Caxton magazines staffFor a quick and easy makeover that won’t cost a cent, consider reshuffling the furniture in a room to make the most of the space. Follow these tips from Tiggs Crozet of Indigo Interior Design
1. Identify the room’s functions and look for the most logical spaces to position the furniture that’s necessary to perform those functions. For example, in an open-plan living area it makes practical sense to position the dining area off the kitchen. It’s also a good idea to demarcate the different uses of the room with a subtle change of flooring. For instance, I’ve used a rug to anchor the seating area in this living room (left).
2. Establish a focal point and arrange your furniture around this feature to create a sense of balance. In a living room, this is typically a fireplace or your TV.
3. Consider the traffic flow. A space should be easy to walk through and your passage through the room should not be obstructed in any way.
4. Plan your layout on paper first; this will prevent you from having to do any unnecessary heavy lifting. To help you get started, Messaris Wapenaar Partnership Consulting Architects has provided some mini scale rulers and furniture icons that you can print and cut out. Note that a scale of 1:50 means that 1cm on a drawing = 50cm in reality, 1:100 means that 1cm on a drawing = 1m in reality and 1:500 means that 1cm on a drawing = 5m in reality.
