Putting furniture together in a way that flows nicely and fits in proportion to the room can be a bit challenging. Fortunately, it’s really easy to figure out the right furniture arrangement for a room of any size. All you need is a little bit of smart planning, and you can make any living space feel just right.
Step 1: Measure Your Space
There’s no point guessing when it comes to making furniture fit. When you start with the precise measurements in hand, you don't have to worry about making items fit. The first step is to gather measurements for all your rooms. You need to determine the length and width of available floor space. Be sure to take architectural details like windows, doors, and irregularly shaped walls into account.
For example, if your bedroom closet door takes up most of one wall, don’t purchase furniture that would fill the entire space. Leave some room in front of the closet so that you’re able to access your closet without banging the door into a bed frame or night stand.
Step 2: Gather Furniture Measurements
Once you know how large your rooms are, you have a better idea of the size and quantity of furniture you can have. For the largest pieces in a room, like beds, tables, and sofas, pick out a few good options that might fit well and record their size dimensions.
Step 3: Make a Diagram
The best way to design a furniture arrangement is to draw it. There are a few different ways to do this.
- Use graph paper and make a scale drawing, using each block to represent a specific measurement distance, such as a foot or six inches.
- Use a computerized room planning tools to map out your dimensions.
- Use a tape measure and masking tape or string to mark out the dimensions of furniture pieces on the floor. This method only works if you have access to your living space without furniture in it.
Use the diagram to experiment with placement of furniture pieces you plan to get, starting with the biggest and working your way down to the smallest. Starting with a bed, for example, lets you figure out how much wall space you have left for nightstands, and you can pick out the right size model and slot it into your arrangement.
Step 4: Don’t Forget About Delivery Measurements
It’s hard to create a good furniture arrangement if you can't get the furniture into the rooms. Whether you pick up furniture yourself or have it delivered, you need to measure doorways, stairways, and other building dimensions to make sure you can get the items you’ve selected into your house or apartment. You may have the wall space for an oversized sectional sofa, but it may not be possible to actually get the piece into your home.
When you take these measurements, measure both width and height. In some cases, simply turning a furniture piece on its side or standing it on end is all it takes to get it inside.
Get started planning your room layout today by browsing through the different categories of options at
CORT Furniture Rental. Looking at available options can help you start brainstorming and motivate you to grab your tape measure and get the ball rolling on this simple planning process.
