It's one of the first questions everybody asks when they buy a new piece of furniture for their home: what now? There are so many options and new trendy ways to arrange sofas are always darting in and out of culture. The newest trend in sofas is to place them directly in the middle of the room and arrange the space around it, known as 'floating' a sofa. Why is this? There are actually several reasons why having a sofa in the centre of the room is now a really popular choice.
Takes Advantage of Limited Wall Space
With condo living all the rage in Greater Vancouver at the moment, it becomes increasingly difficult to arrange furniture traditionally when the walls are limited and, in most cases, made up of floor to ceiling windows. By positioning the sofa away from the walls and keeping it directly in the middle of the room it maximizes the space and also provides a great way to take advantage of the view. Some homes have no option but the centre, as stone fire places have also become a popular feature in living rooms around the city. In these instances, having a sofa in the centre of the room is the only option but it also helps create a sense of intimacy.
An Easy Way to Divide a Room
Some homes in Vancouver have a limited square footage, and this is especially true of newer condo developments that many consider starter homes. When decorating a smaller place it is imperative to maximize the space and setting a sofa in the centre of the main room can simply and effectively divide it into two rooms. This makes the space feel larger and can help new owners create their own dining area or office in a floor plan that hadn't accommodated one. Using a sofa in this way also creates new boundaries, or invisible walls, that can help differentiate between the living room, dining room and kitchen in an open floor plan.
Direct the Flow of Traffic through Large Spaces
One of the main purposes to floating a sofa is to dictate the flow of foot traffic around larger spaces that could otherwise become cramped and confused when entertaining multiple people. Sofas can be used in open spaces to create corridors to make up for the lack of hallways and help guide visitors through the appropriate areas so that they aren't wandering around and trying to create their own pathways to surrounding rooms. Multiple sofas facing each other can create a nice intimate atmosphere while also making clear paths on each side. There are many things that can be done with a new sofa, placing it in the centre of an open space is in vogue right now but trends are constantly changing. The only way to decide how a piece of furniture will fit best is to test out several different variations and see which one works best for the space.