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DECORATING DECORATING ADVICE

26 Expert Tips to
Help You Arrange
Furniture in Every
Room
Learn how to arrange furniture in living
rooms, bedrooms, dining areas, and
more with these tricks.

By Jessica Bennett |
Updated on December 21, 2022

PHOTO: ERIN KUNKEL

Arranging furniture can be a daunting

design decision, but the layout is crucial
to a room's comfort and function. These
common scenarios will teach you the
basics of furniture arranging so you can
maximize every space.

No matter if your rooms are big or small,

having the right furniture arrangement
will make them more enjoyable. Check
out our layout examples, plus tricks for
living rooms, family rooms, bedrooms,
and dining rooms. Knowing how to
arrange furniture can help you navigate
how a room will be used.

01 Furniture
of 26
Arrangement with a
Focal Point

PHOTO: DAVID TSAY

If you're not sure how to arrange

furniture in a living room, orient seating
so it takes advantage of whatever view
your room has to oFer, whether that's a
TV or a bank of windows. To create your
own focal point, hang a large piece of art
on a wall or create a vignette of favorite
objects on a console (try this Better
Homes & Gardens Granary Modern
Farmhouse Console Table, $89,
Walmart) or bookshelf. If you can't
decide between arranging the furniture
around the Treplace or the TV, choose
both and mount the TV above the
Treplace.

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02 Family Room
of 26
Furniture
Arrangements with
Storage

PHOTO: DAVID TSAY

Family rooms are often storage hubs, so

a good furniture arrangement makes
room for cabinets, drop zones, and
drawers. Consider freestanding pieces
in a smaller room and wall-to-wall built-
ins in a larger room. Make sure to include
some storage near the TV for media
items.

03 Symmetrical Living
of 26
Room Furniture
Arrangement

005

PHOTO: ILLUSTRATION BY ANN MACKEY WEISS

When arranging living room furniture, be

sure to leave room for traVc and an
entry drop spot. For a symmetrical
layout, position key seating pieces near
the Treplace and arrange them facing
each other. Use end tables as landing
spaces on both ends of the sofa. Pair
chairs to balance the visual weight of the
sofa and to maximize seating. The living
room furniture arrangement provides
plenty of space for visiting guests but
still feels cozy when it's only you and
your family.

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04 Floating Furniture
of 26
Arrangement

vin

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PHOTO: ILLUSTRATION BY ANN MACKEY WEISS

If you have no free walls and a centered

Treplace, Yoat seating in the center of a
room. Face chairs and the sofa toward
each other to encourage conversation.
Anchor the furniture grouping with a rug
and a large coFee table. Frame the
space with additional seating and
cabinets for storage, positioned around
the perimeter of the room. Arranging
furniture around a Treplace, especially in
the winter, makes your living room feel
inviting and cozy.

05 Living Room Furniture

of 26
Arrangement for
Conversation

PHOTO: ADAM ALBRIGHT

A furniture arrangement that

encourages conversation is ideal for
rooms where you frequently entertain or
relax with friends and family. For face-
to-face chats, place seating no more
than 8 feet apart. In a large living room,
use furniture to create comfortable
islands. Face two sofas in the center of a
room, and place a group of chairs and
side tables at one end to create a
separate conversation area. Throw
pillows and blankets (we love this Better
Homes & Gardens Textured Cozy Woven
Chenille Throw, $27, Walmart) invite
guests to get comfortable.

06 Furniture
of 26
Arrangements for
Small Living Rooms
Learn More

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Arranging any furniture is challenging,

but it can be even harder to learn how to
arrange living room furniture in a small
space. Whether your living room is boxy
or long and narrow, these small-space
furniture arranging tricks work especially
well in tight quarters. Watch and see how
you can create a practical and
comfortable small living room furniture
arrangement.

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07 Dimensions for Living

of 26
Room Furniture
Arrangements

PHOTO: EDMUND BARR

One of the secrets to learning how to

arrange furniture is making sure you
leave enough space between pieces.
Allow 30 inches between furniture that
you need to be able to walk around, and
maintain 14 to 18 inches between a
coFee table and sofa so drinks are
within reaching distance. This rule still
applies when planning a large living
room furniture arrangement, because if
a piece of furniture is too far away, it
might look like it's Yoating in the room
without purpose.

08 Furniture Arranging
of 26
Ideas for Accent Tables

PHOTO: JOHN BESSLER

The key to a good furniture arrangement

is in details like side tables and coFee
tables. Consider your room size and
furniture arrangement when choosing
the right coFee table. Use round
pedestal tables as side tables between
chairs and sofas. The curves of round
tables make them easier to navigate
around. When space is tight, use nesting
tables for Yexible use when needed.

09 How to Arrange Living

of 26
Room Furniture
Around Lighting

PHOTO: RYANN FORD

A key factor in the overall mood of your

room, lighting plays a big part when
planning how to arrange living room
furniture. Windows let in ample natural
light, while chandeliers, sconces, and
lamps keep the room bright at night.
Arrange living room furniture near light
sources to allow ample brightness for
reading, conversation, and more.
Improve lighting by installing in-Yoor
electrical outlets to service Yoating
furniture arrangements.

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10 Furniture Arranging
of 26
Ideas for Irregular
Rooms
living room Yoor plan

PHOTO: ILLUSTRATION BY ANN MACKEY WEISS

In an irregular room with one wide traVc

lane, consider using the perimeter of the
room for a computer desk and storage
console. Choose chairs with casters so
they're easy to move. Float the furniture
to focus on the Treplace and the
television. Ensure that the living room
furniture is arranged near both the
corner Treplace and television.

11 TV Room Furniture
of 26
Arrangements
neutral living room white Treplace

PHOTO: ERIN KUNKEL

When deciding how to arrange living

room furniture with a TV, prioritize
comfort and accessibility. Place the
television so the screen faces away from
the sunlight. The viewing distance for a
standard TV is 8 to 12 feet, and the best
viewing angle is not more than 30
degrees. For traVc Yow, create paths
that Yow behind viewers and not
between them and the screen.

12 Bedroom Furniture
of 26
Arranging Tips
bedroom metal post bed

PHOTO: LAURA MOSS

When planning a furniture arrangement

for the bedroom, consider the size of
your bed. Allow at least 2 feet on either
side to allow for space to make the bed.
Avoid placing the bed within 3 feet of
the door; otherwise, the bed becomes a
roadblock.

13 Furniture Arranging
of 26
Ideas for Beds
bedroom butterYy portrait pillows

PHOTO: JOYELLE WEST

It's possible to use a larger bed when

arranging a small bedroom if you don't
need a lot of storage furniture. Beyond
the bed's placement, you should also
consider the visual weight of your
headboard. If the bed is slightly large for
the room, opt for a visually lighter
headboard, such as one that features
metal scrollwork. A solid headboard
consumes more visual space, and taller,
heavier headboards work best in bigger
bedrooms or bedrooms with tall
ceilings.

14 Comfortable Bedroom
of 26
Furniture Ad

Arrangement