- 1). Consider who will use the room. The people who will use the room should dictate to a certain degree the types of furniture you choose for the room. Select child-sized pieces of furniture if you're setting up a room for your small child, for example; this principle will work well for a room that is small in size as well since the scale of the furniture will also fit the size of the room.
- 2). Work with the size of the room. If the room is exceptionally large, small pieces of furniture may look lost in the room, whereas large pieces of furniture in a small room may overwhelm it. Place bulky or blocky furniture in a large room, as a rule of thumb. Choose furniture with dainty legs and a slight frame for a small room.
- 3). Use artwork to reinforce the scale of the room. Go with large canvases in a big room and smaller pictures or photos in a small room.
- 4). Watch out for pattern sizes in a small room; they make the scale of the small room seem even smaller if the pattern is too big or if you mix and match too many patterns.
- 5). Leave out some pieces in a small room or substitute two smaller pieces for one big piece. For example, in a small sitting room, consider featuring four armchairs instead of two armchairs and a couch. These items are smaller and will work better in the small room. Conversely, bring in two big couches in a very large den and flank with large, comfortable chairs.
Source...