When it comes to redecorating or giving your home a complete make over, space planning is quite crucial and the most fundamental element to interior design. Space planning is an intricate process and requires an in-depth analysis of how the space is to be used effectively. The next step is when the interior designer draws up a plan that defines different zones of space and activities that will take place in these zones. Space planning also defines the circulation pattern that shows how people will move through the space.
When you plan any interior space, not only do you want it to be aesthetically pleasing but you also want it to give you comfort and practicality, as well as being conducive to everyday living.
Before you can create your perfect room it’s a good idea to develop a project brief. Begin by assessing the functional deficiencies or restrictions of the space and try to work out how they may be improved. Think about how the room is used, how you live and move around it. Consider your likes and dislikes and of course, your budget. Be sure you keep in mind that the whole point of spatial planning is to maximize efficiency.

Once you have an idea about the functionality of the space, you can blend it with your desired visual outcome. Consider colors, furniture placement and accessories etc. It’s all about having a vision of the overall picture and bringing them together, rather than focusing separately on individual elements. Integrating everything well should bring your space a good sense of balance between comfort, beauty and practicality. Below are three expert tips to think about when trying to master the art of space and what is the room used for? Think about how you position certain items to maximize the ease of use in this space?
The kitchen work triangle is a good example of this concept. The kitchen work triangle is a design concept used to determine efficient kitchen layouts. As you know, main tasks in a home kitchen are carried out between the fridge, cooker and the sink. Ensure pathways between them are direct and unobstructed.
By creating an imaginary triangle between the three elements you can form an efficient and easy space to use. Obviously, there are exceptions to this rule however efficiency can still be achieved through well thought out configurations. When you walk into a room that looks and feels right it usually means that it has just the right amount of furniture in it. This is a very easy thing to get wrong! Using the correct scale and proportions are vital for a space to be practical as well as visually pleasing.

Furniture that is too big will obstruct pathways and can interrupt the flow of a space and make it feel cluttered. For example, a large overstuffed sofa crammed into a small lounge room won’t leave much space to move around it so doesn’t work well.
On the other hand, if the furniture is too small creating lot of space between items then it will prove inconvenient and won’t feel warm and inviting. For example, an undersized coffee table probably won’t be appropriate for use by most of the seating in the room. Also, it will look a little lost positioned in the middle.
So, as a general rule a big room can handle large, bulky scale furnishings and a smaller room more petite and delicate items. Drawing up a floor plan of your room/s to scale will give you a good gauge of the space. It can help with selecting the appropriate size furniture based on the size of the room. It will also give you an idea of which placements will work best.

Here are some crucial steps involved in the process of planning the layout of a room

Think about the structure of the room, what are the main focal points? These could be windows, fireplaces, and doors or built in units. Are they balanced in the room? If not, think about what you can add to the space to help balance the structure of the space. Remember that the human eye is drawn to focal points, and will scan a space when entering it.

Perception of space is based on body size. Different size spaces suit different size people: one person’s claustrophobic box is another’s cozy nest.

Think about the space in terms of volume, eg: if it were a fish bowl, if you add in a sofa, chandelier, sculptures, bookshelves, table, coffee table etc., you displace some of the water. Ensure that you don’t overfill the space.

im to create both a prospect and a refuge in each room so you can feel enclosed, but also have a view beyond to the outside or natural world. Space can make it more comfortable for the human experience.

Plan your furniture with a scale drawing of your room or cut paper shapes to size and place them in the room to work out the best possible arrangement of furniture and accessories.

Ensure that the circulation passageway through a room follows an easy and economic pathway from the door to all the other main activity areas.

Clutter closes down space, so edit your clutter to avoid blocking both circulation and reducing the perceived size of a room.

In large or long spaces, subdivide different activity zones to give definition to each part of the room.

hen planning decoration and lighting, work with the principles that vertical lines draw our eyes up and horizontal lines draw them across to extend or reduce the proportions of a room.

Wallpaper with a square grid or tiling a room in squares will give the impression that it is bigger than it is – the smaller the grid, the larger the room appears.

orrow space from outside by ensuring an uninterrupted view of the outside world. You can also ‘borrow’ space from adjoining rooms by using the same flooring materials.

hen furnishing small rooms, blur the edges of the room to break up the lines between floor and walls; draw furniture a little way away from the walls; buy furniture in proportion to the room; choose furniture with legs to give the illusion of more space.

Disguise oversized sofas by breaking up their upholstered surface with a different colored or textured runner or folded throw.