skip to main content

Design Dilemma Living Rooms

Please help - sofa and chair arrangement in a very long living room

6 years ago

After living in boxes for months, we are now finally coming to the stage of the more exciting part I.e. getting furnitures for our new house. But after some serious brain damage we really struggled with what to do with our living room. It is a long room measuring 6.5m long x 5.3m wide, sitting at the back of the house opening out to the garden through a big sliding door. It is the only living room of the house so we hope it can serve multiple purposes including being a place to watch TV, as a sitting room for family/friends gathering and a reading corner for ourselves. And In the future we would also like to be able to have some space for kids to play.

I tried to sketch out a few rough design but are not happy with any of them. I attached one of them as an example below (probably one of the better ones I came up so far but hubby is not impressed) So please give me some ideas how we can best design and use this room. Thanks a lot!!!!

Featured Answer

Ivana Ćurčić

6 years ago

It’s a nice big space! You mention many activities and in this space you can actually create zones without visually separating them: eg bring the sofa closer to the fireplace and there will be space behind for a tv area or something else, place a reading armchair or two seater by the window for reading? A table as a communal desk for play/work/study is often handy. I apologise I did not understand what your budget or style is... but if you sit in the room and imagine all the activities you might want to do there, a pattern will emerge. I am sorry I don’t have images.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

PRO
User
6 years ago
Maybe a concept planner could be of use to you. I think Ivana is right, zoning is good in a room of those dimensions.

For instance:- Lounge area, reading area, little chill area over looking the garden. A desk maybe?

Definitely a lot more furniture.
Related Discussions
Sofa(s) and or chairs Layout in Rectangulat living room
Q
Comments (7)
Hi, yes you would be looking at 2 small sofas if you had them facing each other. So the options you could have:- 1) Corner sofa with the L section being on the door side (presuming you want to keep your TV where it is) and the longest part away from the wall so there is a space to walk behind it. 2) keep the long sofa where it is and bring the smaller one around so it faces away from the windows (entrance door behind it). This will only work if there is space to leave a gap to walk through. 3) leave the sofa where it is (or bring it forward depending on how much width you have in the room? And put 2 x single chairs opposit each other in the same place it was suggested to have 2 x sofas. So it would be a C shape.
...See More
Please help! Long, awkward shaped living room, not sure what to do!
Q
Comments (8)
Hello Heidi, Firstly it's a great room and lots of potential here. You could paint the feature wall with the fireplace a slightly darker shade of something that compliments the sofas.. In this way you instantly create a focus for the room and the fireplace does just that. I'd like to suggest that you place the sofa in line with the fireplace. Then 1 armchair I would angle to the left of the fireplace if you're looking at it. The book case is a reach away when wanting to read but I'd turn it round to frame the doors.. It might be a nice idea to actually move the other bookcase over to place on the other side... ie where the chest of drawers is.. So they both frame the doors... Paint the mirror frame and hang this... Keep some space free on the mantle as this gives the fire room to become a bit more expansive... Why not place the chest of drawers to the left of the fireplace behind the armchair... You can house toys and things here. It's both elegant and a good way to frame the fireplace as you don't have a chimney breast.. On the other find a low side table or a low cabinet.. You could house the television on this pretty much as it is currently.. Keep drinks in the cabinet or something, so they have functions and multiple uses.. Differing heights adds to interest here and it could be good to hang that 1 picture on the rear of the sofa wall with the others... Then there is a bit of room for the little one's to play as you can place the little white table and chairs near the window where it's warm with the rad. Find a nice lampshade for the central light and then place the table lamp close to the sofa.. possibly one with the armchair.. So you have pools of light in different areas and the room is ambient. You may find you do without the central light all together.. So really the key here is that I don't think you need to buy anything else and indeed I feel it would spoil the flow to add more seating.... Scatter the cushions so they are fewer, one or two at 1 end and 1 or two on the armchair.... maybe make a seating pile for the little ones with any left over.. : ))
...See More
help please with long living room
Q
Comments (7)
How about making it a reading/ coffee space by putting in a couple of swivel chairs which can either face into the room or out towards the garden. Put in a longer curtain pole so the curtains do not cover the window. Put 2 small matching tables in each window corner for said coffee cups and so you can still access the French doors. An indoor /outdoor rug underneath would zone the room. Your dresser could be moved into the centre of the wall space with a piece of large art above it.
...See More
Help arranging small living room
Q
Comments (7)
Unfortunately the Estate Agents floor plan doesn't include the big bit of wall that sticks out to the left of the door as you walk in. I personally don't think there's enough room in there for even a very small table and chairs, and that it would compromise the sofa area. However, if you did want to try, then here are two layouts. Bear in mind I based this on firstly, the small square dining table from Oakland Furniture at just 90cm square. This first render is with a very small sofa, the like of which is really for two people, or two and a small child. The second is with a much nicer sofa like this one from Swoon Barlow corner sofa, but it's not really facing the T.V properly. You would all need to sit slightly sidewise, but that's acceptable if you're ok with it, I think
...See More
A B
6 years ago
I love the big open feel you have created, but agree with Ivana it sounds like zoning different areas would work better for you. I'd consider splitting the room in half with a sofa like this. Good luck!
Sunny Day
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks a lot, everyone! Zoning sounds like the most sensible option. What do you think is the optimal distance between the sofa and fireplace/TV? I thing the main issue I struggled with this room is that it is wider than most of the living room space but not quite wide enough so that there is space to create another area/zone behind the sofa. Plus we have two big radiators on that wall behind the sofa which may be tricky for placing any furniture close by. Hmm....

The room is open to the dining room where we have a big table so I don't think we will need another table/desk in the living room. So it sounds like we will mainly have two zones, one for lounging/TV watching and one for reading.
0
Ivana Ćurčić
6 years ago
My experience for the distance between tv and point of watching is how big the tv is. You could also try and see what distance suits you.

In my experience, you as a dweller create how you intend to use the space: watching tv / reading / entertaining / kids playing / guests sleeping / playing an instrument/ plants or a collection exposition / writing / paying bills / printer & IT hub... I am just brainstorming... In my case, I like to create piles: out of my books and magazines for projects, library books to return so separate from the many books we have, so I tend to welcome long shelves or tables. Sometimes it’s convenient to have separate dining and work tables - if you have space - because you can keep the surfaces dedicated for different activities. But again, it all depends on how you (want to) use the space.
Sunny Day
Original Author
6 years ago
Again thanks everyone for the great tips. I went back to the drawing board this weekend and come up with two revised potential options. Any feedbacks would be highly appreciated!

Note that A means the door to the living room from the corridor. B is the opening to the dining room. It is a fairly small dining room so the dining table ends about 20-30cm from the living room border. C is the sliding door to the garden.

Option A pics attached
Sunny Day
Original Author
6 years ago
An here is option B:
0
PRO
User
6 years ago
It's an odd layout of rooms, which throws things off a little. Having a door in a half wall and an opening for a dining room is somewhat peculiar. I can't help thinking that maybe it would be better to block the door up, or put the wall back in, is that an option?

If the door wasn't there, the layout would be a lot easier, as currently it creates a thoroughfare to the patio doors.

I do like your option A, don't like B at all. I would have the sofa with the L'shape on the other end though, as currently it blocks off too much of the walkway through the dining room. I think also, that due to the size of the room, you need more sofa space for it to look a little fuller. Thus i'd go with this:-
0
Ivana Ćurčić
6 years ago
Some people like to have more than one option of entering a room, in this case the dining room and living room - if I understand correctly. Not sure whether A or B is better, both have some logic; so it depends how you and your partner feel and act in the space.
Sunny Day
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks for the tips and comments everyone! After agnozing it over the weekend, we decided to go with plan B in the end. The main reason that sways our decision is that 1) having chairs closer to dining room leave more empty space for kids to play in th future and easier for us to supervise from kitchen/dining area 2) having Sofa at the other side will allow better TV viewing the experiences (less chance of view obstruction when people enter the room via the door from corridor).

Now it is furniture shopping time!!!

Sponsored

More Discussions

Curtain styling ideas for living room

8

Ideas for side extension layout

2

Advice on town house on family room / living dinning room

3

help!! ugly house needs ideas

3

Floor plan inspo needed

2

United Kingdom

Tailor my experience with cookies

Houzz uses cookies and similar technologies to personalise my experience, serve me relevant content, and improve Houzz products and services. By clicking ‘Accept’ I agree to this, as further described in the Houzz Cookie Policy. I can reject non-essential cookies by clicking ‘Manage Preferences’.