How to Decide on Furniture Arrangements

Arranging furniture can be a difficult and confusing experience. In addition to that, if you can’t make up your mind and have to keep moving furniture, it can also be back breaking. If you follow these steps however, you can decide your furniture arrangements easily and get it right the first time.

Instructions

1. Communicate with all others who will share the living space. Getting input from all involved is very important. It should be a team effort, unless it is agreed on in advance that you are the superior decorator who can call the shots.

2. Look at Window and Door Placement. Check on things that are important to you, such as having enough windows or doors that could interfere with furniture placement. All of these things will dictate where you place your furniture in the room.

3. Take note of any room features that would create placement issues. If your room has bay windows, pillars, dormers, or two distinct sections, this can be a problem. In this case, it is wise to look at the room as two separate smaller living areas, with different functions for each section.

4. Draw your room to scale. This is done using graph paper and a ruler. You measure the room in feet, and transfer the measurements to the graph paper making one square foot equal one square on the paper.

5. Use your drawn room and furniture pieces to arrange furniture without lifting a thing. Keep in mind the architecture of the room, window and door placement as previously mentioned.

6. Try out different arrangements in person with the help of a couple of friends if you are still indecisive. Seeing things physically can make a difference.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are moving, it makes sense to do this exercise before you move in so you can set up quickly.

• As you play with your furniture pieces in your pretend room, remember to leave enough space for traffic flow in the room. Wherever you expect people to be able to pass through, there should be a three foot passageway.