Miami Herald (Sunday)

MAKING THE MOST OF A SMALL SPACE,

How to achieve perfect

- BY CATHY HOBBS Tribune News Service

What makes one room successful and another a failure? It often comes down to proper furniture placement. It is a skill to be able to lay out a room effectivel­y. Often a room feels overstuffe­d with furniture or is laid out in a way that lacks cohesion. This is where proper planning and placement come into play.

Plan ahead This should be part of your process before you buy a single piece of furniture. It is a step many homeowners forget. Failure to properly preplan a space often results in furniture that is too small, too big or just too much. In short, it often leads to a poorly executed space. Before you begin, consider three simple steps.

1. Measure your rooms with a laser tool or refer to a floor plan.

2. Plan out the furniture pieces you wish to have in a room.

3. Select specific pieces that fit the appropriat­e size and scale.

Where to start? The best advice is to purchase large pieces first. For example, purchase your sofa before you purchase side tables, or buy your bed before nightstand­s. It is important to be clear about what can fit in a space, and the only way to know is to place bigger items first. Want to add an area rug? Rugs certainly help to add a finishing touch. Many designers recommend choosing a rug first, for either color or design inspiratio­n, or last, to tie everything together.

Outdoor spaces Plan your outdoor environmen­t the same way you plan the design and layout of spaces within the home. Creating a floor plan is helpful, but begin by determinin­g how you wish to use the space and then divide your outdoor space into zones. These could include a lounge or relaxation zone, as well as perhaps a dining zone.

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Design Recipes/TNS ?? These round tables provide a proper sense of scale in a smaller living/dining combinatio­n space.
Furniture pieces made with the same fabric help make a large space feel more cohesive.
Design Recipes/TNS Design Recipes/TNS These round tables provide a proper sense of scale in a smaller living/dining combinatio­n space. Furniture pieces made with the same fabric help make a large space feel more cohesive.

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