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My lounge space is awkward! What do you think of these floor plans?

9 years ago

The door come right in the middle and there are 2 tall windows directly opposite. It's also quite a long room with an alcove at one end too. A local store has drawn up these floor plans - i'd like the style to be more Hamptons - what do you think about the layout and can you suggest replacement items that would fit more with that style? I've included a lounge I really like.

Featured Answer

lesley345

9 years ago

We had a similar problem of a long narrow lounge with a door in the middle like yours and a fireplace opposite the door. We also have big windows at each end.
We've solved it by accepting we have two separate areas in the room. We've set one end of the room up for watching TV - in yours I'd use the plainest end. The other end is furnished for sitting and talking, with small light chairs that can be moved easily if everyone wants to watch TV! It's taken 10 years to find this solution - rooms like this are very difficult to get right. We also decorated the ends of the room in a darker colour to bring them in and make it look more square.

Comments (21)

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Original Author
9 years ago
I really love the look of this room too
boundsgreener
9 years ago
I don't think BoConcept is the right brand of furniture for you, given the two pictures you posted of other living rooms. Also, I think unless the TV is a behemoth, you won't be able to see it from the couch if you arrange the layout like this.

What are the actual dimensions of the room? From what you've posted, I would be tempted to put the TV in the alcove where BoConcept have put shelving and have a unit built around it (like in the picture you posted). I don't know how deep the alcove is, but I would try and build the unit out so it is then lined up with the wall with the door on it.

Put a couch in the style you like opposite, under the window. If the windows are lower than the couch, set the couch forward from the window. You could have the fabric "coffee table" and two footstools from your first inspirational photo in front of the couch toward the TV. These pieces of furniture are easy to move around when you have more guests. I would set up two big armchairs, an occasional table and a console table or bookshelf on the wall where BoConcept have the TV cabinet. This could be a separate area really but make it flexible so everyone could gather around if you want them to.

I might be totally misjudging the size of the room but whether I am or not, I think you can definitely get the look you want with a bit of juggling around!
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PRO
User
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank u so much!!! I agree - Bo Concept isn't the right brand for the look I want. I was just interested in the layout (& possibly a sofa) really.
I'll work through your comments & have a think!
PRO
User
Original Author
9 years ago
The room is 5.77 x 3.23m
PRO
User
Original Author
9 years ago
This is the room at present...
boundsgreener
9 years ago
The photos and the dimensions are REALLY helpful.

I like BoConcept and their quality is good, but your inspirational sofas look quite different. How about this style:
Orson Left Hand Facing Corner Unit · More Info
.

I think it'll work with basically the same layout but some tinkering. I don't think the room is so long and narrow that what I originally suggested will work - especially after seeing those windows and the window near the alcove.

Are you going to keep any of the leather?

I would put your dream sofa on the same wall where you have one now but have a right hand chaise section (like BoConcept suggested). Make the sofa go from the wall to the corner window. Put a little side table under that window OR a little desk and chair against the alcove wall. The chair can be moved around for conversation if you aren't using at the desk to do a bit of tap taping while someone else is watching tele. Put a little lamp for mood lighting on the side table or desk.

The rug looks lost right now because of its placement. Try it in front of the sofa to see if the size is right. I don't think there is enough contrast with the carpet, but try it in a new position first and otherwise find another home for it (because it is pretty).

Put a coffee table (the fabric one in the first photo is lovely but make sure it is the right scale so you can get around the sofa). You clearly love the low ottomans that can be used as seating. I think they are really handy, look lovely and don't ruin sight lines in a room, so go for it. Get two and place them like they are in photo or, if they end up being too much in front of the door, put them next to each other so it looks like a bench on the wall behind the door.

I'd get two light framed chairs to go where you have the armchair and on the other side near the window. Make sure they aren't too big so you don't have to move them around whenever you watch TV and they are easy to pull forward to the sofa area if you need to. I'd think about another little side table and a lamp next to the chair where you currently have the armchair. I think the chairs and side tables/desk should have a bit of wood in them so it isn't all grey and cream (like in your second inspirational photo).

And I would definitely invest in a full built in cabinet with the TV in the middle and shelves for books and your decorative items and cupboards underneath for toys/DVDs/etc.

I'd get new curtains as these will jar with your new colour and style scheme (sorry).

Phew! I'm happy to look for examples of what I'm talking about, or I'll pipe down if I'm on the wrong track (or too chatty).
Judith020
9 years ago
To enter the study, we need to cross the family room and it somehow divides the room. There seems not to be coherent what ever I tried. I read somewhere that a pass through (if you need to cross the sitting area) will never make for a cosy living. You could make a reading area with the chair and look if you can make the sofa area as an independent area from the chair.
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Original Author
9 years ago
Bounds greener, thank you so much! Definitely on the right track so any examples would be really gratefully received.
All furniture will go, as can the flooring & window treatment (I was thinking if plantation shutters) so we've got a complete blank canvas.
Do you mind describing again where you'd put the ottomans? I'm trying to draw a floor plan!
I also couldn't see a pic on the link so if u can reattach that would be fab :-)
Thank you again...
boundsgreener
9 years ago
Oh goody.

I don't know why the picture didn't show up. Here's an external link to made.com. It is the Orson range of sofas: http://www.made.com/orson-right-hand-facing-corner-unit-biscuit-beige. They have beiges and greys. You want the chaise coming out next to the first of your two tall windows (confusingly, they have called it left hand and right hand on the two different sites but with the same picture.....).

Ok, I'll try again with my description: sofa, coffee table in front and two ottomans in front of that - like your second picture (although you can't see their coffee table). OR sofa, coffee table in front and - if you are sitting on the couch - to the left of the coffee table against the wall between the alcove and the door, place the two ottomans there (like the first inspirational picture, but on the other side to the windows). I think they'll work in front of the coffee table, but near the wall would look nice too because it'll balance out the chaise.

There are lots of wonderful ottomans at made.com and large fabric ones to use as a coffee table, too. Have a nice peruse around the site. I'm not going to try and attach any more things that don't seem to work!

Plantation shutters are beautiful but you will lose quite a lot of light. Do you care?
PRO
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Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you! I love that Orson range! And seems pretty reasonable too?
Any suggestions for the stools/ottomans ranges/suppliers & floor lamp & cushions brands that would suit this style?
boundsgreener
9 years ago
Great! Yeah, made.com is pretty brilliant. They have a fab range of ottomans and large ones to use as a coffee table. http://www.made.com/chairs/ottomans-and-footstools. I think the Elliot, Abingdon or Wolseley range of ottomans would be the style you are going for and the Blakes or Branagh large buttoned ones are like the grey ones under the console in your second inspirational photo and you could use it as a coffee table. You'd need to use a nice wood tray on top if it isn't just going to be for feet :) The beige, light and mid grey and brown would all work together (refer to your inspirational shots to see). Don't choose all the same colour for all the pieces or it'll look like an upholstery shop.

I'd get your main pieces of furniture sorted first, see if the rug works, and find a side table or two before I picked lamps and cushions.
PRO
User
Original Author
9 years ago
Perfect, that's given me a great place to start, thank you!
PRO
i-architect
9 years ago
It's a lovely light room but certainly a tricky one to furnish given the configuration of door with windows. Lesley345 is right that the easiest way to deal with it would be to consider it as a room of two halves to either side of the door. Then you can give each end a function so potentially the area to the left of the door where the TV is now could be a seating area and could take a corner sofa, while the opposite end could be more about watching the TV in the alcove and have a couple of comfortable chairs which could be easily adjusted in a situation where the TV was off and you had a larger group of friends/family around. you would then want to tie it all together by using a large rug to visually bring it all together.

You could also look at having a projector rather than a TV and using the large white wall at one end to project onto.

If watching TV isn't actually that important to you then you could create a seating area centrally to the room with the windows as the focal point and statement storage units/art work/piano at the ends of the room. It's not necessary to have furniture backed up against the walls and placing items centrally instead could help free up the way you consider the space.

The key thing to do is to consider the activities that you want to do in the room most of the time and then decide on the furniture you need to support those activities, particularly considering ways to make things flexible and possibly multifunctional. Hope this helps!
PRO
User
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks I-architect. We would like this to be a watching tv chill out space, so we'd like the room to work easily bearing this function in mind. I love the idea about the projector in the alcove but would this work bearing in mind we want this to be a tv watching room? Thank you so much!
Judith020
9 years ago
Have not read all the comments, so I might be suggesting something said before. What if you would turn the chair to the other side, near the windows?
PRO
User
Original Author
9 years ago
The single armchair or the sofa?
Judith020
9 years ago
Moving the armchair to the windows, facing the entrance might give a different prospective.
PRO
i-architect
9 years ago
For a projector I would suggest using one of the large end walls and having the projector unit at the opposite end of the room - not in the alcove. Similar to having a TV but I would configure the furniture the opposite way around to the Bo concept sketch and use the alcove for a desk / piano / storage. You could have a large corner sofa which backs onto the same wall as the door and the end wall (the one which Bo concept have suggested for a TV). You could stick with a large flat screen TV instead of a projector - depends on the viewing distance what size you need. Most large retailers who sell TVs can advise you on this. A projector is only really useful if you're looking to create a space where there is no visible TV so it's more flexible and doesn't have to take into account a large black rectangle within the design.
tonielle74
8 years ago
To be honest, and I'm not sure if this was mentioned, but it looks like you have a bit more space for a bit more furniture? Perhaps pushing the sofa more towards the windows and about 1.5 metres forward from the wall? I think a lot of people are afraid to put furniture in the middle of the room, but as long is it doesn't block the door, I would move it forward and put a long sideboard on the back wall behind it to mirror one on the opposite side as shown. Maybe not the same style, but a corresponding piece for your tv. Also I would add another chair to the right of the chair in the photo. It looks so stark and uninviting in that layout. What were those design people thinking? haha I really like the ottoman with trays look as well, I'm thinking of doing the same with my awkward room!
PRO
Darlings
7 years ago
Hi kelbel1981!! I would love to help you out with your furniture. All of our sofas can be customized in many different fabrics and sized, we can even help you if you need a bespoke sofa just for you. I have a few options here that | think might suit your style.

Darlings Helena Sofa - Click to see options

Darlings Darwin Sofa Range - Click to see options

Darlings Boston Sofa - Click to see options

Duresta Lansdown Sofa - Click to see options

Darlings Georgie Sofa - Click to see options

If you are interested in any of these sofas, want to discuss bespoke options or see more please have a look at the options on our website or you can give me a call at 02073715745, I will be happy to answer all your questions, just ask for Emily.

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