The secret to space planning
Have you ever stepped into a room and it just feels right? Sure the furniture is beautiful, the lighting sets the mood, but there’s something you can’t quite put your finger on that gives the whole space a sense of order and organization leaving you comfortable and relaxed.
Photo credit: Iconic by Kaitlyn Wolfe
The secret sauce, the thing that feels so effortless but is hard at work in the background is space planning. Chances are it wasn’t by accident, but rather a designer’s well thought-out floor plan and exact measurements taken during the installation. We may not see it in the HGTV reveals, but there are some simple rules followed by all designer’s for the distance between furniture pieces that gives the room a feeling of balance and flow.
As always, design ‘rules’ are meant to be broken. If something feels off, go with your gut! But use these numbers as a guide. Sometimes moving things just a few inches in one direction or another can completely change the flow of traffic or overall feeling of the room.
So grab your measuring tape and get started!
PS. Looking for help on how to select the right rug size, how to properly hang curtains, or a guide to art placement? We got you.
Living Room
Ideal pathway: 36” (minimum is 24”)
Distance from coffee table to sofa: 15-18”
Distance between TV screen and end of sofa: 1.5X the diagonal measurement of TV screen
Example: For a 60” TV, the couch should be 90” or 7.5 ft. away
Distance between coffee table and media unit: 24-30”
Difference in height between side table and sofa arm: 1-2”
Distance between pair of side chairs: 18”
Photo Credit: Studio McGee
Dining Room
Space between the table and the chair back: 9-13”
Space between each chair: 4-6”
Space between place settings: 20-30”
Space between edge of the table to the next piece of furniture: 3-4ft.
Distance between the base of the chandelier and the table: 30-34”
Photo credit: Urbanology Designs
Bedroom:
Distance between bedside tables and mattress: 2-6”
Beds should never be pushed up against the wall. Leave 24-36” between the wall and the side of the bed
Space between a dresser and a bed: 24-36”
Photo Credit: Emily Henderson
