Finding the right furniture combination to fit your home’s
spaces isn’t always easy. That sectional you adore might be much too big to fit
through the door. Or the cabinets you loved are too small to fill out the
space. It can be like solving a puzzle – and just as frustrating when you can’t
find the right pieces. Here are some tips for choosing furniture that fits your
space.
Remember, Furniture Needs to Fit Through Your Door
This first tip might seem obvious, but you don’t want to end
up in a situation where your new dining room table is wedged tight in your
front door. Take measurements of every doorway and hallway you’ll need to fit
the furniture through and keep ceiling height in mind. If you have hanging
lights or chandeliers, make sure you won’t accidentally break a bulb carrying
your new furniture inside.
Tape It Out
Sometimes the easiest thing to do is grab masking or
painter’s tape, take measurements of your favorite furniture, and mock out a
configuration on the floor. Doing this allows you to visualize how each piece
will fit in the room. You can understand how much extra space you’ll have,
which orientation looks best, and how the different furniture will fit into
your space.
Avoid Designing a Funhouse
Avoid creating a funhouse room by being mindful of furniture
height. Measure the height of your ceilings, doorways, archways, and windows,
and keep those numbers in mind when choosing furniture. If you pick high-backed
furniture in a room with low ceilings or doorways, the space will feel cramped
and tiny. The opposite is true: Higher ceilings and windows can dwarf furniture
with a low profile, which can make your room seem empty or cold.
Design Virtually with AR
Over the last few years, furniture companies like IKEA and
Wayfair have adopted augmented reality (AR) to turn any smartphone into a
professional design tool. AR allows you to virtually place furniture into any
space to see how it would fit. Usually, you’ll download an app that
superimposes furniture of your choice into your room in real-time, making it
simple to see what looks good and fits right.
Keep Daily Activity in Mind
Your furniture choices should reflect your lifestyle. If you
spend weekends entertaining, make sure you design your living room with plenty
of seating, even if the room is on the small side. You can always add in
moveable seating. Stools and benches work great for this. If you spend your
evenings lounging in the living room solo with a good book or movie, focus on
comfort and coziness. Add in oversized chairs or a larger sofa that fits the
dimensions of your room. Make every space a place you want to be in.
Take some time to get to know your space – its dimensions,
the amount of light you get, how you’ll move through the room throughout the
day. Use an app or plain ol’ masking tape to visualize the furnished room
before making any purchases. Then, you’ll be ready to buy the right furniture
to fit your space, no matter its size or shape.
