Space Planning for Interior Design

     Space planning is a key component to a well-designed and well-organized space where the area in question operates with greater function, more efficiency, as well is aesthetically pleasing. Too often, I encounter various homes where space planning is given short shrift due to lack of preparation and foresight. Clients will often purchase sofas, chairs and other furnishings and not consider if the said pieces will fit within the room let alone work together. Too often furnishings are purchased piecemeal over time, or have been acquired from friends/family and it eventually looks like a collection from a secondhand sale. While variety can work together, there needs to be clarity in direction so this problem is avoided.

      Our living and work environments need to have functioning areas of use as well as present aesthetic appeal. When we continually bump our shin on a protruding coffee table or have to squeeze around a bed to get into nightly, we are fighting against the things that are meant to serve us. This is never a desirable way to live. Having flow within our most used areas is key to avoiding this dilemma, requiring attention and thinking ahead to make sure what we have works for our needs.

     When purchasing new furnishings, space planning is key to ensure the pieces you want will work within the chosen room as well as fit with pieces you are saving. Often people will update a sofa, loveseat, additional chairs, coffee tables or a new bedroom set. Some may take remedial measurements without considering the entire room, the desired items and any remaining items. This can often lead to greater frustration as well as loss of money on pieces that can’t be returned–such as a custom sofa or speciality area rug.

     Hiring an interior designer can eliminate these problems and increase having a functional and beautiful space. With space planning training and tools at hand, the client can see what the area looks like currently and how it can be improved, or how a new area will function with the purchase of additional pieces. An architectural tool such as AutoCAD will show the area to scale and how things fit or don’t.

     I had a recent client who wanted to move a large sectional to an upper level room to create a media space. When drawn in CAD, the sofa wouldn’t fit and a large section would have had to be stored. With this tool, it saved the hassle of moving the sofa and realizing it wouldn’t work or trying to cram it into the space where it would impede the flow of traffic. With space planning, I was able to suggest a new sofa that worked within the room and her budget.

     Space planning utilizes a variety of components to ensure you have the living room, office, dining room, play room so it is both a usable space as well as one that is aesthetically pleasing, and functional, creative and productive. Take a look if there is an area that needs addressing and give us a call at 510.501.1213 for a free assessment.