10 furniture placement ideas: learning to work with space

Furniture arrangement options

Arrangement of furniture is that stage of interior decoration, which is not always given due attention. When buying the furniture itself, people’s eyes shine; when placing it, this fuse often dries up. As a result, we have a beautiful (seemingly) interior, but it is uncomfortable: cramped or, on the contrary, too spacious. Do not look ahead of time at showrooms in search of a radically new image – try to arrange the existing furniture differently or update only the accessories! After all, this is exactly the case when absolutely everything can change from the permutation of the terms.

When drawing up furniture compositions, it is necessary to take into account the purpose of the space, its volume and illumination, as well as geometry. Depending on these factors, the arrangement of furniture can be completely different. Compositions are symmetrical, asymmetrical and circular, and it is easy to determine that in a long narrow room we will not form a square of a sofa, armchairs and a table in the center, let alone a circle. And yet, you can create a beautiful interior even in the most problematic areas. When arranging furniture, it is very important to observe the principle of balance, balancing larger objects with graceful ones and complementing horizontal lines with vertical ones. Consider the options for arranging furniture in various spaces, which are offered by famous designers and bureaus.

Strict character

This is a classic example of how to arrange furniture in a room to create a symmetrical composition. This principle is used throughout living rooms and home lounges. A coffee or coffee table in the center, sofas and armchairs around it.

The axis of symmetry is often drawn in such spaces from a conventional fireplace (it can be artificial or even simply implied as a place), but the table will certainly act as the core of the furniture group. It can be picked up from the same headset, borrowed from other brands, or taken from flea markets. Just remember: furniture of large shapes, surrounded by “air” (that is, a large amount of empty space), can visually decrease, and small decor runs the risk of being lost.

Through the looking glass

A large mirror on the wall is a great way to visually enlarge the space, but when arranging furniture, you will have to take into account all the nuances of this item. If the mirror is especially large and hangs low, try to prevent the backs of chairs and sofas from appearing in the reflection in the foreground: furniture is usually more beautiful in front view, and dark spots will reduce the practical use of the mirror on the wall to zero – it will not be possible to make the room visually spacious and lighter …

Otherwise, the principle of symmetry is observed, as well as vertical-horizontal proportions: if the height of the ceiling allows, we add elegant floor lamps to low tables, armchairs and ottomans, hang volumetric chandeliers and decorate the wall panels in thin frames.

Axis of the earth

This is a composition similar in structure, but already asymmetric. Designer Joseph Durand moved the logical center to the edge of the room by placing the sofa against the wall. Why did he stop at this idea? First, the architecture of the rectangular room seems to be of great importance; secondly, Durand wanted to show the beauty of furniture forms; thirdly, it may be due to a psychological factor. Some people feel more comfortable in space, feeling the reliability of the wall behind their backs.

New approach

Architect Vincent van Dyusen demonstrates what to do when you have too much space. The same construction principle is relevant for rectangular rooms, and can also be suitable for studio apartments.

The arrangement of furniture can help with the zoning of the room: the backs of upholstered furniture separate the conditional living room from the walk-through area. You can also divide your home office-library and a small guest space; indicate where the kitchen area ends. However, remember that if you decide to add a mirror with such an arrangement of furniture, you should not “press” it against the back of the sofa.

We go east

Decorator and antiquarian Axel Vervoordt presents examples of interior design at the intersection of Eastern and Western aesthetic traditions in his wabi-sabi project. The methods of arranging furniture are different here.

Individual objects (for example, benches and poufs) can be located along the walls, leaving free space in the center of the room. This approach is unusual for Europe and the United States: traditionally in the Far East, due to the compactness of the premises, many furniture was cleaned during the day, and the tables and seats were very low – both the small growth of the inhabitants and the tradition of sitting on their knees influenced. For contemplative natures who gravitate towards a minimalist lifestyle, this way of arranging furniture will help add harmony to the interior.

Let’s put it in a corner

If the room is extremely compact or the center in it cannot be distinguished in any way, you will have to abandon the stand-alone furniture compositions. What to do in this case? We place furniture against a wall or in a corner, but we do it carefully: there should be enough air not only for movement, but also for visual comfort (cluttered spaces are tiring, and moving a chair to get up is simply inconvenient). If there is not enough space, a small soft sofa and a portable pouf table will be enough. Pay attention to square wooden or braided drawers: they can come in handy in small spaces.

An added bonus: For people who are especially sensitive to personal space, this arrangement may be most comfortable.

Long “stocking”

Another good way to arrange furniture in narrow rooms is a chair arrangement by the window. It can be two parallel chairs and a coffee table, or one chair with or without a table. Models today exist in different shapes, sizes, as well as weight categories, so choosing a beautiful and successful copy will not be difficult. The table can be replaced with a light and comfortable ottoman. Voila – the lounge area is ready.

Best gift

Let’s talk about bookcases. More precisely, about where to put them. If space permits, a bookcase is a great decorative object. But often shelves and walls “eat up” a huge amount of space, and in small rooms this is a critical factor. But you shouldn’t give up books in the house either. First, notice if there are any unused niches or unsuccessful old mezzanines somewhere: these are great built-in libraries.

If no niches were found, and you don’t want to put a bulky rectangular wardrobe in the living room, kitchen or bedroom, you can hang the shelves under the ceiling. Such a composition looks extremely stylish and rational from the point of view of the architecture of the house. You just have to resort to carpentry exercises, since the shelves will most likely need to be made to order for a specific length, and then tinted to match the color of the interior. However, making and installing this piece of furniture is not difficult, and often at the same time also exciting, especially if you do it in pairs.

Transforming room

The outlined principles of furniture arrangement are not the only way to bring space to a common denominator. Architects and designers have come up with a variety of convenient storage systems as well as transformable objects that allow optimal use of space while maintaining visual beauty.

If you live in a studio or small apartment, try a bunk bed. For high ceilings, this will help zone the room horizontally, leaving a compact corner at the bottom (which can be used as a workspace). If the ceilings are low, storage boxes can be placed under the bed. The principle of arranging furniture will vary depending on the volume of space, but in general, the rules described above apply here.

We sleep and see

The arrangement of furniture in the bedroom, on the one hand, is quite predictable, on the other hand, it is not easy, since bedrooms are often very small, and the beds, on the contrary, are voluminous. To bring comfort to a small bedroom, add hanging shelves to store books and suitable decor. But in no case hang heavy shelves over the headboard!

Place bedside tables or tables by the bed, as well as soft benches at the foot – if the space allows you to easily add these elements to the interior. In general, psychologists recommend not to clutter up the bedroom with unnecessary items: a room “broken” by details does not inspire calm, and this may affect the quality of sleep.