library, place big bookshelves.
2. Position pieces away from walls
If you have room to spare, placing furniture away from walls can make a room feel cozier. And even if you have limited space to work with, a few inches make all the difference. Keep in mind that this technique is primarily for social spaces like living rooms and dens.
When it comes to designing social spaces, your primary consideration should be the flow of traffic. You want people to leave and enter the room quickly. Other ways to control the flow include angling furniture pieces.
3. Choose a designated bed wall
One design rule that holds anywhere is to avoid placing pieces taller than the window sill opposite windows. Not only will you obstruct the view and airflow, but it also creates a visual disturbance that’s hard to shake off. But there are exceptions to the rule.
If you have a bedroom that doesn’t have a designated bed wall because it’s surrounded by windows, feel free to break the rule. Choose one wall, even if it has windows, as the bed wall. If you dress it up with heavy curtains and position the bed carefully, your choices look intentional.
These pointers will help you create a room layout that’s both stylish and functional. Once you’re done with the layout, the next step is to incorporate your personal style. That means choosing pieces that reflect your preferences. To make a space feel more cohesive, choose one style and commit to that.