How to Arrange Your Living Room

  • Living rooms are a fundamental part of any home. Some people use their living rooms for hosting family gatherings while others use them as showrooms only for when guests come over.
  • To ensure that your living room remains functional and stylish, you should know the furniture arrangement basics.
  • This guide will share with you some principles that are easy to apply and help you create an aesthetically appealing and practical living room.

There are several factors you should be aware before starting arranging the furniture in your living room. These include where your windows and doors are positioned, the number of family members in your home, and your preferences. If you’re looking for some ideas on arranging furniture in your living room, you’ve come to the right place.

Things to Note When Arranging Furniture in Your Living Room

Before you begin arranging things in your sitting area, there are some important things you need to remember, these are:

  • Your living room’s focal point should guide you during the furniture arrangement. It can be something that appears naturally like a built-in fireplace or you can also create a focal point yourself using a television or other media units. Whatever your focal point is, ensure that you arrange furniture around it as much as you can.
  • Homeowners should create conversation areas using furniture. Ensure that people can comfortably talk with each other without shouting or straining. If you have a large space, creating several conversation areas can be a great idea.
  • Keep the traffic flow in mind during the arrangement. Don’t forget that people need to move with ease from one side to another.
  • Don’t place furniture too close to your walls. One big mistake that individuals make is having their furniture touch their living room’s walls. Instead, place your pieces of furniture close to create an intimate setting.

How to Place Different Furniture

Side Tables– While they’re usually an afterthought, they’re important. How many you need depends on the seating you have. But, ensure that individuals will be able to set down their drinks without getting up or walking to a table. Place them on either side of the sofa or between chair pairs. Aim at having enough space that doesn’t make your room look overcrowded. Also, these tables should be almost similar in height as the sofa’s or chair’s arm they’re placed next to.

Coffee Table– This is often placed at the center of conversation areas. If you have one, make sure that its height is some inches below the seat’s and chair’s height around it. The recommended length for this table is ½ to 2/3 of your sofa’s length. Alternatively, you can use smaller benches or tables to achieve the same look, however, don’t buy too small sizes. Individuals sitting around them should be able to pick up or put down their drinks without having to get up from their seats. But also, ensure that you leave enough leg room between chairs and tables of approximately 14-18 inches.

Rug- rugs help define seating areas. However, many people often use an area rug that’s too small, which messes with the design. But, if you have a small space, ensure that at least the front legs of upholstered pieces are on your carpet.

Sofa and Chairs– because they’re the most significant items, make sure that they suit your space. We advise that you measure your space before purchasing these pieces. If they’re too big or too small, they’ll mess with your interior design. It’s why individuals should have a floor plan in advance. Using appropriate measurements sketch out your room on a piece of paper then decide what size of sofa and chairs will be suitable for it. When arranging sofas and chairs consider the traffic flow in your house. Ensure that you leave enough space where people can walk in, out, or around with ease.

The Living Room Furniture Layout

Maximize a Corner Sofa– a corner sofa provides lounging luxury even for less massive rooms. As it does the most significant work for you, you’ll not worry about how to place things out. It sits up against the wall and its dimension matches the room. Therefore, it won’t swamp things. Additionally, it can be your living room’s focal point. So, consider its color, shape, and number of seats when purchasing.

Don’t Overcrowd Your Room– your living room’s space often dictates which layout you’ll go for. But, to maximize it, individuals need to be more creative. Also, a tidy space can be achieved by having a wall-mounted cabinet that keeps things from your floor.

Take Advantage of Living Room Accessories– items like window treatments and artwork such as a TV or some sconces make rooms more appealing. It’s wise investing in them. To eliminate spaces between your sofa back and skirting, consider built-in sofas. However, think hard about where and how you’re going to place them as you do with your furniture.

Consider a Sofa and Two Chairs – placing two sofas on smaller rooms will make them feel swamped. Plus, they make the budget go up. Also, even if you place one sofa against your wall, placing the other too close to a window may not be practical. Instead, go with one sofa and a couple of armchairs. Also, it’s a wise idea to opt for Scandi-style furniture as it makes a room look more organized since its structure is wooden. 

Use the Two Plus Two Power– this brings a twist on your sofa layout as you’ll bring two armchairs into the mix. It creates enough seating space for your guests.

Create an Attraction with Opposites- classic living rooms usually have two matching sofas and enough space between them for a coffee table. This creates a relaxing and sociable place as individuals can comfortably view the fireplace or TV in the middle. If you have extra seating, a footstool on the side of each sofa would work best. Ensure that they can be brought once your guests arrive.

Final Thoughts

Well, everyone can design an appealing and functional living room. However, it requires one to have a well-thought sectional plan. If you’re unsure of what will work and what won’t, you can simply test out different looks to determine what’s suitable for your lifestyle.

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Frequently Asked Questions

TV, in this case, most likely will be the focal point of your living room. Therefore, you should arrange all the furniture around it as much as you can.
To arrange your living room most effectively, you should start from analyzing the size of your room, the number of windows and where they are positioned, and the doorways. Once you do that, look for the focal point of your living room and then start arranging the furniture around it.
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