EXPERT TIPS ON FURNITURE ARRANGEMENT

Designer Holly Thompson gives helpful advice in designing your living room.

1. MAKE A FOCAL POINT. “Make sure there is a focal point to your room,” Holly says. “It’s usually either the fireplace or the TV. Pick one and make the other secondary.”

This will help you conceptualize where to place your furniture.

2. THINK BIG. “Start with the biggest piece and fill in the smaller pieces once you know you have the biggest piece in the right place,” Holly says. Although small furniture and décor can sometimes be the most fun to display, you should nail down where the larger and more important items belong first.

3. CONSIDER PRACTICALITY. When arranging seating, it’s important to not only consider how it will look, but also how you’ll use it. “Make sure everyone has a place to sit where someone would actually want to sit,” Holly says. “Give each person a place to put up their feet and a place to put down a drink.” Place side tables and coffee tables well within reach of each chair or sofa.

4. CREATE BALANCE. Whether you’re working with a small or large space, where you arrange your furniture can have a huge impact on how a room feels. “Avoid putting your furniture all on one wall or the room will have a ‘sinking-ship’ feel,” Holly says.