The Table That Taught Me the Importance of Space Planning

If there’s one thing I’ve learned quickly in design,

it’s that space planning can make or break a room. You can have the most stunning furniture, beautiful lighting, and perfect color palette—but if the layout doesn’t flow or the scale is off, the whole space just feels… wrong.

During my internship, I saw this play out in real time. One client came in looking for a dining table for her very large, open dining room. She had her heart set on an 86" table. I remember thinking, that’s going to look really small in that space. I suggested something closer to 120", something with more presence to match the scale of the room. But she was set on her original choice—so we placed the order.

A few weeks later, after the table had been delivered, we got a call from her: “You were right. It looks tiny.” It was a good reminder that scale is one of those things that’s hard to visualize until you’re staring at it in the room. It also taught me how important it is to be clear—but respectful—when guiding clients through decisions, especially when you know something isn’t going to work.

Space planning isn’t just about where things go. It’s about how a room feels when you move through it. It’s about proportion, functionality, and helping people get the most out of their space without sacrificing style.