A Design Blog of Feng Shui Designer Sherry Burton Ways

I have often come across people who are confused about decorating a large room in their home.  They end up buying very large furniture that does nothing to make the room feel cozier or functional.  When you have a great room, it is a good idea to make it multi-functional and take advantage of the large spac.  Without adding walls, you can make the space serve different purposes for the entire family.


Here are a few ideas to help you get started:

1.  Make a plan.

It is important to understand the function of the space around which you will be designing before you get started.  On a piece of paper, draw a rough floor plan.  Decide the areas you would like to create in your great room.  Correct placement of the furniture can help you divide the space without actually putting up walls.

2. Create conversation areas.

In your plan, chalk out areas where the family can sit together and spend time.  These can be areas to watch the television, to play video games or board games.  Use easy and comfortable furniture like sofas, ottomans, and recliners to create distinct conversational areas.  Use a day bed to visually divide the large area into two distinct functions.

3.  Create a cozy corner.

Once you have created conversational areas, also plan for a cozy corner for some quiet time.  In a corner, place a small area rug and an armchair or two.  Stack books in a book shelf behind the armchairs and install a floor lamp.  Drape a throw over the arm chair to make it appear warm and inviting.  Finally tie the cozy corner together with a small coffee table.

4.  Separating the functional areas.

Demarcating specific areas for specific functions is not difficult.  Make use of interesting area rugs to visually divide the room.  When you place furniture around an area rug, it behaves like an anchor and ties everything around it quite distinctly.  You can also make use of wooden screens to divide the room without compromising on the design aspect of the room.

5. Space to move around.

Always remember to leave adequate space to move around the furniture easily.  People navigating in the room should be able to walk with ease without bumping or having to move the furniture around.  The walkways should never be blocked with small decor like floor lamps or side tables.  As a rule of thumb, keep a three feet distance between the furniture to create easy flow.

6. Make use of circular patterns.

Finally, make use of circles.  Circles depict flow and are much easier to navigate around.  Instead of a square center table, consider using a circular one.  Choose patterns on the upholstery that have a circular pattern or curves that makes the multi-functional room easy on the eyes as well.

Here is a quick video on some other multifunctional decorating ideas.

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