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Rooms and furniture are three dimensional. Room arrangements that look good on paper should take into account the height and size of the furniture in relation to the height of the ceilings for proper balance.

Guidelines for Arranging Furniture
Begin by identifying a focal point for the room - a favorite piece of furniture, a beautiful view, and entertainment center for the new plasma screen TV. Then, arrange the room around it, with consideration of how the family actually lives in the room.

Here are some basic guidelines:

• Allow 2 inches between furniture and walls.
• Plan at least 3 feet of clear space behind every chair at the dining table or a desk so that the chair may be easily pulled out for sitting.
• Allow space for all doors to open and close. On your floor plan, draw an arc from the door frame which follows how the door opens.
• Plan a 3-foot wide passageway through the room, but not through the furniture groupings.
• Allow 1-2 feet of floor space in front of chairs and sofas.

Room Dividers
A sofa works well to divide a room into separate areas. Use the back of the sofa as a divider, placing other furniture against it. Chests, buffets, and bookcases can also serve as room dividers.

Lighting
Place a lamp next to every chair or seat for adequate reading or working light. A table or flat surface should be within easy reach of every seat.

Create a Spacious Look If rooms are small, a spacious look can be created by using lightweight furniture with slender legs and open arms. Arrange furniture close to the walls to open up floor space and avoid too many small accessories. A large mirror can work wonders to create the illusion of doubling the size of the space.