Whether you’re ready to move into a new home or refreshing your current home, space planning is an important part of the design process. Your home is more than just a place you live. Your home reflects your lifestyle and a well-designed area begins with defining how you use each space.

Do you host a weekly book club or is your home the gathering space for the neighborhood teens? Do you have a haven for holiday celebrations or a place to host out-of-town guests? Thinking through how you use your home from day-to-day and throughout the year will help you identify any design challenges in your current space and create solutions to best use the area you have.

Measuring Basics

Once you’ve considered your lifestyle and routine, it’s time to measure for your new furniture to create a floor plan and a natural flow through your home. Before you fall in love with your dream sofa or entertainment center, you want to be sure that the piece is the right size for the space available.

If you are replacing one leather sofa with another and you want your new sofa to be the same size, measure the dimensions before you begin your search. If you are unsure of the best size, measure the space you have available and take photos of the room.

The shape and architecture of the room is also a guide for your plan. For example, focal points like a fireplace, entertainment center, windows, walls, or entrance to any room are interesting architectural details that can serve as a starting point for your furniture layout.

Consider the Details

Lighting, color, and texture all play a role in balance. Cool colors create a calm atmosphere and warm colors create a stimulating atmosphere. Light walls advance the room, making it appear larger. Dark walls recede the room, making it appear smaller or a focal point.

You’ll also want to consider scale when selecting furniture. Light colors on your furnishings or accessories make them appear smaller in size and dark colors make them appear larger. Great design is the ability to balance furnishings and decor to create interest, while accounting for the size and scale of each piece in your room.

Our design specialists are available to assist you with the fundamentals and principles of space planning as you make a personal investment in your home. Bring in photos of any room in your home—we can develop a floor plan and make the most of your space.