Principles of Design and the Arrangement of Furniture and Furnishing

Living room. This is the room used for relaxing, entertaining guests, listening to music, or watching TV. A sofa is usually the major piece of furniture in the living room. At the center of the room is a coffee table where drinks and reading materials are placed. There are side chairs around the sofa and side tables for a lamp and décor.

To save space, position the furniture against the wall. In this way, enough space is allowed for movement.

Different kinds of lights may be used in living rooms. Work areas use bright lights. Special lights may be used to accentuate paintings or other kinds of décor. Background lights are used to create effects. A table or a floor lamp may provide the working lights. Its bulbs should be at a seated person’s eye level. Lights placed among pots of plants are called uplights. Uplights are simple lights placed on the floor to throw light upward where items in a room are highlighted. Wall hangings are focused by spotlights while a decorative ledger is focused by wall lights.

Blinds and shades are the practical window covers for the living room. Native shades maybe used in small living rooms to add grace and dignity.

Dining room. The family’s choice of dining tables will depend on the space available and number of family members. Dining tables may be round, oval, square, rectangular or hexagonal. Although a round table may accommodate more people, it will need more space. On the other hand, a rectangular table may fit in a narrow space. When a space is limited, a bench pushed against a wall can substitute for chairs.

The Kitchen. Regardless of its size, a kitchen should always be clean, organized, and allow efficient work. A sink and the space beside it where the dishes are placed make up the washing area. Food is prepared for cooking in the food preparation area, which should be between the sink and the stove or oven. The cupboards, freezer, and refrigerator comprise the food storage areas. A space must be provided beside the stove where food is cooked and food that has been cooked can be placed.

Pots and pans are best stored upright in designated shelves. The storage technique of hanging posts and pans from a metal or wooden frame attached to the ceiling makes a space-saving device part of the home décor.

Kitchens should be well-ventilated so that the smell of cooked food, particularly fish, will not stay in the room. To eliminate odors, an exhaust fan place above the stove is advised.

The Bathrooms. The space savers available in markets provide the storage spaces for small bathrooms. Examples of space savers are the shelves with stands that are placed over toilet bowls.

Rubber mats should be placed on bathroom floors. The light switch should be placed outside the bathroom to avoid electricity-related accidents in bathrooms. Never touch light switches with damp hands or turn on the hot water system while standing barefoot on a wet floor.

Bathroom decors may be shade plants hanging from the ceiling or paintings, postcards, or magazine cutouts protected from water with polyurethane varnish.

The Bedrooms. Soft beds are ideal for small rooms. These can be folded up during the day and spread out at night. To withstand the rough active play of children, their beds should be sturdy. Two children may sleep in a double decker or a trumble bed, which is one bed rolled under another.

Wardrobe cabinets are best built against one length of the wall in order to have more space for movement in the bedroom. A mix of shelves and rails makes up the length of the wall. In children’s rooms, shelves can be placed above writing and used to store storybooks and toys.

Bedrooms should have soft lights, which can be lamps or wall lights. A low night light by the bed is practical. The reading ad play areas should be lighted up with good working lights. Electrical sockets in the children’s rooms should have safety shield.

Note: Originally posted at triond.com under the same author.