Avoiding these common mistakes will make your home more inviting and stylish.
10 Ways You’re Arranging Your Furniture All Wrong
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Furniture faux pas
Arranging your furniture can be a tricky task. Both large and small rooms, along with awkward-shaped spaces, can make placing furniture in the right spot difficult. And while it can be tempting to think that furniture arrangement is a matter of personal taste, so there’s no “wrong” way to do it, it’s true that a room with skillfully arranged can make a huge impression. Here are some common mistakes to avoid to make your home look more open, inviting, and stylish. Plus, these 13 tiny changes will make your home instantly happier.
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Don’t be a wallflower
Give your furniture a bit of breathing room and never push it all the way up against the walls. Even leaving a few inches of space can make the room feel bigger. According to The Budget Decorator blog, try placing pieces on the diagonal. “Placing pieces on the diagonal carries your eye smoothly through the room, so not only does it look larger, it looks more interesting,” writes the blogger.
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Lack of conversation areas
When setting up furniture, don’t forget about conversation areas. Never position chairs and couches so they are facing away from each other. Decorating Den Interiors, a design company, notes, “The last thing you want to do is shout across the room when trying to have a conversation, so arrange your seated furniture in a way that inspires opportunity for close, intimate chat.”
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No focal point
It doesn’t matter if it’s the bedroom or the living room, each room should have a focal point. Perhaps it’s the television, an over-sized piece of artwork, or the fireplace. “You don’t want to ignore the fireplace or something else that would architecturally be a natural main element in the room,” said Los Angeles–based celebrity designer Nicole Sassaman in Woman’s Day.
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Too many pieces
Yes, you can have too much furniture. In small spaces, such as bedrooms, start with what you must have and add more from there. Using fewer pieces will make the room feel more spacious. Instead of a wide dresser, try a taller dresser which will give you the same amount of storage but will take up less room. Find out some ways to spot a poor-quality piece of furniture before you buy it.
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There’s no balance
“Another common mistake that most people tend to commit is putting all the furniture in one particular side or corner,” according to the Austin Furniture Repair blog. When it comes to arranging furniture, don’t put all the big pieces on one side and small pieces on the other. Spread it out a bit. Don’t miss these 52 decorating tips to make your home look more expensive.
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The wrong rug
Make sure the rug is the right size for the room. Exposing some of the flooring around the rug’s edges is fine, but make sure some of the furniture can rest on the rug itself. “Rugs typically look better when all the furniture is on them,” Sassaman told Woman’s Day.
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No room for traffic
“Don’t let your family members pass through a maze just to go from one room to the other,” noted the Austin Furniture Repair blog. Always consider traffic flow when arranging your furniture. People should be able to walk through the space without tripping over furniture or other people in the room. There should be a couple of feet between chairs, tables, and couches when you’re arranging your furniture. For some home decor inspiration, check out the most impressive tiny home in every state.
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You ignore practicality
If you enjoy putting your feet up or eating while watching television, make sure you place your furniture in a way that allows you to do so. If you host game-watching parties, make sure people have a spot to put their drinks and plates.
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Windows are blocked
Natural light is important so be sure not to block windows with large pieces when arranging your furniture. “Blocking the windows in a room with furniture severely limits the amount of light, which makes a room look small and cramped,” according to The Budget Decorator blog. That’s just one of many tricks interior designers won’t share with you for free.
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Your coffee table is too small
When it comes to coffee tables, go big! Coffee tables not only serve as part of the design, but they are functional. “Go as big as you can,” celebrity designer Angelo Surmelis told Woman’s Day. “If you can’t go too big because you have a narrow living room, then go skinny but long.”
- The Budget Decorator
- Decorating Den Interiors: “5 rules for arranging your furniture”
- Women’s Day: “10 Commandments of Furniture Arranging”
- Austin Furniture Repair: “Commonly Made Mistakes While Arranging Furniture (DIY Fixing Guide)”
Originally Published on The Family Handyman
