We won’t lie to you...there’s a skill to furnishing a home. It’s not just about choosing the furniture you like and placing it where you want. Prior preparation is needed to ensure that you create an interior look that’s both personal to you and a suitable size for the available space in your home. Still, this isn’t just a blog about measuring your furniture; it’s that, but it’s also more than that! This EZ Living Furniture guide also touches on design elements that can impact your space both positively and negatively! So, let’s dive right in!
Assess Your Space
This might sound like an obvious statement, but it’s something that many people forget. The first thing you need to do before you even start shopping for your furniture is to size up your space. You need to fully understand the intended use of the room and what you want to accomplish in it. For instance, a large area to the front of your home could be used as a reception area, used only for welcoming guests before moving into the main dining area. In this case, you can be super flexible with the furniture you choose; it can even be style over comfort because it’s not an area you plan to spend a lot of time relaxing in. In other cases, this might be the only large room in your home, and you might need that large open space to serve multiple functions i.e. a comfortable living room and a formal dining area. In this instance, you’ll want to prioritise comfort but also size because this open space needs to function well for both activities; otherwise, it can quickly become overwhelmed by too much furniture or the wrong type of furniture.
Measure, Measure, Measure!
Measure that awkward nook and all the areas you plan to place your furniture. Note these measurements down on a piece of paper for future reference. As a visual learner, you might also find that drawing the shape of the room and noting down the measurements next to each wall on a piece of paper can help you to understand exactly what you are working with.
Understanding Which Furniture Is Non-negotiable
Now that you know the intended use of your room and the specific measurements you have to work with, you’ll begin to understand the furniture items required to turn the space into a fully functional dining/living/room. Start by deciding on the main items of furniture first. In a bedroom, it’s the bed, in the living room, it’s the sofa...and so on. Next, look for secondary items of furniture, usually a surface area or some type of storage. If it’s a non-negotiable item and something you simply can’t live without, then it’s worth investing in from the outset. Then, jot all of the items you’ll need on a list and start browsing, beginning with the first item on your list. Decorative items like small accessories, although important to complete a look, can always come at a later stage once the main items have been sourced and are in place.
Finding Items To Fit The Space
It might sound obvious to say that measuring is key when it comes to buying furniture to fit your space, but sometimes it’s the obvious things that can be the most forgotten. Before you click “pay” on your item of choice, don’t forget to measure it against the area you intend to place it on, taking into consideration the height, weight, and length of the piece. When in place, your item shouldn’t impede doorways, entryways, walkways, or any additional furniture you have, or plan to include.
EZ TIP: Use a newspaper to map out the size of the item on the floor. In doing so, you will be able to fully understand how much space your item consumes in the room it is intended for.
Finding Items To Suit The Space
While the furniture you have chosen might physically fit in the room you’ve intended, there is something else you probably haven’t thought of, and that is how the design impacts the size and shape of the room you are placing it in. For instance, an item with a low profile will automatically make any small room feel higher because it increases the distance between the top of the item and the ceiling. Items with raised legs and space underneath, like a certain sofa or a bed frame, will make a small room feel more spacious and airier because you can see under the item. The opposite is also true in both cases too! Higher headboards can take away from the height of a room, and sofas that sit on the floor with no space underneath can appear all-consuming – of course, this is all dependent on the size of the room in question too!
Understand The Journey To Its Intended Place
Lastly, before you click “pay”, you’ll need to make sure that the item you are purchasing can be safely delivered to the intended room in your home. This means understanding the route your item will take from arrival to delivery to your intended room. Find the measurements of the item you plan to purchase and compare these against doorways, entryways, porches, staircases, etc. It’s important that every area has enough clearance to safely pass without damaging the item or any areas of the house/apartment.
Now that you have all the information to buy furniture that actually fits your home and style, it’s time to start browsing and choosing the furniture that ticks all your boxes – start shopping here!
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