A Plan to Arrange Furniture

Arrange furniture in a room that is empty (or not) by beginning with an informal sketch of the room.

Go into the room you’re planning to decorate and spend time in it. Pay attention to the windows at various times of the day or when you typically will be using the space.

Take note of the view, windows lose their allure if the view isn't desirable. Also, take note of the permanent features like doors, stairs, closets, and adjacent decorating spaces.

Observe the traffic pattern in and out of the room and the direction of the door swing if any. Allow for natural pathways such as from the door to the closet.

As you are walking through the room, start with a rough outline of the room's shape. Again take note of the fixed features such as doors, windows, fireplaces, staircases, closets, built in bookcases and cabinetry to include on the sketch.

Indicate the adjoining rooms on the sketch so you don't arrange furniture that will interfere or block the access.

How do you measure up?

Then starting from one corner, working all the way around, measure to the first opening or obstacle (fixed features) that breaks up the space. Jot down the measurement. Measure the obstacle, continuing all the way around the room.

Note all the dimensions on the sketch in the margins including the height of the ceiling.

A floor plan gives an outline of your decorating space.

Every square on the graph paper represents one foot. For example, if the overall length of your room is 15', then when you draw it on paper it will take 15 squares.

You can use any straight edge instrument to draw your lines.

It's okay to estimate for your rough sketch but you want to be accurate for the scale drawing.

To make furniture templates to scale use the same graph paper used for the scaled drawing of your room. For example, a fairly standard size for a sofa is 84 X 40. Count out seven squares by 3.5 squares on your graph paper and cut that out to represent a sofa.

Even with the furniture you already have and are planning to keep, it is a good idea to include them in with the cut out templates.

• Move the templates about your scaled drawing to arrange furniture and work out different possibilities. Play with different groupings to find what works and is pleasing.
• Remember if it is crowded on paper it will most likely be crowded in real life.
• Always note the traffic pattern first on your floor plan and begin with the largest and most important piece of furniture.
• Allow 3-4 feet when possible to move in and through the decorating space.

If your dining room needs to double as your home office, you'll want to provide a space for a desk, books, lighting and files as well as the dining room table and chairs.

It's better to create small conversational groupings at each end of the room if the room is large and one in the center if the room is small.

Make sure you can move around these areas and the traffic flow should never interrupt them.

Return from Arrange Furniture to Home