Location of doors and windows helps determine furniture placement

The location of doorways and windows in a room can serve as a guide for home decorators as they determine where to place their furniture.

For instance, placing a couch along a wall won't give the illusion of more space as many believe it will, but rather tends to focus attention on one side of a room instead of creating a comfortable conversation area.

That's where the doors and windows come in, according to iVillage.com. They can determine the traffic pattern of the room and help homeowners decide whether the flow takes people directly to a seating area or should have them move around it.

Keeping enough space around major pieces of furniture, such as a sofa, is important to the balance in a room, the website states. If homeowners have the space to take the sofa away from the wall, they should leave room for walking space behind it. Less space is needed between the sofa and adjacent chairs.

Another consideration is how to limit light glare from windows onto computer and TV screens. Solar screen shades can limit glare, as well as improve temperature and draft control in a room, while maintaining visibility to the outside.