5 Mistakes to Avoid When Arranging Your Living Room

Interior Decorating, Interior Decorating Tips

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Arranging Your Living Room

Whether you’re just moving into a new home, or have a hankering for a change in the look and feel of your living room, there is definitely a right way and a wrong way to arrange your furniture pieces.
Living and family rooms in particularly are among the more highly used spaces in a home, and should always have a good layout in order to optimize traffic flow. The way you place and space furniture in your living room is essential for optimal comfort and function.
Make sure to avoid these 5 mistakes when arranging the furniture in your living room.
1. Blocking Entryways
You don’t want the furniture in your living room to be arranged in such a way as to make you have to walk around the perimeter in the room just to get to where you’re going. This also goes for the entryway to the room itself. You don’t want to be walking into couches or tables, or have to wrestle with a floor plant to get in. Make sure your arrangements are done in such as way as to keep entryways clear.
2. Not Keeping Adequate Space Between Pieces
There should be ample space between items to allow for adequate walking space in your living room. Consider a 3-foot rule: this is essentially the amount of space needed to be comfortable waking around and through pieces without smashing into anything. Make sure to keep any drawers or doors in mind when spacing pieces apart, as they need room to open properly.
3. Always Lining Up Furniture Against the Walls
You don’t necessarily have to arrange your furniture so that they’re rigidly lined up against the walls. Of course, the size and shape of your room will call for a specific arrangement, but you should really consider letting your furnishings “float” out at least one foot from the wall. This will help make the room appear more welcoming and cozy, rather than allowing so much dead space in the middle of the room.
4. Misplacing Area Rugs
If you’ve got an area rug, make sure you place it in such a way as to allow all the seating pieces on it so the legs are completely on it. If there’s not enough room on the rug to accommodate all four of your furniture’s legs, then make sure all the legs are completely off of it. Don’t allow the legs to wobble, and try not to place the rugs in such a way that edges or corners are sticking out in key walkways.
5. Inadequate Lighting
Try to layer the lighting in a room so that it can be altered to suit the mood you’re going for. Many living rooms either have lighting that isn’t bright enough to allow them to read a good book, and others simply go overboard with bright lights that do little to create a calming ambience. When you layer your lighting to include wall sconces, table and floor lamps, track lighting and pot lights (equipped with dimmers), you can add just as much light as you see fit at various times.
Hope Designs – Your Living Room Decorating Experts
If you’re looking for optimal ways for arranging your living room – or any other space in your home – call Hope Designs. This professional and highly experienced team of Toronto Interior Decorators has a keen eye for all things stylish, and will be sure to come up with the best layout and arrangement for your home. To book a consultation, visit HopeDesigns.ca today!