Furniture Placement: What You Should and Shouldn't Do.

One of the major contributors to a cluttered look is having too much furniture. You want there to be as much open, walkable space as possible. This helps buyers navigate the space and helps them better visualize their own furniture in the room. Focus on getting rid of any oversized pieces, damaged, well-worn or dated pieces and those that don’t match the rest of the room. Rearrange to make room look and feel more spacious.  Make sure they can easily access your homes best features like the fireplace or built-in bookshelves.



There is a common belief that rooms will feel larger if all the furniture is pushed against the walls, but that is not the case.

Furnish space by floating furniture away from the wall. Give your pieces a little breathing room by allowing a few inches between the backs of the furniture pieces and the walls. Your furnishings should never rise above your window sills or block natural light. If you have a large space, it’s best to reposition sofas and chairs into cozy conversational groups, grounded by an area rug. It will open up the room and make it seem larger. 

I like to offset sofas with a coffee table and twin chairs.  Leave about foot and half of leg room between pieces. Connect your seating by planting each of your seats front legs on the area rug. If your living room is short of space, pair four armchairs around a coffee table. Use nesting table for flexible use.  Having a cozy area where conversations can happen and traffic flow is clear makes a room feel more spacious.  Don’t draw all attention to the TV. Consider an arrangement that allows access to electronics and visible from every seat but without pointing every piece of furniture in the direction of the tv.



On the contrary, a fireplace is the living rooms natural focal point. Position your furniture so that it draws the eye to the fireplace and a well-dressed mantel. Be sure to find balance when arranging your furniture. You want to consider both size and placement of pieces. Don’t group all the large or small pieces in one area or one side of room, it will make it feel lopsided and unsettled.  



When arranging your living room furniture, start with your largest piece first which is usually the sofa. Orient the piece toward the most prominent feature (fireplace, window, gallery wall or tv). Position chairs or love seat opposite or adjacent to the sofa. Finish by filling in with accent furniture, coffee table, side tables, ottomans etc. Allow a minimum of 36 inches from table to wall on all sides in your dining room.  Make sure the chairs have plenty of space to slide out.

When arranging your bedroom furniture allow atleast 2 feet on either side of your bed. If your room is on the smaller side with limited space, less furniture the better. Include the essentials first then the extras.  Consider visual weight of your headboard and furnishings. Go with a visually lighter headboard if bed is slightly large for the room. A solid, taller, heavier headboard works best in large rooms with tall ceilings.

The functionality of your space will determine how you arrange your furniture. Please consider the suggestions above to maximize your space, making your space both comfortable and functional!

tips from the expert herself . . .