The fireplace is often a focal point in a room.
Rectangular homes are often filled with rooms that have long, narrow spaces. Arranging your furniture so that it is both aesthetically pleasing and functional is not a complicated process. You must first consider how the room will be used. For instance, if a dining room serves as an office space most of the time and you only clear it out for dinner parties, then functionality is a must in this room. Other guidelines include how many people will use the room at one time and what you like and dislike about the furniture placement now. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Look at the entire room and decide what the focal point is -- the area where you want eyes to flow to when a person enters the room. Often, the focal point of a living room area is a fireplace, entertainment center that holds a TV or a window with a view. In bedrooms, the focal point is typically the bed or an ornate headboard.
2. Position the focal point along a short wall of the long, narrow room. If the fireplace is built-in on a long wall and it is your focal point, place the furniture so that it creates an attractive U-shape around the fireplace. This creates the look of a separate seating area.
3. Place the largest piece of furniture along the short wall of the space opposite the focal point. Remember that you do not have to position furniture within a few inches of the wall, especially if the focal point is many feet away from the opposite wall. If this is the case, leave 3 or 4 feet behind the sofa to create another walkway. For bedrooms, place the bed along the short wall opposite attractive artwork or a tall piece of furniture.
4. Set other furnishings around the focal point in a U-shape. You can choose to have them directly facing the focal point or angled toward it.
5. Create separate sitting areas if the room is very long or is a rectangle shape. For instance, an upholstered chair with a small, round table beside it creates a reading area or a place to enjoy your morning coffee in a bedroom. In a long, narrow living room area, you can set up a small table and chairs for family members to play games or work on puzzles together. Another idea is to place occasional chairs opposite each other with a coffee table in between. This creates a space for children or teen's to entertain their friends, yet gives a feeling of intimacy and privacy to the area.
6. Anchor each separate sitting area with a rug to make it seem more like a separate space.
7. Place table or floor lamps in each furniture grouping in a triangular or three-point shape. This allows the light to filter throughout the entire space.
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