Phoenix Patrick
Sometimes it’s a room for entertaining, sometimes it’s a relaxing spot to read a book and sometimes it’s a comfy place to watch TV or do homework. So it’s no wonder that a lot of people have problems getting their living room furniture arrangement to look and feel right.
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One of the most common living room layout mistakes is not providing enough table space for people to put down a drink or a book. For small rooms that feel cluttered, try using a glass table which takes up less visual space. It is height adjustable, usually not very expensive, and slides over the arm of the sofa so that it doesn’t take up much room.
Or if you really don’t have room for end tables, try placing a garden stool in front of the sofa. They look pretty, are small enough to walk around but big enough to hold a cup of coffee.
The next living room layout don’t is creating an uncomfortable conversation area. So while a large sofa with a chaise at one end is perfect for watching TV, it isn’t ideal for promoting conversation. To provide a comfortable conversation area, arrange your sofa and chairs in a grouping so people are naturally facing each other. The next one of my common living room layout mistakes is using the wrong sized area rug.
But if it’s the wrong size or not placed correctly, it can make the room look unbalanced, and the furniture feel uncomfortable. And so you’ll probably end up wadding up a piece of paper towel to make it level (like you do when that happens at a restaurant).
Choose an area rug that is large enough for your furniture to fit on it using the following guidelines: It will look unbalanced to have a small rug in the middle of the floor with the seating a couple of feet away. Your furniture grouping should be centered on your rug to make the room feel balanced. If you’re like me and tend towards the maximalist approach to decorating, you might be guilty of this living room layout don’t: Cramming too much furniture into a small space.
If people have to contort their bodies to get in and out of the chairs around your coffee table, it may be time to re-think your living room furniture arrangement. And having to yell across the room to talk to someone sitting across from you makes having a conversation difficult.
Follow these rule-of-thumb measurements to create a comfortable furniture arrangement for your living room seating area: The next living room layout issue that many people have is lining all of their furniture up against the wall. While this is an easy way to get your furniture in the room, it ends up feeling somewhat like a high school gymnasium…with the stands (seating) all around the edges and a big open space in the middle. Pay attention to the placement of the big furniture pieces in your room.
The idea with activity zones is to decide what functions you need to be able to perform in the room – like entertain guests, watch TV and read a book. You can define the rooms by using groupings of furniture and an area rug which helps to create a boundary for your eyes. Day beds are a great way to split up a room since you can see over them, so they don’t take away from the open, airy feel.
It makes you feel like someone could sneak up on you at any time, and most people don’t like those kind of surprises.
If you have to navigate around multiple pieces or furniture and easy-to-knock-over accessories to get where you’re going, then you have probably committed this living room layout mistake – blocking the traffic flow. They should also be easy to navigate without having to worry about tripping over obstacles, such as lamp cords or tables.
The last living room layout faux pas is relying solely on overhead lighting. That downward light creates shadows on people’s faces that doesn’t look great.
Eye level lighting fixtures make most people look their best so position a couple of table lamps in your conversation area.
For reading, a floor lamp that directs light downward towards your chair will work best. Have comments or questions on our living room layout do’s and don’ts?
