What Role Does Furniture Play in Interior Design?

Furniture and interior design are deeply connected. You cannot talk about one without including the other. Furniture in a way, is a tool to create the design of an interior. Without it, we would just be designing an empty box with different colors and materials. When you bring furniture into the space, it is what actually makes it functional. A bed will establish a room as the bedroom, while a table and dining chairs will establish a room as a kitchen or dining area.

Furniture defines the purpose of a space. 

Not only does the furniture define the type of use a room has, but the flow of movement through it. A large portion of interior design is using furniture to create a layout in the room that allows for socializing and movement through the area. Large sectionals and comfy occasional chairs allow for large groups to gather and mingle together. Small bistro tables allow for a sitting area in breakfast nooks or on patios to have a place to eat and relax. Even down to the way furniture is laid out in a room, it can affect the way a person has to enter the room. 

When creating interior design, the furniture is not a temporary piece. It’s an investment that you will not be switching out every week or so. It’s been specifically selected for the needs of the buyer and also to match the style that is being created in the room. It’s a decision made that is going to have a longer lasting use for you than a new t-shirt you’ll use and then toss when it doesn’t fit or has worn out. In some cases, furniture can hold much deeper meaning as it being passed down as a family heirloom or a vintage piece that has lasted the test of time and represents a design era of the past with its shape and color. Furniture really does become a more permanent type fixture in the interior design of a home. 

The most fun aspect of interior design comes from the furniture itself as well. Furniture has a way of being able to express style and an energy that a blank room cannot achieve on its own. It is what creates warmth and comfort in a home. It can speak to our style and personality as a human being and share that vision and experience with others that step into our space. 

So, next time you are stepping into a space of interior design. Take into great consideration the furniture that you include and how it works with the room you are creating. They go hand in hand, and great design happens when they are both recognized.