1. Photo Album by Candiss Bengert

3. Arranging Furniture Tips for Arranging Your Furniture for Convenience and Style Skill Level: Beginner Good furniture arrangement begins with good planning While many factors such as color and lighting contribute to a room's atmosphere, the way the furniture is arranged can also influence the mood. Whether you're trying to make a room more comfortable or simply seeking to make an area more functional, it helps to know how to arrange your furniture so it works best for you. here are some guidelines to help you create enjoyable spaces that make guests and family members feel relaxed. Planning Your Space Good furniture arrangement begins with analyzing your space and the contents of your room. When planning the arrangement of a room, think about how many people use the room, how traffic flows, and how the room is used. The first step in planning your space is to determine the focal point of the room. Find the dramatic element that draws your immediate attention. If your room has an attractive feature, such as a fireplace or picture window, center your furniture arrangement around it. If your room doesn't have one, create a focal point with furnishings. Dramatic window treatments, an interesting display of artwork, or a beautifully decorated bed can help define the space. Back to Top Graphing a Floor Plan After determining the focal point, draw a floor plan of your room using graph paper. Use one graph square for every foot of actual space. Be sure to include windows, staircases, doors, fireplaces, and the focal point of your room. windows Measure major furniture pieces and make a template of each piece. After you have cut out the templates, color each in the hue of the piece it represents; then you can get a good idea how color is mixed throughout the room. Move the templates around to find the best arrangement before moving the first piece of furniture. (Your back will be glad you did!) Back to Top Using Placement Guidelines To ensure that movement in the room is unrestricted and all pieces of furniture are organized, keep in mind the following: Back to Top Achieving Balance and Visual Interest Balanced rooms are more pleasing to the eye and make more effective use of the available space. To keep your rooms from looking one-sided or dull, remember: Back to Top Creating a Multipurpose Space Many of us need to use an area in our homes for more than one purpose. For example, the living room often acts as an everyday gathering spot for family, a place to entertain guests, a space to watch television, an area for the kids to play and even a room for guests to sleep in a crunch. Here are some ideas to help you define separate areas within a room: Back to Top Tools, products, materials, techniques, building codes and local regulations change; therefore, Lowe's assumes no liability for omissions, errors or the outcome of any project. The reader must always exercise reasonable caution, follow current codes and regulations that may apply, and is urged to consult with a licensed professional if in doubt about any procedures. Please read our terms of use.Please read our terms of use. Article Contents Related Articles Related Products Arranging Furniture Tips for Arranging Your Furniture for Convenience and Style Skill Level: Beginner Good furniture arrangement begins with good planning While many factors such as color and lighting contribute to a room's atmosphere, the way the furniture is arranged can also influence the mood. Whether you're trying to make a room more comfortable or simply seeking to make an area more functional, it helps to know how to arrange your furniture so it works best for you. here are some guidelines to help you create enjoyable spaces that make guests and family members feel relaxed. Planning Your Space Good furniture arrangement begins with analyzing your space and the contents of your room. When planning the arrangement of a room, think about how many people use the room, how traffic flows, and how the room is used. The first step in planning your space is to determine the focal point of the room. Find the dramatic element that draws your immediate attention. If your room has an attractive feature, such as a fireplace or picture window, center your furniture arrangement around it. If your room doesn't have one, create a focal point with furnishings. Dramatic window treatments, an interesting display of artwork, or a beautifully decorated bed can help define the space. Back to Top Graphing a Floor Plan After determining the focal point, draw a floor plan of your room using graph paper. Use one graph square for every foot of actual space. Be sure to include windows, staircases, doors, fireplaces, and the focal point of your room. windows Measure major furniture pieces and make a template of each piece. After you have cut out the templates, color each in the hue of the piece it represents; then you can get a good idea how color is mixed throughout the room. Move the templates around to find the best arrangement before moving the first piece of furniture. (Your back will be glad you did!) Back to Top Using Placement Guidelines To ensure that movement in the room is unrestricted and all pieces of furniture are organized, keep in mind the following: Back to Top Achieving Balance and Visual Interest Balanced rooms are more pleasing to the eye and make more effective use of the available space. To keep your rooms from looking one-sided or dull, remember: Back to Top Creating a Multipurpose Space Many of us need to use an area in our homes for more than one purpose. For example, the living room often acts as an everyday gathering spot for family, a place to entertain guests, a space to watch television, an area for the kids to play and even a room for guests to sleep in a crunch. Here are some ideas to help you define separate areas within a room: Back to Top Tools, products, materials, techniques, building codes and local regulations change; therefore, Lowe's assumes no liability for omissions, errors or the outcome of any project. The reader must always exercise reasonable caution, follow current codes and regulations that may apply, and is urged to consult with a licensed professional if in doubt about any procedures. Please read our terms of use.Please read our terms of use. Article Contents Related Articles Related Products