Thursday, August 2, 2012

STOP! BEFORE YOU BUY THAT SOFA, DINING TABLE...


Hi there! It’s Rhonda from Stylish Spaces Designed For Living, my blog where I talk about interiors, outdoor living, entertaining, fashion, and my random inspirations!  I am thrilled Tara has allowed me the opportunity to share with you a topic that I think few of us give very little thought to before heading out to shop for furniture; SPACE PLANNING!  Before you walk outside of your door to shop for furniture, here are 3 simple things to consider:

1)     Decide the function of the space!  Sounds simple enough, right?  Determining the activities of the space will dictate not only what needs to be purchased but also the placement of those items.  Special consideration should be given to spaces that will serve multiple functions; for example, a living room that is also a home office, or an eat-in kitchen where the kid’s homework and arts and crafts will be done as well.

via my Pinterest boards

2)     Measure! Measure! Measure!   You want to measure to get the overall square footage and length of walls in the space. *It is especially important to accurately measure walls containing windows and doors, as this will also affect the placement of your furniture, thereby affecting circulation and traffic patterns throughout the space.  The furniture arrangement needs to be such that one can move comfortably within the room, as well as from that room to another.  By taking accurate measurements of the space, and knowing the dimensions of the furniture, you are able to determine if the desired pieces will be a good fit for its intended purposes.



 


3)    Draw a floor plan.  This doesn't have to take long at all, and it certainly doesn’t have to be anything fancy.  However, if you’re interested, there are a number of floor planning programs that can be downloaded free of charge from the internet to assist you.  This plan helps you to take into account the placement of windows, doors, and other architectural elements like fireplaces and columns that will determine the size and placement of furniture.  This drawing should also show the location of HVAC vents, radiators, etc., as it is important that these are not obstructed.  Trust me; you will be so glad that you did!



  

Tara has done a phenomenal job explaining the principles of design in an earlier series!  Keeping in mind scale, proportion, and balance will go a long way in assisting you to make quality decisions when shopping for furniture.  A great little resource that has terrific information and is wonderfully illustrated is "good bones, great pieces", by mother, daughter duo Suzanne and Lauren McGrath, is about “The seven essential pieces that will carry you through a lifetime”, (Stewart, Tabori &Chang, 2012).

Thanks so much for having me and please visit me whenever you like!  I enjoy visitors and love to talk!

Make it AMAZING!
Rhonda