Your living areas should be comfortable and enjoyable, but many homeowners feel stuck with the same old furniture arrangements. Interior designers understand that the placement of living room and family room furnishings sets the tone and feel of the space. When done incorrectly, family and visitors may struggle to get comfortable, or even choose to spend time in another part of the house. Read on for tips on how to arrange living spaces that your family will love to hang out in.
Establish Thoughtful Focal Points and Areas of Emphasis
Although a gaming system or TV may be the current focal point of your family room, changing the layout can help bring conversation and reading into the mix. Switch up a theater-style seating arrangement (seats facing the big screen) so that people can easily see and talk to one another. In a large room, create several smaller conversation areas. Look for natural focal points to emphasize, such as a fireplace or picture window with a view. Avoid multimedia withdrawal by adding portable seating like ottomans or beanbag chairs that can be used for gaming or watching TV, then put away when movie night is over.
Consider the Size and Scale of Furniture
Before attempting a new furniture arrangement, measure your room’s dimensions as well as the size of your furniture. Some furnishings are designed for large, open homes with high ceilings. If your home was built on a more modest scale, especially if you have lower ceilings, these overstuffed pieces will make the room look and feel cramped. Worse, the entire space will emit a feeling of overcrowding and stuffiness. Just because you can get all your pieces in the room doesn’t mean you should. If you are attached to your oversized items, consider using only some of those pieces and mix them with scaled-down accent pieces. Accessorize a potentially overcrowded room with slimmer lighting accents and single decorator items rather than collections.
Emphasize Balance, Flow and Harmony
Flow is equally important for an engaging room arrangement. If ingresses and egresses are blocked or difficult to get to, your room won’t put forth a welcoming feel. Arrange tables so that each seat has a flat surface nearby, but allow a little breathing room between furnishings. Create balance with a mixture of furnishings and open space, but also with colors, textures and pieces of varying heights. Hang art and wall decorations with a thoughtful eye, taking care to leave plenty of open space on the walls as well. Create visual interest with splashes of color or texture in toss pillows and area rugs. Place furnishings parallel to, but well away from, the walls whenever possible.
Guild Hall Fine Furnishings, serving Salt Lake City and the communities of northern Utah, features distinctive home furnishings, lighting and accessories. Their friendly staff of professional designers can help you select pieces to work with your existing items and provide assistance in the layout and arrangement of your home’s living areas.
