SourceThere are a lot of factors to consider when choosing furniture including the material, the style and the cost. One major factor to consider is the size. Go too big and your furniture may not fit the room or may make the room look cramped. Go too small and the furniture may fail to meet your practical needs.
Below are just 7 tips that can help you find the optimum size when choosing new furniture for your home.
Always measure the space first
Before buying furniture, always measure the dimensions of the space where you plan to put it. Don’t try to guess the size of a sofa or a wardrobe – you don’t want to get it into your home only to realize that it’s too large to fit in the room.
Choose collapsible furniture for hard-to-access areas
You may struggle to get bulky furniture into upper storey rooms/apartments or basements if there are lots of narrow doorways, corridors or staircases to negotiate. A professional moving company such as Allied Van Lines will likely know a few tricks to get such furniture in and out, but there are likely to still be limits as to what you can get into your home. Collapsible or flat-pack furniture that can be assembled when you get it into the room is a good solution to this.
Reserve large corner sofas for large living rooms
Large corner sofas can be great features for large living rooms, allowing plenty of seating for multiple family members or guests. However, you should avoid placing such sofas in small living rooms, where they can make a room feel cramped. Loveseats, armchairs and low couches are better options for small rooms. This post at Homes And Gardens explains more on choosing a sofa for a small room.
Consider custom-fitted furniture for tight and awkward spaces
Custom-fitted wardrobes and desks can allow you to make great use out of awkwardly-shaped corners or alcoves in rooms. You may even be able to maximize the space of a bedroom wardrobe by fitting it to the exact dimensions of the wall.
Avoid buying large custom-fitted furniture if you plan to move soon
Custom-fitted furniture is designed to fit in a specific space and therefore won’t be useful if you move to a new home. The likes of fitted wardrobes may even be installed on the wall, so you can’t take them with you. Only buy custom-fitted furniture if you have no plans on moving soon so that you get good use out of it.
Add height to a room with low furniture
A low sofa or a low bed can help to give a room a sense of added height. This could help to prevent a low-ceilinged room from feeling as cramped. If you choose a low sofa or bed, make sure that other furniture such as a coffee table or nightstands are also the same height.
Opt for small round tables in small rooms
Avoid placing large rectangular or square dining tables in small rooms. Small oval and circular tables are much better for these rooms – the lack of corners makes it easier to manoeuvre around the table and you can usually squeeze more seats around. Such tables also won’t make the room look so cramped.
