Joanna Gaines' Advice Will Save You From Choosing The Wrong Furniture For Your Space

Joanna Gaines knows a thing or two about turning a house into a home. As the co-star of HGTV's "Fixer Upper," where she's renovated over 250 properties with her husband Chip, Gaines has found clever solutions for virtually every design dilemma. Case in point: She enlists a special sink style to make a small bathroom seem bigger than it really is  and gets creative with quirky tips to brighten up any room. However, when it comes to furnishing your space, she encourages you to pay close attention to the size and scale of your furniture. Turns out, it's the one factor that can make or break your home decor. 

When Gaines gave fans a tour of her farmhouse on her company Magnolia's website, she stressed the importance of selecting the right furniture. "The entryway is our home's first impression, and should set the tone," she wrote. "Since the space I have to work with isn't a traditional open-concept area, over the years I've learned that the right scale of furniture makes all the difference in a space like this, and helps create an entrance that feels defined." Gaines says she swapped out bulkier pieces for slimmer silhouettes to help "free up valuable real estate." 

So, how does a person find perfectly proportional furniture for their home? Well, there are several decorating philosophies to follow. Some design enthusiasts like the two-thirds rule, where the main piece of furniture like a sofa or dining table should be about two-thirds the size of the wall you're placing it by. That way, your furniture can fill up the room without making your space appear claustrophobic. Alternatively, you can always follow the furniture sizing rule HGTV's Emily Henderson swears by. "A large room should have large furniture, medium rooms should have medium-sized furniture, and small rooms, (you guessed it) should have more petite furniture," she wrote on her website. 

You'll also want to consider the overall look of your furniture. Pieces with slimmer profiles will create negative space, which can make your room feel light and airy. Decor made out of a transparent material like acrylic or lucite will look almost invisible, which will keep any visual clutter to a minimum. Likewise, don't discount the power of reflective glass. Since mirrors are known to bounce the natural sunlight around your room, it might create the illusion of a larger room. Furniture that works overtime to make any room feel surprisingly spacious? Consider us sold.