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DESIGN 101
Find the Right Living Room Furniture Layout for Your Space
A living room is often the heart of your home. It’s where you spend time with friends and family, where you indulge in your favorite movies, read your favorite books, and laugh with your favorite people. These living room layout ideas will help you enjoy your living room to the fullest, no matter what kind of space you have.
Before You Start
There are a few things you need to do before you start buying or moving furniture. Planning ahead helps make sure any changes you make go smoothly. It can also help you create a cohesive picture of the room in your mind to ensure you’re capturing the style you want and fitting in any pieces that are important to you.
Measure your living room for furniture
Before you can even start planning what pieces to include, you’ll need to know what you can fit. Measure the space, being sure to account for unusual features or shapes such as alcoves, bay windows, or closets. If you’re planning on putting furniture against the walls, be sure to measure the length of your actual wall space to ensure your living room furniture doesn’t extend into any doorways or windows.
Mark your space
Once you know what pieces you’re accommodating or what kind of floor plan you want, mark out the space with nonpermanent tools. Chalk, painter’s tape, or even Post-it notes are all good choices that won't leave marks on your floors or walls.
Choose a focal point
Most room designs include a focal point. This is a piece of furniture or decor that brings the whole room together. It’s often a conversation piece of some kind, but it can be anything you want. Popular focal points include a large piece of artwork, a unique or antique furniture piece, or a funky decor item such as a lamp or sculpture. Display your focal piece in a prominent space in the room where it will draw the eye immediately upon entering.
Living Room Furniture Layout Ideas
When planning your living room setup, start with how you want to use the space. Do you see yourself curling up in front of the window with a book? Do you want to have family movie nights every week? Maybe you want a space that’s ideal for some deep conversation with friends, or a room that’s perfect for a game night. You can also combine these ideas if you want a multifunctional living room.
Symmetrical layouts
Symmetrical layouts are great for entertaining and conversation. This type of layout might include two sofas facing one another, or two or four armchairs opposite each other with a nice rug and coffee table in the middle. You could also place four armchairs at each corner of a square or rectangular rug, angled inward. This layout often works well when designing a square or rectangular living room.
Media-centered room
If movie nights are more your style, you’ll probably want the television front and center. You could place your sofa or sectional against one wall, while the TV is either mounted on the opposite wall or on a TV stand or credenza. Don’t forget a coffee table for your movie snacks.
Sofa and chair combinations
Combining sofas and chairs can add a variety of comfortable places to sit. Place a sofa opposite two chairs, or situate your chairs on either side of the sofa (facing inward), if you want to leave a wall open for a TV or artwork.
Living room with storage
Incorporating storage is a great addition to your living room. A credenza, bookcase, armoire, or chest of drawers can give you somewhere to store things like extra throw blankets or seasonal decor. Be sure to position your storage somewhere accessible but not in the way.
Open-concept living room layout
In an open-concept space, it’s important to determine how much of the room you want to designate for the living room and how much you’d like to set aside for other uses, such as a home office, dining room, or playroom. If you want to separate the space, you can use room dividers or curtains, or place a sofa with its back to the opposite side to create a dividing line.
Formal living room
A formal living room is less about day-to-day lounging and more about entertaining. Incorporate plenty of seating to accommodate guests, and place living room tables in easy reach for setting down drinks. Add some class to a formal living room by decorating with antiques, heirlooms, or other traditional pieces.
Off-centered layout
If your living room is an odd shape or size, an off-centered layout can help balance it. Consider floating some furniture in the middle of the room instead of positioning it near a wall. You can also divide the room into smaller zones for different purposes, making the off-center layout seem less obvious.
Style Ideas
When it comes to making the room all your own, there are a few ways to change things up you might not have considered.
Mismatched seating
No, your sofas and chairs don’t have to match. An eclectic mishmash of seats can provide some variety to keep things interesting. Combine options such as armchairs, benches, poufs, recliners, or anything else that seems comfy. Choose a coordinating color scheme and go wild.
Ottoman & pouf vs. coffee table
Swap out the typical coffee table for an ottoman or pouf. This works especially well in small spaces where they can be used as footrests or additional seating depending on your needs. Some ottomans even have convertible tops with a solid table top on one side and a soft seat on the other.
Placing your TV
Televisions can be mounted or hung on the wall to save space, or they can be placed in a media center. The TV can be a focal point or just an unassuming item in a room geared more toward conversation or entertaining.