You don’t have to be an expert in feng shui to know that sometimes, a furniture layout just doesn’t flow.

Whether it’s a sofa pushed up against the window or an inordinate amount of white space on the wall, it doesn’t take long to enter a room and feel that sense that something is off.

Fortunately, if you’re about to move into a new space, you can start fresh. By knowing how to place your furniture and why, you’ll create fun, livable spaces that your friends and family members actually want to hang out in.

Want to learn more about how to properly spruce up your new place? Read on. Today, we’re sharing nine must-have tips to turn your house into a home in no time.

1. Create a Focal Point

No, you don’t need an oversized built-in for every room. Yet, you should have at least one point of interest that anchors the space and gives it depth.

In your living room, this might be your entertainment unit. It could be the whirlpool in your bathroom, the gigantic picture window in your master bedroom or that great fireplace in the study.

Give each room a place for the eyes to immediately dart to, and you’ve got an instant starting point. You can work from there to make corresponding pieces accent that spot.

2. Let Your Furniture Breathe

You might not have the space to float that enormous sectional in the middle of your living room. Yet, resist the urge to slide it smack against the wall. 

When you give it a little wiggle room, even if it’s just a few inches, you help create a sense of warmth. And, though it might seem counter-intuitive, this little trick can actually make your room feel bigger than it is.

If your square footage allows, aim to move furniture such as couches and accent chairs feet away from the wall, creating several conversational areas around your home instead. 

3. Become a Traffic Controller

Sure, your oversized ottoman might look great by the entryway, but are your guests going to trip over it every time they cross over your threshold? 

It doesn’t matter how aesthetically pleasing a decor item is when it comes to function. If it disrupts your home’s natural traffic flow, you’ll grow tired of it and frustrate everyone else in the meantime.

To this end, make sure to allow a few feet between your sofa and the coffee table. The same goes for other bulky items that threaten to take up a lot of space. Make sure people can walk freely from room to room without stumbling over or knocking into something.

4. Achieve Balance

Don’t lump all of your valuable, large-scale antiques in one corner of your living room. Along the same lines, don’t keep all your miniatures on one side of your buffet table.

When it comes to creating a furniture layout plan, seek to achieve balance at every turn. Group bigger items with smaller ones to add dimension to your space.

Also, look at the lines of your furniture and establish contrast where you can. Is your sofa straight-backed? Complement it with a round side table. 

5. Strategize Your Rug Placement

Rugs can be a major investment, but don’t go too small just to save a few bucks. Especially if you’re planning to slide one under your sofa, it should fit completely underneath it, meaning that the entire piece is resting on it. There shouldn’t be any legs left to lie directly on the hardwood floor.

Loose or uneven rugs, along with being inaesthetic, can even create a safety risk. Make sure yours are properly anchored and are appropriately sized for the furniture plan you’ve chosen.

6. Mix Up Your Lighting

Are you relying on a few can lights to illuminate every room? If so, when the sun goes down, you could be giving everyone a headache. 

Instead, try to use a variety of lighting sources in every room. This might mean a floor lamp in the living room, wall sconces in the hallway and bathroom and two table lamps beside your bed.

Doing so adds variety and balance to your layout and also provides more options for when you want to curl up with a book but don’t want the glare of the overhead fluorescents.

7. Scale Your Wall Art

Look to hang wall art that makes sense in that space. For instance, a tiny framed print hanging over your massive sofa gets lost and looks disproportionate.

Likewise, a poster-sized print might crowd a small wall in your bathroom. Take into consideration the amount of space you have. For instance, your living room wall art should measure about two-thirds the length of your sofa. 

If you don’t have one piece that fits those dimensions, create a simple gallery wall by clustering different works of art or framed family photos together.

8. Place Tables Nearby

No one wants to have to leave their spot on the sofa to place their drink on the coffee table. Tables that serve a functional purpose should be placed at arm’s length of conversational areas. 

If there are chairs nearby, the tables should be about as tall as their arms, or lower. Similarly, coffee tables should be around the same height as sofas. This way, no one has to reach way up high from a seated position to retrieve anything or put it back.

9. Use Modern Technology

Today, you don’t have to simply stand in a space and imagine how your furniture might look like there. Instead, you have access to many online resources that utilize virtual reality, augmented reality and other technologies to help bring your conceived layout to life.

For instance, this company provides 3D floor plans and a furniture arrangement tool that help you get a clear look at how your interior touches and finishes will look once they’re all implemented together. With so much accessibility at your fingertips, it only makes sense to play around with a few digital layouts before deciding on a real-life one. 

Optimize the Furniture Layout in Your New Home

Are you ready to make your house the home of your dreams? You’ll be glad to know that doing so doesn’t require pricey furniture and hours of work.

Rather, by making a few strategic adjustments, you can make any space look grand and inviting. It just takes having a few furniture layout tricks up your sleeve!

If you’re already in your home, this post still applies to you! Play around with your existing setup and see if there’s anything you need to tweak. In the meantime, here are a few more tips to help you ace the redecorating game this year!