HOW TO ARRANGE FURNITURE IN YOUR LIVING ROOM

Letting the space plan right in any room will set the tone for a beautiful + functional design. But the rooms in our homes aren’t always perfectly symmetrical, or easy to lay out with a typical furniture set up. More often than not they are awkward shapes, with oddly placed windows or TV hook-ups in a far off place that doesn’t work with sofa placement. In these (oh-so-common) cases hiring an interior designer can help you think out side the box when it comes to creating the best space plan for your room. Here are 5 of my best tips for

how to arrange furniture in your living room!

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Create Zones.  Creating zones in any room is important. By strategically grouping the furniture we can create intuitive uses for different parts of the room, helping you get the most potential out of your space. By floating the sectional off the wall we create one zone for socialization and TV watching.  A grouping of small chairs/tables/ottomans/bookcase in the corner carves out a functional reading niche in what would have otherwise been dead space.

Control Traffic. A hugely important tip, especially for any living room where the front door opens right up into the space. Without a proper vestibule or mudroom this space can be a confusing one for homeowners and guests alike. Control the traffic flow by creating stopping points- A. a small table or console to serve as a touch-down point for keys & mail drop off. B. hooks or wall storage to give a defined area to hang bags and coats.

Use Furniture to Divide Space + Direct Traffic. Using furniture to create a division of space can be another helpful trick when it comes to arranging your living room. By floating this sectional off the wall (rather than placing it in the corner) we elaborate on the concept of “creating zones + controlling traffic”. The back of the sofa creates a natural stopping point for people entering the space and also gives us a ‘wall’ to place another piece of useful storage furniture along.

Multi-functional Furniture. A great tip for designing any space—this can be equally important when trying to create the perfect living room furniture arrangement. By using mutli-functional pieces you can create cohesiveness between the different zones you have created (remember point 1?!) In this living room we created a small reading area in the corner of the space, but instead of using heavy ( & hard to move) furniture here we opted for small chairs and ottomans. This allows your space to be flexible! When you have extra guests in the space you can transition some of the furniture from the ‘reading zone’ to the ‘social zone’ and TADA! you have a whole new (functional) living room layout!

Don’t be Afraid to Place the TV Off-Center from Furniture Grouping. A lot of times there is not an intuitive spot for TV placement in a living room. Before starting to arrange your furniture ask yourself “how do I want to use this space?” If you answer is is along the lines of social gatherings/ family time/ cozy reading/ lots of conversation then consider not having the TV as the center of your space. Placing the TV off to one and and using a swivel mount will allow you to view it when necessary while keeping your furniture arrangement conducive to more meaningful social interactions! 

Need some guidance on arranging furniture in your living room–or any space in your home or small business? Check out how our Quick Expert Advice packages can help you make progress today!