Some plans simply don’t allow you to put furnishings any place other than up against the walls, leaving you with a galley style room. My living room is pretty much like that. Even though it’s decent in size, I have no options. What it did allow me to do, however, is add a small office space at one end of the room. Since my room is a rectangle in shape, I have a desk and chair behind one of my large Bergere chairs. Although, not totally hidden away, I still have the illusion of two workable spaces in one.

Here are some time saving tips to help you get started with a new floor plan.

1. Consider the view. How do you want the room to look when you walk in? What piece do you want to see first? What’s the focal point?

2. Consider the size of your room. Make sure your pieces are in scale to the room size. Larger pieces will over power the room and feel crowded. In larger rooms, make sure not to use pieces that are too small, as they will get lost.

3. Try pulling some of the furniture away from the walls. Chairs and sofas can ‘float’ away from the walls to create a conversation area. By ‘float’, I mean to move away from the walls and place a few pieces closer to the middle of the room in a cohesive arrangement. Remember, using an area rug will help define the living space.

4. Consider all doorways, windows and larger pieces that might have doors. Try not to block areas that you need to use to enter and exit the room. Doing so will only make the space look small and cramped.

5. Consider storage pieces. Try using open shelving or a console behind a sofa if your room is large enough to create separation and storage.

Now you have the basics to get started. Only your imagine and room size will limit what you can do. So have fun changing things up.