Nothing can strike fear in the hearts of homeowners like the need to purchase new furniture.  Analysis Paralysis often results, and so many of my clients live with furniture they HATE for years before venturing into the Land of Confusion.

 The easiest cure is to hire a decorator, of course.   And a good one at that—I personally know a decorator who purchased a sofa for her Living Room that was too big. Because it is impossible to judge the size and visual weight of an object in the showroom.  Furniture stores are huge. Your perspective is off as soon as you walk in the door.  My advice? Don’t even think about making a purchase before you take the dimensions back home. 

My recommendation is to get some painters tape and mark off on the floor the area of the item you are considering.

There is more to study than the footprint. Add items inside the marked area so that you can visualize the space in three dimensions. (If a sofa is in question, two Dining Chairs can be placed at either end of the tape marks.)  Is there enough room to pass by?  What about the height?  Will something be blocked by the piece visually, like a window or door?  Does the piece just feel too small or large for the scale of the room?

Drawing a floorplan is always a good idea, but if you are a woman, don’t rely on just that.  Was this the problem with my decorator friend?  It is no secret that I am less “traditionally feminine” in a lot of ways than my colleagues.  I’m not afraid to admit it.