23 FURNITURE REQUIRED FOR DIFFERENT ROOMS & PLANNING FURNITURE FOR SELECTED ACTIVITIES

D. Sumathi

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FURNITURE REQUIRED FOR DIFFERENT ROOMS & PLANNING FURNITURE FOR SELECTED ACTIVITIES

 

Introduction

 

Every house and every room in the house has certain furniture requirements without which the house and the rooms give a sense of being unfinished. Therefore one should employ carefulness while selecting furniture. The arrangement of furniture should be in such a way that it does not interfere with family’s day-today household activities. The aesthetic and functional aspect should be kept in mind while planning furniture for specific activities. The furniture requirements for different rooms are different, as their functions differ in many ways.

 

Objectives

 

Today this lesson is planned with the following objectives:

  • To know the general guidelines in planning furniture arrangements
  • To acquire knowledge on furniture required for different rooms
  • To plan and place furniture for selected activities

 

The general guidelines one can use in planning furniture arrangements are:

 

  1. The furniture should be grouped according to purpose or activity. Function oriented arrangements are generally comfortable. A living room, for example, should have a group of furniture which encourages conversation and is suitable for entertaining guests.
  2. In a group of furniture the various items should be arranged in such a way that space between two items is less than the size of any one of the objects. But if we want to isolate particular pieces of furniture or group of furniture the space between two sets should be more than the size of the furniture.
  3.   Furniture should be so grouped that people face each other. So, semi-circular, circular and rectangular arrangements are more effective.
  4.   The traffic area should be kept clear of furniture piece. A definite pattern should be planned and the traffic lanes should not pass through conversation group. They should go around it.
  5. The main passages should be 5-6 ft wide and minor ones should be 3-4 ft wide.
  6. Furniture should be so placed that it does not come too close to door or window frames. Approaches & doorways should be kept clear of furniture.
  7. The centre of interest should be decided first and then the furniture can be arranged around it. This centre of interest could be fire place in cold climate, a large picture window, a television unit, a painting or any other important objects.
  8. Emphasis in furniture groupings can also be established by using an item of contrasting size, shape and colour variation in amount of decoration, such as plain chair among upholstered group or upholstered chair among wooden chairs.
  9. Balance in furniture arrangement should be sought. All four walls should have furniture that has equal attraction, especially those walls which face each other.
  10. Windows and doors on one side of the room should be balanced by tall pieces of furniture such as cabinets, bookcases, etc. on the opposite walls.
  11. If a room is large and furniture is small, grouping of furniture would make them look better in proportion. Small-scale objects could be grouped together leaving less space between them so that they give an impression of large unit of furniture.
  12. A long narrow room could be divided into two activity areas by placing large piece of furniture at right angle to the long wall.
  13. The furniture grouped together should have harmony in line, shape, size, colour of texture.
  14. Large pieces of furniture should be placed parallel to wall so that harmony of line can be maintained.
  15. Place large pieces of furniture first then fill the space with small pieces and decorations.
  16. Furniture should be arranged in such a way that there is a smooth flow of movement in a group of furniture.
  17. Study table should be placed at right angle to window.
  18. Dressing table or mirror should be placed either on same side as window or at right angles to it, but not on opposite side of window.
  19. Easy access should be available to radio, T.V., bookshelves and other important items.
  20. Upholstered chairs with rounded edges could be placed at angle but straight backed chairs should be placed parallel to wall.
  21. Large empty spaces between two groups of furniture give an uncluttered effect.

Furniture required for different rooms and activities performed

Each room has its own requirement based on the number and type of activities carried out in it.

 

Entrance Hall

 

The entrance hall is a transition between the exterior and interior of the house. It is an important place because it gives the first and the last impression of the home to the person who is arriving or leaving. Since empty space is desirable for facilitating traffic, in a hall the pieces of furniture should be few.

 

This is not a very regular feature in modern houses but still wherever it is planned, the furnishings should be designed in such a way that it gives a good impression when one enters the house and while one leaves it. The type of treatment given to the entrance hall should reflect what to expect in the rest of the house. A formal look would lead to formal atmosphere and an informal look would make it appear friendly. The entrance hall should have very few pieces of furniture and have lots of empty space. A small hall would probably need only a small table, a chair or a bench and a mirror. A large hall could have a hall cupboard for keeping raincoats, umbrellas and wet things, a sofa and tables instead of a chair and chest of drawer could also be placed. As we don’t want people to linger in hall we need not hang beautiful pictures or place very comfortable chairs in it.

 

Living Room or Drawing Room

 

A living room should reproduce the spirit of house to the family. It should welcome our friends and make them feel comfortable. The room should have relaxing sofa and easy chairs with side tables and a center table. A place should be spared for each family member and a few extra for guests. The furniture should be arranged around a center of interest. This could be a picture window, or door, opening towards an open terrace and garden, or a showcase or simply a beautiful painting. A storage unit holding television set could also be used as centre of interest. The semi-circular rectangular or `U’ shaped arrangements of seats are beneficial to conversation. The major conversation area should provide lodgings to eight people without the need for dragging chairs. End tables could be provided within easy reach of chairs or at end of Sofa. A large rug holding the entire conversation area unifies the furniture. Gay coloured curtain provides the essential light-hearted atmosphere. Soft lighting from concealed sources adds to coziness and calm mood. Lamps on end-tables provide the necessary lighting for reading magazines, novels and other such light reading literature.

 

A special writing or study area in the living room needs more than comfortable chair and lamp. It consists of a study table with one or two chairs, good natural and artificial light, book case and storage in desk for necessary stationery and supplies. A study table should be placed at right angle to windows so that the light comes from left shoulder of the reader. It should not be pushed directly in front of window as it may cause glare and the light would fall on reader eyes rather than on material which he is reading. A music corner is also essential part of the living room. A T.V. set, a stereo system or even a radio can be used as centre of interest.

 

Apart from storage space needed for keeping records and tapes, one also needs a small table-surface for sorting out what we want to play. A minimum of two easy chairs on each side of the centre piece add to ease of handling the equipment. An easy access to the musical equipment is a must. Soft light from shaded lamps and comfortable seats create the appropriate environment for enjoying classical music. The windows and doors on one of the walls need to be balanced by tall book cases, wall-hanging and decorations on the opposite walls.

 

Activities Performed-Major Conversation group

 

In a modern living room, a corner is arranged with an L-shaped sofa, with built in seats, or with sectional seating units that turn a corner satisfactorily, accommodating several persons seated on each side of the corner. A reading or study group consists of a table and a chair or two which is convenient. A side table adjacent to the chairs should be placed to keep a lamp. A special writing group needs a large desk and a chair that is comfortable for writing. It should have a good lamp and a nearby window along with bookshelves. Reading and writing groups should be as far away from the conversation group as possible to provide privacy and convenience. A music enjoyment group may consist of a music system, a radio, flanked by two easy chairs, and a low stool. Audio tapes/CD’S, phonograph and records are well placed close to a sofa. The person who likes to lie on a sofa and listen to the music should have a low end table that can be reached at ease. A piano if kept in the living room should stand with its keyboard parallel to a wall. It is permissible to place a chair or a table in the curve of grand piano. A sofa and a piano should not usually be placed at the same end of a room otherwise it gives a very heavy look on this side of the room. A television enjoyment group may consist of Television; VCP/VCR Movie tips cabinet and comfortable sofa/chairs or rugs on the floor with lots of cushions.

 

Dining Room

 

The most popular and obvious way of arranging dining room is to place the dining table in the centre of the room with chairs around it. The alternative arrangements would be against a wall for small family if the space is problem. It could also face the window opening towards a garden so that it provides a lovely view. The centre of interest in a dining room is the dining table but the windows need to be balanced by having crockery cupboard on the opposite, wall. An attractive wall hanging could also be used as center of interest for this wall. A serving table adds to the convenience and could serve as extension of dining table when needed. A sideboard serves as a serving table as well as storage for crockery or cutlery. A dining room which is used as study room or sitting room, or music room then it should be furnished as extension of living room. It should have comfortable seats, storage and work surface depending upon the various activities. A living-cum-dining room should be treated as one room. The walls, floor and curtains should be same. This arrangement helps to extend the living area or dining area as the occasion demands. In a living room the dining area could be fitted behind a low partition or in a bay window or a cove. A screen could also be used to give necessary privacy or a storage unit which holds things for living as well as dining area could be used as divider.

 

When space is a problem, a free-standing dining table could be substituted with a drop leaf table which gives us dining surface, as well as serves as a door for crockery cupboard. Breakfast could be taken on a small table in kitchen as it may be taken individually and in a hurry. Some families in India prefer to use kitchen for dining purposes. If kitchen is large and can hold a dining table then it could be done. A drop leaf table in a kitchen also saves space. Some people however prefer to sit at floor level. A 4-6 ft of space in front of the diner is necessary to accommodate the “thali” and the space for a person to move around while serving food. A small family living in a small flat may not have a specific place for eating. They could eat in kitchen or living room, on terrace, any where they please.

 

Activities Performed-Dining

 

The dining table is the focal point of a dining area. Standard dining tables or rectangular, square, oval or circular in shape, extensions or drop leaves may enlarge one dimension, changing a square to an oblong or, a circle to an oval. Traditionally, the rectangle is the favoured shape, but an oblong or oval table is considered most pleasing in a rectangular dining room. A narrow rectangular table may be placed flat against a wall, with a chair on either side to save space. Optimal table dimensions are essential for dining comfort and depend on the size of the room and the number of diners. 36 to 45 inches is the maximum width for a small or medium size area to allow passage around the table and the height varies from 28 to 30 inches for a standard table.

 

Bedroom

 

Privacy is the most important consideration while arranging bedroom furniture. The placement of door and windows affect the location of bed in the room. For good ventilation the bed should be arranged in such a way that breeze passes over it. In winter, however we may need to shift the arrangement. The usual arrangement is to extend the bed into the middle of room from the center of a wall. So that there is plenty of space on all three sides while making the bed. It eases the cleaning problem also. In a bed room first consideration should be given to placement of bed in the most convenient position. A bed can also be placed parallel to wall or in a corner if we need center space free. The flexibility in arrangement is needed so it could be changed according to condition. Once the location of bed is determined then the other furniture could be arranged.

 

A centre of interest could be created on the opposite side. Other essential requirements in a bedroom are dressing table, wardrobes, easy chairs and a work area. The dressing table should be near the window but it should be on the same side of the window or at right angles to window. It should never be placed opposite to the windows. The light in this case should fall on the face of the person and then it should be reflected on the mirror. A dressing table should also be accompanied by a low stool on which a person sits while adding finishing touches to the face. The artificial light also should be placed on the either side of mirror or above it so that proper lighting is provided for this activity. A full-length mirror is essential to see the total effect. A wardrobe or cupboard is necessary for storing personal clothes and belongings. It should have adequate hanging spaces as well as shelves for keeping folded garments.

 

A small safe for keeping precious possessions and important papers is also a must. A work-table or a sewing center should also be part of a bedroom for middle class families. An easy chair or two are essential to complete bedroom arrangement. Two chairs with a small table and a floor lamp provide the place for sitting and flicking through a magazines or reading book.

 

Activities Performed-Sleeping

 

A good bed is an investment for comfort and health – we spend one third of our lives there. The usual arrangement of one or two beds is to extend them into the middle of the room from the centre of a wall whereas is sometimes necessary it is often possible to place the beds parallel to the walls in corners, leaving the middle of the room free. When two single beds are needed in a single room, it is sometimes advisable to buy a pair, one of which is made to fit underneath the other one when not in use. A bunker bed may be used if such an arrangement is required in children’s room. A well-lighted place near or in front of a window is the best location for a dressing or a study table. In a combination sitting bedroom, a desk can be placed under a mirror and used as a dressing table, with all the equipments concealed in its drawers.

 

Children’s Room

 

Planning for children’s rooms begins with the choice on the uses to which then room will be put. Apart from providing the furniture needs of a boy, girl or a small child, the room should be much more than just a place to sleep and change clothes. There should be a place to study without interruption, some room to play, pursue their hobbies and to entertain their friends. Furniture must be placed so that one can move around easily in the room. Further, the furniture, furnishings, floor coverings and accessories should be decorative, practical and economical so that bedrooms should be literally grown with children.

 

Guest room

 

The guest room is there one type of bedroom which should be impersonal, since it is room in which anyone should feel at home. There should be no personal photographs in the room, and the pictures used should have general appeal. Since time immemorial guests should have been given an important place in a home, the spirit of hospitality is one of the finest attributes of Indian income.

 

Every person wishes to show his or her desire to make the guests comfortable by anticipating there wants while furnishing the guest room. Therefore, the guest room, should, if possible, contain the following things, in addition to such necessities comfortable bed, a well-lighted mirror and sufficient storage space, a desk or a table on which one may write, a waste basket, a bedside table with a good reading lamp, books of general interest find a comfortable chair. Since a room used for occasional guests is an impractical use of space, especially when family needs are great, the guest room can become, instead, the best multi-use room in the house.

 

Conclusion

 

Furniture arrangements should be carefully planned. Initial plans should be made on paper of orderly arrangements to create beautiful and comfortable rooms. The procedure of conventional arrangements has replaced the informality of modern living. It is therefore very important to analyse a room from point of view of various activity areas and then arrange furniture according to our need and comfort. As furniture is an expensive item and bought after careful analysis of one’s budget and requirement, it should be properly placed and maintained in our home to perform activities effectively and efficiently.

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