Built-in joinery is an excellent space-saving solution for a small living room. Photo: Derek Swalwell / bauersyndication.com.au

Expert tips for arranging furniture to fit an awkward and small space.

When space is limited it has to work extra hard to look good, especially when the area is a room with several functions such as this open-plan kitchen, lounge and dining area. In this space, thoroughfares have taken over the entire room. The lounge and dining areas need to be rearranged for a bigger presence.

Creating zones in the space is the key to making the open-plan area work. Furthermore, when space is limited, it's okay to allow more room for important functions such as lounging or dining, and less for thoroughfares.

Here, I want to give the furniture arrangement a big dose of “attitude”, so I’ve placed the sofa in the middle of the room, with its back creating “a wall and a hall”. This means we can play around with the available space, taking as much as we can for the lounge.

The slightly recessed area near the kitchen is a perfect nook for the dining table – it can sit well back, saving space. An existing mirror here reflects light, making it a lovely focal point.

It’s not the amount of space that’s important, it’s how you use it. Laundry and bathroom doors opening off the lounge are not ideal, but you can disguise or conceal them with new joinery. Either create doors that look identical to the joinery so they blend in, or turn doors into shelves – they could be like an old castle bookshelf that opens up to another room!

It costs nothing to move existing furniture around, so experiment – it may just be the key to your new home. Once the arrangement feels right, the magic starts when you add your bits and pieces. Colour and texture in flowers, artwork and soft furnishings will make your house a home.