Your choice of furniture will largely be based on the activities that will take place in each room. Think about each activity and what pieces/storage/items it will need. How much space can you allow the furniture to take up and still allow enough room for movement and circulation? Print out or copy your floor plan a number of times and experiment with different sizes and arrangements of furniture. Draw the furniture pieces to scale. It’s a good idea to make separate cut outs of the larger pieces so you can move them around easily. You can also find stencil sets to make it easy to draw on shapes. Some tips for furniture arrangement:
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A 3-seater sofa rarely accommodates three people comfortably. Most 3-seaters look better made with two cushions instead of three.
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When placing a dining table, allow enough space for people to walk around when the chairs are in use. You’ll need a minimum of 3feet between a table and a wall for comfort.
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In a small kitchen, use the full ceiling height for cupboards. It can be used for long term storage items and it eliminates the need to dust up there! Provide an easy and safe method of accessing the high cupboards.
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Poufs can give extra seating in a living area without adding as much imposition as a sofa or armchair. They often allow for storage too.
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If planning fitted wardrobes, make sure you allow enough depth for coat hangers (about 2feet) and that rails are at a height that suit the users.
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If there’s a nice view from any part of the house, make sure you allow this to be enjoyed to its maximum by anyone in the house and don’t obscure it with furniture. Also, bear in mind to direct focus there with the furniture placement.
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When ordering furniture, check that it will fit through the access points in the house –measure both external doors and internal, staircases and hallways.
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Plan for plenty storage. It’s one of the most common complaints people have about their living spaces.