Style Starboard: Designer Tips- Furniture sizing, spacing & function

Design tips to maximize your furniture style & function in your space.

6 Simple tips to make the right furniture choices and space plan in your coastal rooms

Measure.

The first step in arranging a space is determining its size. Use a tape measure to get the dimensions of a room. This is key to making sure your furniture selections will fit.

Mix furniture of different sizes.

Every object has a height, depth and width. To add visual interest to any space, incorporate a variety of furniture with different characteristics. If you're going for a serene area for rest or recovery, keep the furnishing size & volume in a room similar.

Furniture size & scale to create balance.

The size of furniture pieces are relative to one another and the size of the space is their scale. Similarly scaled pieces are more serene when used together. A nice balance of pieces creates a harmonious design, utilizing differing heights, depth and width throughout a room. When the furniture is out of scale,it just won't feel comfortable or right.

Furniture relationship & balance to create symmetry.

The relationship of items to one another to form a pleasing whole is called balance. There are two forms of balance: symmetrical and asymmetrical. Bilateral symmetry has two of everything. Asymmetry refers to an imbalance, such as two candles of slightly different sizes next to each other. Symmetry is very serene, while asymmetry is used to add visual interest.

Painters perspective.

Look at your space as a painter looks at a work of art. There are visual tricks that painters use to create the appearance of depth in a space. The first trick painters use is "triangulation." In interior design, triangulation is the placement of two end tables on either side of a sofa with a painting above the sofa.

Form & function of the space.

All furniture arrangements have a form and a function. Large rectangular spaces can be dealt with by dividing the "form" of the space into another form. A long, narrow living space, for example, can be split into two areas of function. One half can be for the sofa, or the function of conversing and watching TV, and the other half is the Dining Room, or the function of dining.