As you fill your house with your belongings, do you feel relaxed and welcomed by the end results? A house becomes your home because of the ambience which is strongly influenced by the people living there and the overall layout. You may have a beautiful house with expensive accessories and furniture and yet, it can fall short in its ambience and charm. Such is the impact of wrong furnishing and layout.
This post from your friends at Bijan Interiors offers tips that are bound to give a face-lift to your home ensuring it feels welcoming and spacious.
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Choose Comfort and Functionality over Appearance
When deciding on your furniture layout, remember that you’re decorating your home, not a movie set. That’s why the arrangement should be comfortable and easy to access, not just visually appealing and perhaps a little impractical. For example, your coffee table should be close enough to the sofa that you can put your feet up or put down your drinks while watching TV. The furniture should be spaced in such a way as to maintain distance between each other to create walking space.
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Buy Furniture According to the Room’s Function
Every room has a specific function: the bedroom is for sleeping; the media room, entertainment; and the living room, gatherings. So, furniture should be selected and placed according to the room’s function. Loveseats in your home office and modern office chairs in your living room, for instance, would be out of place.
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Avoid pushing furniture against the wall
One common mistake among homeowners is lining the furniture against the perimeter of the wall. This makes your house look crammed. Leaving at least a few inches gap between the wall and the furniture imparts a sense of larger space which in turn feels more relaxing. This is a common living room mistake observed while laying out the sofa set. Leaving a minimum gap between the sofa and the wall also gives your sofa the space to breathe.
| Isn’t that waste of floor space?
Even if you have limited floor space, an accurately measured and suitable sofa set, when placed away from the wall allows free flow of space making your room feel cozier. |
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Do not neglect secondary lighting
Lighting has a major influence on the ambience of the house and should be planned judiciously. Apart from the primary light fixtures that impart the maximum brightness to the room, install secondary task lights that are softer. Install in lampshades and pendant lights strategically such that they uplift the mood and deliver a more soothing ambience. These lights also help to create nooks and corners for relaxing or reading without disturbing anyone else in the room.
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Avoid cramming too many furniture items
Consider the size and shape of the room before determining the layout. Whether you have a very limited square footage or ample floor space, ensure that the place is not overrun by furniture. Opt for a simple layout that is cozy and allows sufficient leg-space. The space flow is essential to make your home more welcoming. Cramming too many furniture items in one place makes the place look and feel suffocating and smaller than it actually is.
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Symmetry does not always impart beauty
Many of us obsess over symmetrical decor. Be it the TV stand being positioned in the middle of the feature wall with the sofa set facing it directly from across the room or positioning the bed right under the window leaving equal space on both sides. However, we overlook the formality such symmetry observes. Not only is that, but a lot of space also wasted in the process, making your home appear bare. Do you really want such a sombre and formal ambience in your house? The easiest way to avoid this is having a synchronized disbalance in the overall furniture layout. Add an unconventional statement armchair here or a curio cabinet beside the TV stand; the possibilities are endless.
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TV units should be positioned away from windows
Imagine you were to binge-watch your favourite shows one weekend morning and the glaring sunlight from the window across the room reflects off the screen- it is a mood-spoiler. But this is an inevitable situation when your TV stand is placed opposite a large window. Pulling the curtains is a solution but what if you do not feel like sitting in a dark room? Rearrange the room such that the TV does not reflect the light coming from the window for uninterrupted entertainment.
| What if I do not have enough space?
Some living rooms are designed such that you cannot place the TV away from the window. In that case, opt for window treatments that diffuse the light and try shifting the TV stand to minimize the reflection. |
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The furniture layout must not obstruct pathways
Sufficient space should be accommodated for free foot traffic. Often the awkward furniture layout can directly cause roadblocks inside the house. Placement of the statement furniture accentuates the overall beauty of the room but it should be done smoothly. Be it a recliner chair, or a console table, make sure it does not force people to navigate sharply in a limited space to move around the house.
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There must be a balance among the furniture
While choosing the furniture for your house, prioritize the decor theme and maintain a balance among the pieces you are choosing. For example, if you own a classic wooden curio cabinet, placing an ultra-modern and sleek lampshade above or beside it will create an awkward disbalance in the room and will not enhance your home’s interior appeal. These pieces may be beautiful and unique on their own but together, they do not create a positive impact.
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Choose Furniture and Accessories that Complement, Not Match
Another common furniture layout mistake is matching your furniture and accessories. This approach looks tired and dated and is too uniform to make your decor look interesting. The better strategy is to mix and match furniture to create a unique look. For instance, use a pair of chairs with a sofa, or if you have a pair of matching sofas, add different throw pillows and blankets for contrast.
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Avoid Decorating Around More Than One Focal Point
Every room has a focal point around which to place your furniture. They may occur naturally in some rooms while you need to create one in others.
But make sure there’s only one focal point in a given room, otherwise, it will look cluttered. For instance, a modern chandelier that immediately catches your attention is a natural focal point around which to place your furniture. Keep the pieces subtle so everything looks balanced and the layout creates a natural flow.
Choosing the right furniture is not always enough if you do not plan the layout well. Often over planning your interior decor and desperation to be updated with trends result in unimpressive overall results. The above-mentioned tips are certain pointers that are fail-proof provided you follow them dedicatedly. If you need further tips on what furniture layout is the best for your home, the experts at Bijan Interiors will be happy to assist you.
