As uncertainty rises across the world and we find ourselves spending the entirety of our days in our homes, it becomes essential for our well-being to ensure our space is designed to be as comfortable as possible. One of the most important things to consider is the way furniture is arranged to promote the function of each room in the home. This involves arranging furniture according to traffic flow, in other words, organizing your space so that no one is tripping over furniture, or each other, and can pass through the room with relative ease. Building an interior blessed with feng-shui only requires a few highly effective hacks, each designed to give a home its groove back.
Clutter
For starters, eliminate clutter. Clutter is the enemy of peace and therefore, an enemy in the home. Take some time to sort through your things, send out what is no longer needed, and store away any items that are unnecessarily laying around. An organized closet or wardrobe can do wonders, but if storage space is scarce, wicker baskets and wooden boxes can serve as open storage and be aesthetically pleasing.
Living Rooms
Living rooms are a place of gathering and are often the busiest part of a home. As such, it’s important the space can accommodate traffic. Ideally, a clear path would exist between one end of the room to the other, but if the area is tight, priority should be given to creating a harmonious space. Adequate leeway (a few centimeters) between the sofa, armchairs, center, and side tables allows for smoother movement as people shuffle to find a seat or set up a workstation. Squeezing around furniture with sharp edges can turn a rest and work area into a battle zone - avoid injuries by opting for pieces with rounded edges instead.
Dining Rooms
Dining rooms are a place of energy and movement, meaning organized furniture is the difference between completing a meal or an obstacle course. Create some circulation space around the dining table by allowing at least 90 centimeters between the dining chairs and walls. It would also be wise to provide 120 centimeters between the dining table and entrance to the room, allowing people with full hands to enter and exit freely.
Bedrooms
Bedrooms should evoke feelings of peace and rest. Try to limit the bedroom to the bare essentials and avoid obstructions between the bed and any door leading to a bathroom or hallway. Create enough room to move and breathe by keeping 75 to 90 centimeters of unused space on either side of the bed.
Small Rooms
Maximizing space in small rooms is an important part of improving traffic circulation. A good way to fit all the essential pieces in a tight room is to use circular or irregularly shaped furniture. Otherwise, scaling down on size by opting for smaller pieces like stools are a great way to add seating without overcrowding the room with full-size furniture.
However you choose and organize furniture, have some fun and make sure it works for the unique dynamic of your home!