Many people struggle with arranging furniture in their living room correctly. Even as an interior designer, I have also needed help finding the perfect methods to personalize my living area. However, I discovered the best ways around it. If you’re wondering how to plan your living room furniture arrangement, continue reading to find out my top recommendations for this.
Living Room Furniture Arrangement
Figuring out how to maximize space and arrange a living area with the appropriate furniture can be a headache. However, with a creative side, it could be an enjoyable project, as mine was.
Having the proper pieces is one of the most critical aspects of creating a stunning living room setting with furniture. It is like assembling a puzzle of chairs, sofas, coffee tables, side tables, lighting, rugs, and even love seats. Basically, I mix whatever works for me and broadcasts my style.
Functional Arrangement of Sitting Area
“For a house to be successful, the objects in it must communicate with one another, respond, and balance one another.” Andre Putman
The possibilities for arranging furniture in a living space are almost limitless. I believe arranging all the furniture perfectly makes a functional sitting room. It also depends on how well it complements my furniture style.
A functional living area is independent of the size of the space. I can create a functional sitting space with the proper furniture arrangement. It’s one that is larger than the original room size.
How to Arrange Living Area Furnishings
There are various ways to style a sitting space with furnishings to make it appear splendid. People could go on Pinterest and search these out and end up confused or unhappy with the results. I tried it and still had to follow the exact instructions on arranging furniture correctly on other websites.
This is why I put together this piece, so most people don’t have to go through what I did. Knowing how to put together furniture differs from knowing the guidelines to follow when arranging. I will discuss this later.
To understand how to arrange furnishings, it is a must to determine what goes where and what works best in a specific location. Let us have a look at this in the steps below.
Identifying the Focal Point
An excellent and furnished sitting area arrangement begins with a central focus. It acts as the foundation for a space. The focal point of the room can be a:
- Fireplace
- Television
- Wall Decor
- Window
Arrange furnishings around or immediately facing the center of attention. This is to keep a clear view and allow for easy traffic flow.
Place the Largest Piece First
Starting with the most significant piece of furniture in the living room is the best way to arrange it. The largest parts are typically the sofa or, in certain situations, an armchair.
Position the furnishings around the sitting space’s most apparent aspect. That is also known as the focal point of the space.
Room for the Smaller Pieces
Place smaller seating choices, like love seats or accent chairs, across or next to the initial piece. Ensure that each seat lies within range of no less than one table surface. Accessory furnishings can complete the overall look, such as:
- Coffee tables
- Side tables
- Lamps
All in the Details
After determining the key furniture pieces, only the knick-knacks remain. This includes:
- Rugs
- Lighting
- Mirrors
- And other items to make a sitting area unique
All major furnishings must sit on top of them when using rugs. A rug should bring together a seating group in a larger space while harmonizing in a smaller space.
Perfecting Where Lights Go
Strategic lighting placement can help categorize a sitting space. This creates a cozy, ambient, bright, and luxurious atmosphere. According to lighting statistics, most homes in the United States use lighting and fixtures.
The Best Furniture Layouts for the Living Room
Several people don’t know it’s possible to achieve balance. I do it with a precise layout. This layout defines each area of the living room with well-proportioned furniture. Here’s how:
- First and foremost, when choosing a sitting space layout, it is necessary to define its purpose.
- The next step is to configure the space. Consider how people will move about the space and the harmony of furnishing items.
“Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to take away.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery.
However, when I’m not willing to go through the hardship of discovering everything above, I’d go for the easy route. I just need to choose the best furniture layout for my living room that suits my style. These are standard and cover every basic furnishing piece with accessories.
The Art of Symmetrical Design
This formation of furnishing pieces in the sitting area has been around for ages. Most know it as the traditional sitting space layout. Let me simplify this. It is what is known as a basic face-to-face setting.
In this setting, two sofas and a pair of armchairs create a U-shape. It is one of the most common designs for furnishing sitting spaces. What I love about this design is it’s the perfect layout for gathering people together and conversing. It’s easy for everyone to see one another and talk.
You can also easily add end tables by the sofas and chairs if you wanted to fill the space more, depending on the size of the room.
L-shaped Layout
The L-shaped living area design plan is a popular way to configure space in average-sized houses. This arrangement usually includes combining the living area elements and the dining area to create a harmonious space. However, I’m focusing on how achieving this in a sitting space setting is possible.
In this setup, position furnishing pieces to form an L shape, as the name implies. For instance, a sofa and a loveseat. Then, where the two furnishing pieces meet, place a lamp or an end table.
Diagonal Layout
I recall the first time I used this arrangement idea in the sitting area of a client. I created two discrete seating places by diagonally setting up the entire sitting room. This increased the utility of the area and made it excellent for entertaining.
Create a diagonal axis by using a coffee table or a sofa. Then, place other furniture pieces along it. This is how I got the layout idea right.
Common Mistakes in Arranging Living Room Furniture
Mistakes are one of the easiest things to make. In fact, we make them and learn from them to improve ourselves. When it comes to the arrangement of living space furnishings, we often neglect vital details. These neglected details can create an unsettling effect in our home.
These blunders are quite common. I’ll outline them here, so watch out for them and avoid them.
- Disregarding the focal point of the sitting area
- Wrong furnishing size
- Obstructing the windows
- Pressing furniture against a wall
- Failing to factor in flow
- Not addressing the room’s style
- Using a small rug
- Poor illumination
- Neglecting secondary lighting
- Bad furnishing arrangements
- Boxing in conversation areas
- Excessive furniture and improper accessories
Furniture Arrangement Tips for a Perfect Living Space
This is based on my extensive search of what works and what doesn’t. Notably, planning to arrange furnishings without the right tools and tips is nowhere near easy. With these recommendations, it will become as simple as ABC:
- Decide on the function the living room is serving.
- Compare furniture layout options with the style of the room to know what fits it best.
- Allow for traffic flow and circulation.
- Be in tune with the focal point of the room.
- Aim for variety. However, don’t forget that balance is vital.
- Mix in contrast elements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Arrange a Living Room With Furniture Nicely?
There are many factors to consider when arranging a sitting area to look nice. These factors include having a focal point, arranging my furniture pieces in a layout, and many more.
How Should Furniture in the Living Room Be Arranged?
The furniture in a sitting area should be arranged to a person’s taste and liking. Yet, every sitting room must suit a particular function and have space for traffic flow.
What Ideas Can I Use to Arrange Furniture in My Living Room?
There are several setups that can create the perfect living area. These include L-shaped layouts, diagonal layouts, rectangular layouts, and many more.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, we have all learned a thing or two about the how-to’s of living room furniture arrangement. From layouts to identifying focal points, organizing a living space should be simple. I am confident that this article helps readers arrange furniture for living spaces. That is after reading it from beginning to end.
