which room measures up?

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the answer: The one on the right. And the reason? Balance and proportion. Without those things, even a space filled with the most stylish pieces won't look pulled-together. Avoid your own proportional faux pas (a bitsy painting over a long sofa, a lamp shade bigger than the table it sits on) by following a few simple guidelines. Turn the page to find out how to make the elements in your rooms work in beautiful harmony.

living room

For your living room to be truly livable, pay attention to the details--an easy-to-reach side table, a carefully positioned lamp.

Mount a large mirror 8 to 10 inches above the sofa.

A coffee table should be about two-thirds the length of the sofa.

Floor-to-ceiling curtains play up a room's height.

Leave 18 to 20 inches around an area rug.

PROPORTIONAL POINTERS FOR LIVING ROOMS

lamps: To avoid being blinded by a glaring bulb, situate a table lamp so that you're not looking into the top when you're standing or seeing the harp when sitting, says Manhattan-based interior designer Thomas O'Brien. For table lamps, the bottom of the shade should land at shoulder height when you're seated on a sofa or a chair. "And you don't want a floor lamp to be too high or else it won't feel connected to the sofa," says New York City interior designer Sara Bengur.

tables: A side table should be an inch or two lower than the arm of a sofa, says New York City interior designer Elaine Griffin. Why? So that you're not straining to pick up a book or put down a cup of tea. The coffee table "should be two-thirds the length of the sofa," says Griffin.

mirror: Most people hang mirrors and art much too high. "Mount a large mirror 8 to 10 inches above the sofa," says Griffin. In general, "hang it high enough so that you don't hit your head when you lean back, but low enough so that you see the sofa and mirror as one unit," says Bengur.

window treatment: To accentuate the height of the room, hang floor-length curtains as close to the ceiling or molding as possible. Make sure the curtains touch the floor for maximum effect.

area rug: To keep the room airy, "leave 18 to 20 inches of floor space around the rug," says O'Brien. While a small (four-by-six-foot) rug should stand alone under a coffee table, it's OK to rest a sofa's front legs on a rug that is 8 by 10 feet or larger.

Sofa: Oly Studio, 775-336-2100

Table lamp: Arteriors Home, 877-488-8866

Floor lamp: jamieyoung.com.

Coffee table: bakerfurniture.com.

Side table: Arteriors Home, 877-488-8866

Mirror: highfashionhome.com.

Curtain panel: westelm.com.

Rug: meridameridian.com.

Armchair: hickorychair.com.

foyer

In this typically narrow space, where people (and bags and pets) tend to congregate, it's crucial to maintain a streamlined setup.

Mount small frames about an inch apart. If they don't line up perfectly, that's OK.

The ideal height for a pendant lamp? Six feet eight inches above the floor.

Runners should lie 20 inches from the wall.

PROPORTIONAL POINTERS FOR FOYERS

pendant lamp: Install a pendant or a chandelier so that the bottom is six feet eight inches above the floor. If you hang it much higher, you'll lose its visual impact. And if you hang it much lower, "you'll truncate the space," says Bengur.

framed photos: Mount small framed photos about an inch apart and large ones about two inches apart, says O'Brien. For a unified look, strike a balance between the color of the photos (some light, some dark), the size of the mats (some small, some big), and the thickness of the frames (some wide, some narrow), says O'Brien.

console: Choose a modest console that won't impede foot traffic (the one shown here is 18 inches deep). "It's nice to have a table that's just wide enough to put down your mail and keys," says O'Brien. "Leave some blank wall space at each end so the room doesn't appear cramped," adds Susan Corry, an interior designer in Los Angeles.

table lamp: "A taller-than-normal lamp--about 18 to 24 inches high--will make a tight space appear to have higher ceilings," says Corry. Be careful that the shade doesn't stick out beyond the edges of the table or it might get knocked over.

runner: In a foyer, it's best to see some of the floor and to keep the runner clear of furniture so the space has a feeling of openness; O'Brien says the runner should be about 20 inches from the wall. And the runner shouldn't extend the entire length of the hallway. You want to be sure that the front door can swing open freely.

Pendant lamp: nichemodern.com.

Runner: pillowsandthrows.com.

bedroom

To balance out your bed, steer clear of dinky artwork and teeny side tables and opt for symmetry.

The bottom of the shade should hit just above the headboard.

For queen- and king-size beds, choose side tables that are 30 to 36 inches in diameter.

A four-by-six-foot rug by the bed is ideal for most bedrooms.

PROPORTIONAL POINTERS FOR BEDROOMS

sconces or lamps: "Position the base of a sconce so the bottom of the shade hits just past the top of the headboard, but not by more than an inch or two," says Griffin. This way, when you sit up in bed, "it will sit above shoulder height and you won't get shadows from your head falling on your book," says Corry. As for those charming little boudoir lamps, they look minuscule next to even a full-size bed, so go for a table lamp that's at least two feet tall.

artwork: Make sure the piece you choose can hold its own against the bed. Keep this rule of thumb in mind: It should fill two-thirds to three-quarters of the wall space above the headboard, says Griffin.

headboard: When you lean back to read, the top of the headboard should be no lower than your neckline, so that your body is fully supported and your head can't hit artwork positioned above.

side table: Narrow tables (15 inches across) are fine for twin beds, but "you need wide tables--30 to 36 inches--to balance wider beds," says Corry. Plus, a larger table will give you more surface area for a water glass and reading material. And carefully consider the height. "Ideally, the top of a side table should be slightly lower than the top of the dressed bed," says Griffin.

rug: Why place a large area rug in the bedroom if the bed will cover most of the design? "I prefer a four-by-six-foot rug to run lengthwise alongside the bed," says Corry. According to O'Brien, placement "depends on where you walk in. If you enter the room near the foot of the bed, place a small rug there. If you enter at the side of the bed, put it near the side."