This past January after all the bustle of the holidays was well indeed in the rearview, I decided I wanted to rearrange our combination living room and dining room area and move things around. We had lived with it, and it was fine. Until it wasn’t.
Placing a sofa near a particular window in January when the sun sets around 4:30 p.m., is much different than having the sun still drilling a hole in your eyeball at 7:30 p.m. in the summer. Apartment blinds try to do the best they can but can only do so much in combating the fiery brilliance of the sun. The flow to the space was also off and it felt like you had to do some sort of weird tango to get from one side of the room to the other. I also wanted the sofa to face our patio and have that view to look out at as I drink my morning coffee, so a room rearrangement was definitely in order.
With my husband’s help, because couches are heaaaaavvvvvy, the room is more functionable and the space more inviting. I have a view of our hummingbird feeder which is nice to see when the hummingbirds are utilizing it and I can see my plants which in the summer sun, are blooming to their fullest extent.
In the midst of all of these niceties that come with changing up one’s space, I learned some lessons along the way.
(*) Flow is important. Furniture placement is fundamental to how a room works. Too many furniture pieces and you are constantly bumping into them. Too little and you have nowhere to place your very important cup of coffee. You have to live in the room as well as be able to move around in it. Previously, the room felt tight, and we lacked the ability to freely move as we normally would. Winding oneself around furniture to get to the back patio door, is not something I would recommend. Now the space feels plentiful and open.
(*) Window views are everything. Morning light versus afternoon light. How do the changing hours affect the space? We learned this lesson definitively over the past 6 months. The morning light is soft and calming, the afternoon sun, harsh and unforgiving. No one should get a sunburn simply from sitting on the sofa at the wrong time of day so moving one of them against the window as opposed to facing the window, made a world of difference. Outdoor views of our patio area as well as the greenery right outside our apartment window helped make the space feel airy. The natural light from the windows and patio door help to bring in an illumination that is buoyant yet peaceful.
(*) Walls can close off a space as well as open it up. Before our most recent rearrangement, each wall had some sort of picture hanging on it. Whether it was artwork or a family photo, the walls had adornment and it seemed to work fine as the room was designed previously. Once the furniture was moved to its new space, I realized how open and expansive the room felt without any frames nailed into the wall. There was even a slight echo that until that moment, had not been heard. The room felt clear and spacious. With the walls left uncovered, I felt like I could breathe in the space. The only item on the wall is the clock and right now that is all we need. I may add an art piece back onto a wall at some point, I may not. At this particular moment, the walls are staying unadorned.
(*) There is always something to get rid of. Decluttering is always an ongoing process. Sometimes items that you have held onto no longer hold any value. Other times, things make their way into your home that were unplanned and now it is time to get rid of it. We realized after moving things around, that we really do not like our entertainment center. It is bulky and heavy, and we don’t utilize it as we should. We have not sold it yet, but we plan to. We would like to eventually get a simple narrow console table that would work just as well and not take up nearly the same amount of space. Looking at your space from a different view helps you to notice what is working in your living space and what is not.
(*) Finally, my love for neutrals has not dissipated. Neutrals are my favorite to decorate with as they are pleasing to the eye and not jarring. I know this view is perspectival and not everyone enjoys having white walls and cream-colored sofas. That is absolutely okay. For me, neutral decor mixed with natural light gives off the calm yet cozy vibe that I am going for. It is a space to relax and just be.
Our living space reflects who we are. It is also a space to be yourself and where you literally feel “most at home”. If you are feeling the need as well to move things around in your space, go for it. The energy will feel different, and you might just learn something about yourself along the way in terms of what you find aesthetically pleasing. What do you like and what don’t you like when it comes to your style? Move a piece of furniture and find out.
The results might surprise you.
