Design Tips
FURNITURE…FUNCTION & FUN !
When selecting the right furniture, one of your goals is to create a warm and inviting space in which you, your friends and family will feel welcome, be comfortable and relax. Ideally the furniture layout should create a social atmosphere with LOTS of conversation and laughs.
So…how to start. Ideally you should decide on the function of the room or the space first. This will help determine what kind of furniture will be needed and how many pieces are required. Budget, your personal style (or room themes) and floor measurements are considerations before you go shopping. Try not to purchase pieces that are oversized, as you don't want to block 'traffic' patterns and flow. Doorways and entrances will also need to be factored in when determining traffic flow.
Next, you should identify the shape of your room. Basically there are 5 room shapes…rectangle, square, oblong, 'L' shaped and odd angled (i.e. corner is cut off at a 45-degree angle). The shape of the room is best determined by looking and following the lines where the walls and floor meet, and don't worry about any variables.
The next step is to determine the focal point. Your home may have several focal points but there should be one feature that stands out the strongest; this is the jumping off point you should keep in mind. An 'architectural' focal point is part of the structure of the room - usually a fireplace, a view, built-in wall units or even a large wall, are under this classification. If you don't have an 'architectural' focal point you can create your own focal point; it could be a media area, a sculpture or a dramatic wall hanging. Or pick a feature wall and paint it a different colour and have a picture gallery or large artwork showcased or any other ideas that pop into your imagination!
When designing the layout of your furniture in your living space, start by placing the largest seating piece directly opposite the focal point. Then you add other furniture afterwards, so for instance in a rectangular room, you would place the loveseat (for instance) in an L pattern. If you have a larger room and more furniture, you would then place the second grouping of furniture (i.e. chairs) diagonally from the first group. And so on, depending on how large your room is, you want people to weave around the furniture not just walk straight through the area. Don't forget…it's supposed to be a social place.
Now bring out the appy's and refreshments and enjoy your 'new' place !
Compliments of Elle Hunter ~ Stager + Stylist at ellement re:design
www.ellementredesign.com
