Even in the most meticulously planned homes, some rooms just function better than others with their ideal orientation, flow and floor plan, while in others, you have to put some interior design magic into action to make it just right. Whatever the situation may be, even the best of rooms can benefit from the clever layout and subtle furniture placement.
With the desire to sharpen your eye for spatial awareness, here are four professional layout tips to consider when furnishing your San Diego home.
Consider the overall architecture
The bones and architecture of your home will certainly influence the way you arrange your furniture. For instance, if your home is older, it most likely has separated, smaller rooms whereas modern homes tend to be built with an open floorplan.
There’s no need to be necessarily minimalistic, but if you put big, chunky furniture even in bigger rooms, you’re risking feeling overwhelmed in them. Just like perfectly tailored clothes, furniture pieces should have clear, well-defined lines and structure without too much puff in the seating area or the arms.
You can also emphasize the lovely architecture of your home by adding contrast – for instance, opt for modern furniture for your Victorian townhouse with dark wood elements. If you were to introduce traditional furniture into such a home, it would look stifling and confining instead of calming and inviting.
According to a recent bachelor’s degree in interior design, designing means transforming the world around you, and it’s not just inventing and improving its materials side. It also involves learning how to fuse small things like decoration and furniture with the great ones, such as the architecture of a building, or in this case, your home. And it’s all with one goal – to produce a space that functions seamlessly offering both comfort and aesthetics.
Divide space into activity areas
Creating activity zones is a great way to give space more definition and many designers love to do that with area rugs in smaller rooms. In bigger and older homes, establishing zones allows you to break up the huge space into several smaller units where people can choose to either watch TV, play board games or read.
In this way, you avoid filling a big room with big furniture pieces and creating a bland, undefined space. Smaller activity zones would function much better and you can add a focal point such as an oversized artwork to bring it all together.
Take into account window, door and vent positions
You may have grown accustomed to a certain layout in your home, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best one for your space. Re-evaluate the situation by taking into account the placement of your doors, windows, outlets and vents, and then decide what the ideal furniture arrangement for that particular room is.
With doors, for example, you have to consider which way they swing and how often they’re actually used. If a certain door hinders the flow and makes the room seem smaller, the best solution might just be to take it off. With windows, on the other hand, think about how much light they allow in and if you’ll need it for activities such as reading, or the light could create a glare on your TV. All these issues can be easily solved with multi-functional and movable furniture.
Turning the attention to common eyesores such as heating and cooling units of all sorts, be mindful so you don’t end up sitting too close to the heat source or right at the pathway of your air-conditioner.
Also, bear in mind that most people don’t like to sit with their backs towards the entry so avoid the mistake of placing your furniture with the door behind it. Finally, focus on how the room will be used and the way furniture arrangement can contribute – take into account what is the focus of an area. With that in mind, you’ll have an idea of what will serve the purpose best.
Have fun and don’t rush
As a final point but equally important, try to have fun in the process and don’t rush. If you’re about to move into a new and empty home, take your time in choosing pieces carefully. If you rush just to get it over with, you could end up with a bunch of poorly matched items that will overcrowd your space.
You should also get the feel of the space when you move in by checking out the things mentioned above. See when and where the light hits in the morning and evening, what room is best for reading and which one for sleeping, and you’ll get the idea of the final picture you want to see.
Doing interior design of your San Diego home is a fantastic and satisfying way to express your own artistry and style, but bear in mind that good décor and furniture don’t always come cheap. So, try following the tips listed here to arrange your home like a true professional interior designer and don’t forget to enjoy doing it!
