Bonjour! I just got back from a week in France so I’m obviously fluent…
Anyway! We’re all about making sure your living room is a relaxing and enjoyable place to wind down, and that starts with your furniture arrangement. Creating a layout that makes sense can make or break the feng shui of a room, and while it’s a daunting task, expert advice can take your living room from a cluttered mess to a relaxing oasis. Whether you’re starting from scratch in a brand new space or just looking to freshen up your established home, I’m here to share some tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way. Pull up your favorite loveseat, relax, and dive with me into the world of living room furniture!
Popular Living Room Layouts
To simplify your options, take a look at some of the most popular living room furniture layouts we as interior designers gravitate towards. These layouts are chic, classic, and foolproof for the majority of living room spaces.
Symmetrical
A symmetrical layout is just that – symmetrical – meaning one side of the living room mirrors the other side. You can take it as far as having matching sofas, side tables, and accessories, or just have two sofas facing each other with other stand alone furniture. The coffee table anchors the space and there should be a focal point, such as a fireplace, to flank the area.
Floating
A floating layout is useful for living rooms that offer lots of windows and natural light, but less dedicated wall space to anchor furniture. You’ll need to bring your furnishings a few feet from the walls and into a more centralized location; i.e. floating in the room.
Sofa + Chair Combinations
There are a variety of sofa/chair combinations and the layout depends on your use. If you want a conversation atmosphere, having a sofa and 2 chairs facing each other is great. If you want to watch the hot mess on Desperate Housewives, a sectional and two swivel chairs that can rotate to face the TV might be your best bet. For tight spaces, a great option is a sectional with a chaise and one corner chair on a diagonal facing the sofa like we did in the Ketchum Guest House.
Design by: Redeux Decor
Long & Narrow
A long and narrow living room can be challenging because only certain furniture sizes are going to work properly in the space and you have to be mindful of traffic flow. In our Farmhouse Living Room project, the goal was to make sure the seating area flanked the fireplace, but was also spread out enough to avoid dead space on either end of the room. Designer tip: when you have a long living room, consider a nesting coffee table that fills the space nicely.
Stay tuned for our next blog post, where we will walk you through the Rules of Living Room Design!
Cheers,
Heather
