Finding the right proportions when designing and decorating a room is difficult for many people without some assistance. Whether in a designer showroom or at the local furniture retailer, it is easy to be seduced by large, comfy sofas and chairs. Often, people don’t go beyond these pieces to seek out furniture better proportioned to their room; then they are disappointed with the result once the furniture is delivered. Suddenly, the room is too tight for comfort and the furniture is not returnable; however, sometimes it is, so always check before you finalize your purchase.
It is a common mistake to overfill a room with furnishings; it is good to remember the old saying, “Less is more”. Dressing a room for style and comfort is more like dressing yourself for the day’s activity, be it a casual day at home or a formal affair. Most families today do not require a “formal living room”, when a great room or family room serves the family living style better. If you have a large home with lots of rooms and you do a lot of entertaining, formal rooms make more sense.
Whether you are furnishing your first apartment, condo or single family home, you, no doubt, will have some furnishings to move into the new dwelling but will want to make some new purchases as well. This is a perfect time to make well-informed decisions as to how the room will function and what is necessary to achieve your goals for the space. Take stock of what you have, and what you want to keep, and what you want to replace when time, money and the right piece is available.
You may want a large sectional, but if the room in which it is to reside is not large enough, or there are too many doors in the room, making getting around difficult, you should look for another solution. You cannot change the size of the room without some major reconstruction, which is both costly and messy.
Do not despair; a simple floor plan layout is a good way to get ready for the adventure of furniture shopping. There are many on-line templates to help you with your layout. All you need are the measurements of the room, and the door and window placements. Once you have your scale drawing, you can make or buy standard templates for furniture to move about the floor plan, which will give you a good idea whether or not that prized recliner or sectional will fit in your space and if you can navigate around it comfortably.
High backed chairs and sofas will take up more visual space than lower profile pieces; the same goes for large rolled arms on these pieces. There is a lot to consider; since these pieces are part of the actual “living” part of your room, you want to make wise decisions.