Secrets of Furniture Arranging

source: Decorating Den Interiors

I don't know about you, but every few months or so, I get a hankering to rearrange my bedroom or living room. I don't buy anything new, I just move what furniture I have around. There's just something about going through this exercise that makes everything seem new again!

This latest time around, I decided to see what I could find online to help me with my task - with as much rearranging as I do, I've seem to have run out of possible configurations for my living room. Luckily, I found some great resources to help me make my next move!

• Floor Planner - an interactive tool that lets you create and share interactive floor plans online. Use your mouse to drag-and-drop tools and options to create your floor plan in minutes, and rearrange them as often as you like.

• Arrange-a-Room - an interactive tool from BHG. In four easy steps, you can have your plan on paper ready to go.

• Room Layout Tool - handy online room layout tool from American Drew you can use to arrange the furniture in your room without breaking a sweat.

• MyDeco's 3D Room Planner - start with a finished room or with an empy room…then submit it to the community for feedback and help.

Things to remember when arranging furniture in a room.

Measurements: While it's important to know the measurements of specific rooms, make sure hallways and egress allow enough space for furniture traffic. There's no point in designing a room, if there's no way for the furniture to get in there.

Placement: Arrange the largest piece of furniture first - sofas, beds, and desks - as these take up most of the space. Then arrange smaller items accordingly.

Balance: Create a comfortable space. Don't place all the tall items on one side, or have an elegant table next to a comfortable, gaudy sofa. If you have a large piece of furniture in an area, you can achieve balance by grouping several smaller pieces beside it.

Function: If the living room serves as the home theater, make sure the seating is appropriately placed to view the TV screen. If it serves as a place to relax or entertain company, face the seating around a coffee table and ensure it's close enough to allow for conversation.