Whether you are moving into a new home or adding furniture to a home that you have owned for many years, deciding on how to arrange your furniture can sometimes be frustrating! How many times have you moved a piece of furniture a million times before it felt "right"? Do you have a room in your home (or office) that you just hate to walk into? Chances are, the furniture is not properly placed in your home.
The image below shows a dark, cramped living space that does not give a very warm welcome. The color is dark and closes in the space, the lighting is inadequate and the furniture arrangement feels cramped.
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| Crowded Living Space |
Chances are, you have heard a design professional use the term "Space Planning". The reason why professionally designed spaces look so well put together is because the space has been planned out prior to purchasing the bulk of the furnishings that you see in the space. Measurements of the room and architectural elements such as windows and fireplaces have been documented. A professional uses these measurements to create a layout that would look pleasing to the eye and keep the space from feeling cramped.
Candice Olsen, the host of "Divine Designs" on HGTV, took the above room and transformed it to this beautiful design. During the transformation she made the fireplace more attractive, created pretty built in shelves, opened up the windows to provide better lighting, used a light and neutral palette to make the space feel larger and updated the tired furnishings. Her designs are always "Divine"!
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| Living Space Updated |
If your space feels crowded but your budget does not allow for a complete transformation, here are a few tricks that designers use to prevent the feeling of overcrowding:
1. In a small space, try using a lighter paint color.
2. Make sure that you have proper space for the flow of traffic. (A 3 foot minimum clearance is a good rule of thumb for major traffic flow.)
3. Position your coffee table about 18" to your sofa. You want to be able to reach the table while sitting and still allow for someone to pass by.
4. When arranging seating furniture, you want at least 24" between the pieces. When grouping a seating arrangement, you do not want to place the furniture more than 10 feet in distance from one another in order to hold a conversation.
5. A comfortable distance to view the television is about 7 feet.
6. Area rugs work great to define the area, especially if you have an open concept area that accommodates multiple spaces such as a sitting area, living space and dining area. (Make sure that at least the two front feet of the sofa can be placed on the rug so it does not look as if the rug is an after thought or just floating in space.)
7. The clearance between the dining room table and the wall (or buffet) should be at least 3 feet.
8. Dining Room chairs should be minimally 24" inches apart to keep your guests from bumping elbows.
The main rule to keep in mind is that if you do not feel comfortable in your space, it is likely that your guests will not feel comfortable either!
Comment with the space that you are struggling with and maybe we can help!
If you live in the Denver, CO area and would like more information about our Interior Design services, please visit our website at www.cayde.com.
What type of flooring to choose is often a difficult task for many homeowners. What makes it even more confusing is the varying opinions of others! Some people prefer a soft surface to step on such as carpeting, others love the warmth of hardwoods while tile is also a very popular choice.
So what is a good way to choose what type of flooring is best for you? There are a few factors that will determine your decision.
1. Your budget will be the biggest factor as to what flooring you should choose. Every type of flooring has a high end product, low end product and everything in between. Know what your budget is before speaking with a sales representative so that you are not pressured into spending more than you wish.
2. The type of room will also determine what flooring is best suited for it. Imagine carpeting in the kitchen. With all of the grease and red sauces that are commonly used, the carpeting would certainly not last very long. Carpeting is often found in bedroom and living areas, hardwood is also typically found in living areas and entryways and sometimes preferred in bedrooms. Tile is a great choice for kitchens, bathrooms, high traffic areas and living spaces too.
3. It is very important to consider the existing design elements such as cabinetry, other flooring that will be near the flooring and the type of trim that will be touching the flooring. If you live in a higher end home, it is common to run the same type of flooring all through the home with the exception of bedrooms.
4. Your health should be considered when choosing flooring. Carpeting traps dust and can often trigger allergies. Marble flooring can be very slick and cause slips and falls where water will be present.
5. Looking ahead to the future is also very important. You may not plan on putting your home on the market at this moment but you may need to in the future. Hardwood flooring and stone floors both typically help to increase your value as long as it is installed professionally. Carpeting can be a little tricky because beautiful, soft carpeting is an asset but old and stained carpeting can be a huge draw back for potential buyers.
As you can see, each type of flooring has both positive and negative aspects to them.
Carpeting:
- Pros: Soft to walk on, great for areas where children will be sitting on the floor and playing, quiet, holds in warmth, affordable.
- Cons: Collects dirt and moisture, can be hard on allergies, requires cleaning, can be damaged easily.
- Watch a video by The Home Depot on how to choose the right carpeting.
Hardwood:
- Pros: Highly desired by homeowners and potential buyers/ increases home value, creates warmth in a room, fairly durable, can be stained or painted to match existing room.
- Cons: Can be expensive, difficult to clean, needs to be refinished when wear shows, easily damaged by water, can dent and scratch easily.
- Visit The Home Depot's website to watch a video about what type of Hardwood Flooring to choose.
Tile:
- Pros: Very durable, can withstand moisture and stains, many color and design choices available, fairly affordable (natural stone will be more expensive), easy to clean
- Cons: Cracking can occur, can be cold on the feet, grout can stain/ discolor, tiles with a slick finish (such as marble) can be slippery when wet.
- Visit The Home Depot's website to watch a video on how to choose Tile Flooring for your home
Of course there are other types of floor besides what is listed but this is a good start to set you down the correct path. Educate yourself by doing research on different products and visit showrooms to touch and feel the actual product. Armstrong's website has great videos to help walk you through several steps of choosing flooring. The most important thing to remember is that this will be a permanent feature in your home so make sure that you love it before you purchase!
If you live in the Denver, CO area and would like more information about our Interior Design services, please visit our website at www.cayde.com.
One of the first things that people notice about a kitchen is the cabinetry. If you have older cabinets but do not have the budget to replace them, how about giving them a facelift? Applying a fresh coat of paint to outdated cabinets is always a good option but if you want instant results, how about just simply changing out the knobs and pulls in your kitchen? There are so many wonderful choices of knobs on the market right now!
You can be whimsical, classical or just simple! This is a great way to add a little bit of your personality to the room and you still have the freedom to change them out in a few years when you get tired of them.
Need inspiration? Check out these popular designs!
F. Pottery Barn:
Farm Animal Pig Knob
If you live in the Denver, CO area and would like more information about our Interior Design services, please visit our website at www.cayde.com.
