The placement of furniture is almost as important as the furniture itself. The right arrangement of furniture can make a room appear open or cramped and determines the perception of its surroundings. If the furniture is arranged unfavourably, the room does not feel good and cannot be improved by decoration.
The balance of the room: The balance of a room is like a visible weight. Strong elements that draw the eye are things with an unusual shape, bright colour, strong contrast and varied surface texture. Small items with these characteristics can offset large pieces of furniture that are the opposite. A bright red chair in a room decorated in beige tones has a lot of visible mass, with heavily patterned items visually increasing this mass.
If one side of the room is dominated by a large piece of furniture or an open fireplace, balance out this dominance with a large but simpler piece of furniture on the opposite side. Once the furniture has been placed, you can see how the room feels from every corner.
The flow of the room: All entrances and typical walking and movement patterns must be easily accessible at all times. For example, a much-used kitchen table should be accessible from all sides. The same applies to the living room seating area. The room should be arranged in such a way that the seating area can be reached without any furniture getting in the way. A room should be inviting and not stop you on the doorstep, and seating is often placed right up against the wall so that people have to shout at each other to bridge the completely empty space in the centre.
All doors and windows should remain free. Even a door that is never used should not be blocked, otherwise the room will appear smaller and more crowded. If you have to put something by the window, it should not be higher than the windowsill.
Invisible walls: Invisible walls are visual barriers created by the architecture of the room. An L-shaped room or a room with a banister has an invisible continuation up to the ceiling, which is perceived as an invisible wall. Ceiling beams designate a room division, which means that the furniture must be arranged clearly on one side and not in the middle of the invisible wall. If you want to visually divide a particularly large room with invisible walls, you can achieve this with a free-standing sofa, a shelf without a back wall or two large potted plants placed at right angles to a room wall.
Movement around the room: Static lines should be eliminated by furniture and decoration. The room should have different levels that allow the eye to wander around the room without abrupt interruptions. For example, a very small piece of furniture should be avoided directly next to a tall piece of furniture. The view should be guided gently and not become a rollercoaster ride.
Particularly tall furniture can be bridged by placing a half-height floor lamp or potted plant. Low, medium and tall pieces of furniture should be evenly distributed in the room to allow the eye to wander between the pieces.
By following these basic rules, the room will feel calm, elegant and uniform.
