Stop Playing Footsy

In case you want your sofas in a U-shaped arrangement make sure that the armrests of the two corner sofas don't touch each other. Otherwise your guests will be uncomfortable, with no choice but to play footsy with each other.

Ideally, leave about 1ft. gap between the two corner sofas. Try separating them with a decorative corner table or a lamp.

Kick Back and Relax

When setting your living room coffee table, avoid placing it too far from the sofas. Try to keep them within a 2ft distance. So you won't have to stretch halfway across the room for the chips or the remote. …and you can relax with your feet up (when no one is watching you).

Pull Out with Ease

The pullout storage under your bed seems like the perfect space-saving idea. That is until you have to use it. The moment you pull out the drawers you land up  squished between the bed and the cupboards.

Make sure to place your bed in such a way that you have enough space to open the drawers completely as well as stand or sit there comfortably to find what you need.

If space is a problem try storages with pull-up flaps.

Wardrobe Malfunction

Deciding what to wear for that formal dinner party can be an ordeal. The last thing you need is palatial cupboard doors opening in your face leaving little or no space for you to rummage through.

So when choosing wardrobes opt for ones with sliding doors that won't get in your way. If you must have one with swing-out shutters, make sure there is enough room for them to open completely.

Dark Rooms are No Fun

More than having bright lights in the kitchen, it is important that you place them well. Avoid placing lights opposite the work area. Else, every time you stand to cook, the light will be blocked out. Place tube lights above the work area, or fit in concealed lighting just below the overhead cabinets.

Damage Control

Cabinets or shelves behind a door are a great camouflage for storage. But very often these cabinets jut out awkwardly and don't allow the door to open fully. This leaves you sliding sideways into the room and very often you end up banging the door into and damaging the corners of the cabinets.

If you must have a cabinet behind the door, make sure there is space for the door to open completely or opt for slimmer cabinets that don't obstruct the entrance.

Keep Your Distance

This one is rather obvious but must be mentioned all the same. Always place furniture slightly away from the wall. Or else, they will leave an ugly mark and chip the paint too.

Sure, no one can see them. Not for the moment, at least. But what happens when you want to rearrange the furniture?

A good idea is to have a strip of soft padding behind your furniture (along the edge). This will avoid any marks on the wall. You could also insert an acrylic sheet into the back legs of furniture to keep the sofa from touching the wall.

No More Stumbling Blocks

Avoid placing furniture at the entrance of the room. Besides making the room look smaller, it leaves you with little space to rush through on those manic Monday mornings.

If you must place furniture near the entrance, choose slimmer, compact pieces that aren't too imposing.