How to Arrange Furniture in a Small House

Small, light-colored furniture helps a tiny house appear larger.

If you have a small house, you may be perplexed as to how to arrange your furniture. If you place furniture around your home in an improper manner, you can actually make the house look smaller. Similarly, the shape of the furniture, as well as its material and color, can affect the way it looks in your home. Knowing how to properly place your furniture can not only provide a more comfortable atmosphere, but can make your home appear larger and allow you to fit more pieces inside the space.

Instructions

1. Obtain furniture that is made of light colors, such as tan, white or khaki. The light colors make it easier for eyes to freely roam over the furniture, creating the illusion of a larger space.

2. Collect furniture that is tall, such as floor lamps and mantel displays. The tall furniture encourages you to focus on the height of the rooms, rather than the small width. Draperies also emphasize a room's height.

3. Obtain furniture that is on the smaller size. Large, oversized couches and chairs clutter a small room, making it look even tinier. Tulip and armless chairs typically complement a room's small size as they are dainty and don't take up much space, as do daybed-style couches. In addition, choose furniture that can be used in more than one way. For instance, surround a low dining room table with couches instead of chairs, to combine your living and dining room areas into one. Or use an ottoman as a coffee table. Small bedside tables are also advantageous in tiny bedrooms.

4. Place your furniture in different corners if you have an open floor plan. For instance, set up a living room area with a small coffee table, couch and chair in a corner of the room. In another corner, place your computer or television for an activity area. In addition, placing a half-circle table under a window creates a breakfast nook or office table.

Tips & Warnings

• Hang simple sheer draperies over your windows to allow as much light into the rooms as possible. Light will reflect off of the pale shades in the room, creating the illusion of a larger space.

References

• Rental Decorating Digest: Decorating a Living Room -- Arranging Furniture
• Remodeling Center. Furniture Arrangement Ideas for Small Living Rooms