Move things around. Shade recommends mixing chairs, chaises, smaller sofas, or modular couches that can be pulled apart as needed. “I hate sectional sofas, which can’t be moved around,” he says. “I love it when the kids move around all the furniture for their use, and then the parents move it around again for a cocktail party.” A mix of smaller pieces allows you to create conversation groupings. “Release your furniture from its wall prison!” agrees Rob Everitt, President of Everitt Design Associates Limited in Winnipeg, Manitoba. “People often mistakenly place all of their furniture against the perimeter walls, which makes the room appear tunnel-like and boring.”