Furniture placement often falls to the extremes: The Lineup, where every piece stands back firmly planted against the walls-as though one piece has committed a crime, and the Obstacle Course, where every piece floats in a free-flowing montage and negotiating a path through the arrangement could be a timed event worthy of a medal.
Balance is best; we will give you an overview of how to choose and place furniture to create that blissful balance.
Divide and conquer. The back of the loveseat defines the line between living and dining area. Traffic flows on both sides where the walls are open, giving the room a sense of spaciousness. Angled bookcases curve the far corners to soften the view.
Cross-wise to square it up. Arrange one large piece (here, the pullout sofa) across the room so traffic flows on one side of the seating group, not through it. This arrangement is designed for stretching out, sleeping and relaxing.
THE CORRIDOR ROOM
Typical of tract homes, the corridor living room connects the front entry with the rest of the house. Here, the front entry is at the lower left corner. The entry to the kitchen is straight across the space. Kitty-corner to the entry is a hallway to the bedrooms. Clearly directing foot traffic through the space is the main concern. Arrange furniture so traffic flows around-not through-the conversation area. Avoid placing too many pieces along the walls because that encourages people to walk through the open spaces between the chairs and sofa. Group the seating pieces together to guide people to walk behind or beside the furniture, not between pieces.
1. A dining area is incorporated in the living room to create on open entry with room for bookshelves. Grouped for conversation, the sofa, loveseat, and dining table and chairs cluster around on area rug. Traffic flows along o gallery wall to the hallway.
2. With a round table to open up the space, the dining area nests on one side. The conversation Oreo is clearly separate, open to a fireplace and the television along the wall. A folding screen and catch-all end table define the entry space.
3. With the eating area moved to the kitchen, room for a piano moves in. Angling the piano and small sofas increases the sense of spaciousness. A small table and chairs by the fire ore perfect when dinner is for two or for reading the mail.
Choosing the right pieces of furniture is often an angst-inducing experience. There are so many – choices-and options for each choice. Function, of course, is the first and foremost determining factor, small space decorating requires that many pieces perform more than one task and size is always a concern: Like Goldilocks choosing a chair, the goal is to get everything just right. Here are a dozen furniture choices that work well in small houses.
Look for them in the style of decorating that best suits your preference, and don't hesitate to mix and match until you find a combination that works for you.
THE TUNNEL ROOM
Living rooms and family rooms with single entrance are apt to appear overly long and narrow. Change the look to wide and spacious by breaking up the view with furniture. Pieces placed at an angle, tables with curves, or leather couches set crosswise in the room are options for broadening the look and feel of a room-and for getting one space to serve two purposes. These arrangements also direct traffic gently around the conversation area rather than in a beeline toward the far wall. Think first of how you'll use the room; then move on to choosing and placing the right pieces for the job.
1. The back of the loveseat defines the line between living and dining area. Traffic flows on both sides where the walls are open, giving the room a sense of spaciousness. Angled bookcases curve the far corners to soften the view.
2. Cross-wise to square it up. Arrange one large piece (here, the pullout sofa) across the room so traffic flows on one side of the seating group, not through it. This arrangement is designed for stretching out, sleeping and relaxing.
3. Try another angle-diagonal. The tried-and-true diagonal play is sure to free up long, dull, narrow space and turn it into an open active area. To really play up the angle, lay tile on the diagonal.
MODULAR SHELVING AND BOOKCASES
These pieces are standard issue for every home. Bookcases and shelving units don't just serve as places to put stuff. They can become focal points in a room, a visual reference to how the room lives and works. Decide whether the stuff you stash should be seen or hidden, at hand or behind doors. Then determine if the cabinets shad built in or free-floating, and mix and match from the options available.
Design Flash
These pieces run in packs. Cluster cases for maximum storage, or put them back to back to divide spaces.
The L-Shape Room
In the 1970s, homes in building developments often sported an L-shape room. The short end of the arrangement is generally labeled "dining area" on the floor plan; the rest of the space is the living room or family room, where several uses often can be accommodated. While the open space of this type of room is a plus, it can look too busy if a lot of small-scale pieces fill the room, and the traffic flow can be clumsy. Of course, you don’t need to define the space strictly according to the builder's floor plan. Decide where you'd like to dine and where to relax Then wisely choose several pieces to serve your purposes.
1. To accommodate overnight guests, this room has dual pullout sofas. The ottoman between them works for seating and setting. Two eating areas are also conversation areas. the armoire and desk on the long wall house the elements of a home office.
2. Conversation and TV watching sit at this room center; a console table hides the back of the TV. A game table makes room for family activities. And the traditional dining room area has a formal, expandable table with plenty of seating.
3. Everything is clustered in the main area of the arrangement. A sectional table and generous harvest table herald this entertaining space and keep the activity centered. The small space is devoted to display and storage.
DABBED
The daybed-turned-guest-bed or trundle bed serves for seating most of the time but opens up to sleep one or two when needed. Look for o style-from humble to sophisticated-that suits your decor and guest-room needs. You'll find pieces like this in many shapes and dressed in o rainbow of upholstery choices.
/ Design Flash /
A plethora of pillows serves as o backrest on this open piece when it sits a wall. Or put it in the middle of the room to let conversation go both directions.
ARMCHAIR
When it comes to small spaces, the best seats in the house are those that fit-not oversize and hoggish, but still big enough to be comfortable. Choose classic armchairs for a conversation group, but feel free to move one to on office area or, if it's got enough height, to the head of the dining table for extra seating.
/ Design Flash/
The lightweight look comes from the exposed legs. For an even lighter look, choose a chair with open, padded arms.
THL L-SHAP-ROOM -B Series
This variation on the L-shape room has two rooms more comparable in size and more separated from each other than the A-series L-shape room. In both configurations, the entrance to the house is at the lower left corner, so a space for coming and going must also be defined; however it shouldn't dominate the area. How separate or how attached you want the spaces to feel can be set by the furniture; just keep a clear path to each space and to the kitchen and other rooms. A 3-foot-wide path is comfortable for most people to pass through without bumping the furniture.
1. A drop-leaf table easily seats few or many diners but stays out of the way the rest of the time. Two chairs, a sofa, and a loveseat offer plenty of seating. The TV can be put in the bunching bookcases, and the chairs moved back for prime-time viewing.
2. Casual, grown-up dining and conversation can take place in either area in this arrangement. The coziest space sits in the area just off the kitchen. The entry is marked by an armoire on the left, a sofa table straight up, and a console table on the right.
3. With angling of the key pieces, the separate areas of the L tend to blend, creating a sense of openness. Tall pieces at the corners anchor the islands of furniture. This arrangement dines six, sleeps two, seats seven, and home-offices one.
ARMOIRE
Be it on entertainment center, a hideaway office, an extra closet, or a family library, the armoire is always a focal point because of its size. Use it to balance a dominant focal point, such as o fireplace. To reduce the visual impact, look for a lower, three-quarter-high version. You'll find choices in new and antique pieces. Size is an issue: Be sure it fits in the door and in the room.
Design Flash
Consider what else this versatile piece can do. Adjustable shelves and dividers allow you to change functions within the box.
OTTOMAN
The ultimate multi-tasking piece, the ottoman props up feet, serves as a place for setting books and dishes, and provides extra seating. Choose one that pops open for extra storage. Consider weight if you plan to regularly slide it from one place to another.
MULTIPURPOSE DINING ROOM
Rare is the small house with enough space for a room solely devoted to dining. Homework, hobbies, and the rest of a home's hubbub often take place in the area designated for dining. Choose and arrange furnishings that allow for several key activities. The result will be a room the family is drawn to every hour of the day. Typically, the dining room is between the kitchen and living room, so keep traffic flow in mind. Think about a table with a tough surface that can handle the range of activities, and choose chairs that do more than sit pretty. In every variation, adequate lighting is important, so add lamps in each work area.