How To Fix an Awkward Space with the Right Furniture?

Have you ever walked into a room that just felt “off”? A lot of times, the problem is the way the furniture is arranged. A bad space planning (or its lack off) can damage the look of the whole room. Arranging furniture effectively is one of the most important design decisions you can make for a room because it affects the mood, perceived size, and functionality of it. The right furniture arrangement will make the difference between having a room that is welcoming and comfortable and one that is off-putting and awkward.

Some spaces can be particularly challenging and difficult to dress. That’s where certain tricks come in handy. Here are 5 simple furniture arrangement tips that make it easy for you to create a room that feels and looks inviting.

Choose your focal point

A focal point anchors a space and it´s a good way to start with when it comes to furniture arrangement. They’re like the heart of the room around which everything else revolves. Some rooms have natural focal points, such as a fireplace or view, and sometimes you have to create one. It´s always best of a room has only one focal point, even if there is more than one option. For example, you may love the view out of a large window as well as the fireplace in your space, but only one should be the main focal point around which the furniture is arranged.

Consider traffic flow

Are you blocking traffic in and around the room? People should be able to easily walk in and out of a room and navigate around it without having pieces of furniture blocking their way. A room with a furniture layout that gets in the way of traffic will look chaotic and feel too crowded. It’s important to consider how traffic flows through a room when you are planning your furniture arrangement. Make sure you keep your paths clear and that nothing disturbs the flow of traffic.

Balance the placement of furniture

When all the furniture is placed on one side of room and nothing is on the other, it makes a room feel out of balance and uncomfortable. The same goes for a room with all the large or heavy furniture on one side of the room and the smaller, lighter furniture on the other side. To give a room balance, you must evenly distribute furniture throughout the space. It doesn’t need to be symmetrical; one side just needs to have the same visual weight as the other side. For example, a sofa on one side balanced by 2 club chairs and a table on the opposite side.

Don´t push it to the wall

Pushing all your furniture against the wall doesn’t help make a room feel larger or spacious. It can actually have the opposite effect and make a room feel smaller and unwelcoming. This is a common mistake many people make.

Yes, rooms need breathing space, but having everything against the walls leaves an awkward, empty space in the middle of a room. Not only does it look odd, it also makes it difficult to have a conversation. You don’t want to have to shout from one side to the other. Move the furniture away from the walls; when possible, float some pieces in the centre. If your room is quite small and your sofas or wardrobes ale placed against the walls, that´s totally fine – just make sure you break the space in the centre with a rug, a coffee table and if possible a pendant lamp.

Divide spaces in long and narrow rooms

Do you have a long room that feels like a bowling alley? In long narrow rooms, people often place all the furniture at one end and leave the other end empty because they don’t know what to do with it. Other people try to create one long seating arrangement by stretching all the furniture across the length of room. With this arrangement, similar to a waiting room, conversations end up being more of a shouting match as you try to talk across a long room. Neither one of these options makes the best use of the space.

In long rooms, it’s important to break up the space into various zones. Establish designated activity zones and arrange furniture in each area to accommodate the activity. For example, you may want a seating area for watching TV at one end of the room, and at the other end have a table for doing homework or playing games. Set up your room with zones according to your needs.

These simple furniture arrangement tips will help you create a layout that gives your room a nice flow and balanced feel. We all know that the most exciting part is choosing the furniture and the shopping process, but correct layout always should be your starting point. You can´t achieve a great look without it. Remember that good interior design is all about the function, the pretty look comes after that.