The Most Inviting Living Room Layouts to Try
Determine your new living room layout with these three examples.
Your living room is a multifunctional space that can be used as a gathering place for conversations and entertaining, or as a cozy spot to watch movies and relax at the end of the day. No matter how you use your living room, you will want to create a design that makes the most of your space. Read on to learn what to consider when designing your living room floor plan and find inspiration with our favorite living layout ideas.
What to Consider for Your Living Room Layout
No two living room layouts are exactly the same. Consider these key points to help you create the perfect arrangement for your space.
- The Size of Your Space: Knowing the square footage of your living room is a great place to start. Measure your space before purchasing any large pieces of furniture for your living room. Cross-reference your living room measurements with the furniture dimensions, which can be found online under the product specifications. Check out our guide on How to Measure Furniture before you buy.
- The Shape of Your Living Room: Some living room shapes are straightforward with a single square or rectangular layout. Other living rooms may have alcoves, extra corners, or long and narrow dimensions, so consider how the shape of your space may influence your layout. Select furniture that best fits your living room shape, whether that’s an L-shaped sofa, a round swivel accent chair, or a corner TV stand.
- Living Room Traffic Flow: Visualize what it will be like to move around your living room once furniture is added. You want the room to flow and for it to be easy to move around furniture without bumping into it or having to climb over anything. Take any entrances and open areas into account. If possible, avoid creating walkways in front of mantels, TVs, or any focal points in the room. Additionally, leave at least three feet of space around furniture in high-traffic areas to avoid an awkward living room layout.
- Focal Points & Anchors: When designing your living room layout and selecting furniture for your space, start with anchor furniture and a focal point. A focal point can be an artfully curated gallery wall, an entertainment center, or a fireplace with a decorated mantel. Then, try to arrange your furniture in a U-shape around this focal point to draw attention to it, starting with larger anchor pieces like your main sofa and coffee table.
Tip!
Read Corner Furniture Ideas to Decorate Those Blank Spaces for those difficult spots you need ideas for.
Living Room Layout Ideas
Not sure how to arrange your living room? Use our favorite living room layout ideas for inspiration.
1. A Balanced U-Shaped Conversation Area
In the first layout, the sofa faces the focal point, which in this example is a built-in bookcase. Two accent chairs are paired with two end tables and a coffee table rests in the middle of the grouping to create a U-shaped conversation area. Placing two table lamps on each end table provides ample lighting for the space.
Tip!
If you have doorways on opposite ends of the room, then simply move the sofa back against the wall and push the chairs and the coffee table back to meet it. This will allow for a walkway between the coffee table and focal point.
2. A Face-to-Face Sofa Setup
This layout is ideal for a large room or one that requires lots of seating. Start with two sofas and face them toward one another with a coffee table in the center. Add a pair of accent chairs to complete the U-shaped layout. This way, all of the chairs are facing the focal point – a wall that holds both a TV and a fireplace. Finally, include two floor or table lamps on either side of the chairs to help light the space.
This layout differs from the first two because it features a sectional sofa. Sectional sofas come in a range of configurations and are popular with families that require a lot of seating space. Here, the chaise portion of the sectional and an accent chair round out the U-shaped conversation area. Remember, an area rug can always be used beneath furniture to make the grouping more cohesive, as is shown in this example.
If you have a small living room, try some of our favorite tips and tricks to maximize the area.
- Scale Your Furniture: A smaller piece, like a loveseat instead of a sofa, will fit the room better and, in turn, make the space feel larger.
- Pull Furniture Away From the Walls: Don’t feel like you need to push all your furniture against the walls. Keeping your furniture a few inches off the wall will actually make the space appear bigger. You can also position your seating and coffee table in the center of the room and tie them together with a rug, creating a close-knit conversation area.
Embrace Natural Focal Points:* Focus on your small living room’s natural focal points to avoid overcrowding the space. Accentuate a window with eye-catching curtains or place your furniture around a beautiful fireplace. - Select Multifunctional Furniture: Try double-duty pieces like storage ottomans that will keep your space organized since clutter makes a room feel smaller. Storage ottomans and can also act as additional seating when entertaining.
Tip!
Read How to Make a Room Look Bigger and How to Decorate a Small Living Room With 7 Design Tricks for additional advice and ideas for small spaces.
Putting the Finishing Touches on Your Living Room Layout
No living room is complete without the addition of well-placed, unique items that reflect your personality and make the space cohesive.
Area Rugs: Area rugs connect and ground a room. Be sure to select a size that is big enough to go under the front feet of the surrounding furniture pieces. For more tips on this, take a look at our How to Choose the Right Rug Sizes guide.
Accent Pillows: Accent or decorative pillows pull together your selected color scheme. Try finding a pattern with the colors of your sofa, area rug, and curtains in addition to one other pop of color. This will add vibrancy and interest to the room.
Drapery: Curtains, drapes, and blinds not only provide privacy, but also create a sense of warmth in a living room. Read Window Treatments 101: Drapes vs. Curtains to find your perfect fit.
Hopefully these living room layout ideas have inspired you to make the most of your space, creating functional and aesthetic designs that fit your home design.
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