Campaign Furniture Pieces- ExeterFields

Today, I am going to let you in on a little secret; the number one design problem found in most homes. I see it all the time and from time to time I am guilty of it as well. So here it is: too much furniture in one room. Okay. it’s out… are you guilty? For some reason we all, or most of us, are guilty of some level of hoarding. We keep things because we like them but don’t know where to put them so there are usually too many things in one room.

Mid-Century Solid Walnut Desk-
miscmidmod

Rooms function better with a plan that makes sense, is simple and direct. In the past, when I have helped people with room makeovers, the obvious problem is that there is just way too much crammed into one space. Too many couches/chairs, too many accessories, too many tables.

Teak Wall Unit Cado System- Othertimes Vintage

It can be hard to notice this problem when you live in a small space or have lived in the same space for a long time. We get used to what we need to function and our environment plays a large role in our psychological ideals of comfort. We may think we need all of this stuff in our room in order for it to feel whole but in reality we really don’t and it can even feel freeing to eliminate some of the clutter.

Bohemian Style Armchair- IslandLifeNow

So how to fix an over-furnished room?

1. Scale back: Go to the essentials, ask yourself what you really need in the room and denote this from what you want in the room. After determining the “needs” and removing the “wants”, allow yourself a few “wants” that provide the room with character and comfort.

2. Store it seasonally: Sometimes it works best to simply store some of your furniture and accessories and only bring them out for a particular season. For instance, I recently realized I have a comfy chair that I prefer in my living room during fall and winter but I don’t necessarily need it during summer. The chair provides a psychological “cozy” feeling in the house during cooler weather but it also blocks a big beautiful light casting window that is helpful during summer.

3. Replace it: When all else fails, perhaps the furniture or accessories are just not the right fit for the room and/or you have simply outgrown them. It may be time to research more suitable furniture. Many times if you move from one house to another, what worked for the previous living room doesn’t function properly for the new room. For instance, when we bought our home, our older couches no longer functioned well in the long narrow living space. After many months of trying to make the room feel whole, we realized a sectional would work much better for the long space and upgraded.

In an upcoming post I’d also like to chat about furniture scale which can have a big effect on your room. What do you think? Do you have a room that isn’t functioning properly? If you are being honest, is there just too much in the room?