Furniture Design Tips: Make The Most of a Small Space
December 20, 2007
I will be the first to admit that I am not a big fan of small spaces. When I traveled to New England, I had a bit of culture shock when I saw that everything was built rather vertically; I prefer the sprawling styles of Texas and the southwest United States. But since it could be argued that sprawling villas take up more than their fair share of space, I also recognize the practicality of maximizing smaller rooms when floor space is at a premium.
If your home or business has a space that becomes easily cluttered (or visitors who become claustrophobic), there are some simple steps you can take to make it look like you’ve got more space than you actually have.
Start by coming up with a floor plan for the room. Measure overall room dimensions, and measure furniture pieces so you will be able to determine where they best fit.
Decide where the center of interest or focal point of the room will be. In most cases, your furniture will be grouped around this point. This can be anything from a dining table to a reception desk.
Make room for general traffic paths: your major traffic lane will require 36″ - 48″; minor traffic paths need a minimum of 24″. Leave enough room for people to pull out chairs from tables and drawers from chests. Use small, sturdy pieces when possible, such as contract bar tables rather than full-sized residential dining tables.
Keep conversation areas small and intimate, and don’t push all furniture against the walls even if you’re tempted to do so. Give the room depth and dimension by using narrow sofa back tables.
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