Think about where people will walk before you begin placing furniture. The entrance of one room into another should be 36 inches wide. Keep traffic lanes uncluttered.

Place furniture so that the older adult or person with a disability may view and enjoy the outside. However, never place a reading chair so that light from the outside comes from the front of the seated person; the glare will interfere with reading.

In general, keep rooms uncluttered. A room crowded with seldom-used furniture can be a hazard. Remember, a person in a wheelchair needs a 60-inch-by-60-inch turning area. Arrange furniture to provide that necessary space.

From: Life-Cycle Housing: Furnishing a User-Friendly Home, by Wilma S. Hammett, Professor Emeritus, North Carolina Cooperative Extension, North Carolina State University. Used with permission.