apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I picture the tv mounted on the 8 ft wall with a floating couch parallel and chairs (or a L shaped sectional). Then put the desk in the area between the windows and book/display shelves along the kitchen wall. Or, put larger dining area there and a small desk could go on the 2ft wall next to the front door.

Or, if the view out the window across from the front door is nice, face the couch to it with a consol behind it. then put the TV on the 5ft wall. A small desk could go on the 2ft wall next to the front door.

First off - the natural space for a row of tall-ish bookcases is to the left of the front door along that long wall that backs up to the kitchen. Make sure that there is some enclosed storage in your bookcase configuration...

Next - Your Television goes on a low credenza on the far right wall - the one that backs up to the bathroom. An Apartment-sized sofa faces it perpendicular to the far right window and a desk is placed at it's back as a sofa-table so that you can look over the back of the sofa at the TV. A lamp is placed on the desk for task lighting and reading on the sofa. A large area rug and a couple of chairs and end tables with lamps and a nice ottoman for resting your feet round out the seating area.

Lastly - Your landing strip is on the narrow wall between the closet and the archway to the bedroom area - A mirror above and a shelf w/ some hooks below and a small trashcan to catch the junkmail, etc.

I think that you should have two couches (or a couch and two chairs arranged perpendicular to the window directly across the front door for coversation with a coffee table in between them.

On the long wall next to the front door, I would put a long bookcase, and place the TV in it about 3/4 of the way to the kitchen/dining entrance. That would let you see the TV from both sofas, but it would definately not be the focus of your living room.

In the space behind the floating sofa, you could put a console table, or if needed, an office table under the window.

Forget the living room, I that dining table's HUGE for that space!

"Forget the living room, I that dining table's HUGE for that space!"

Its shown as about a 48" square table - which indicates how small the spaces really are...

The problem with several of the suggestions is that they don't take into account Loren's request that the couches facilitate TV watching, but that they don't make the TV the focal point when it's not in use. There are several factors that I'd like to know, such as:

- Which way does the apartment face? This would have a bearing on how much light it receives through the windows at the top of the layout.

- Where are the outlets (TV, electrical)? This may have an influence on where a TV or computer are placed (barring wireless connectivity, of course).

Making a few assumptions (that there is ample light and that there are outlets along the kitchen wall), I put together a quick layout that I think meets Loren's needs...or at least can get a good discussion going!

Here is an image that I quickly created:

http://tinyurl.com/ATDC-Layout

And here are the basics of the layout:

1. A landing strip to the right inside the front door, between what I'm guessing is a coat closet and the hallway. You could hang a mirror, corkboard, or art over it.

2. A desk to the left of the front door, along the long wall. The angle of the desk to the windows should prevent glare from reflecting off a computer screen.

3. To the right of the desk, a media center (perhaps a console table with a TV and DVD player, or a more elaborate system if you have a receiver, a Wii, etc).

4. A potted plant, perhaps a ficus tree or something, in the corner between the living room and the dining room. Its proximity to the window would allow for plenty of natural light.

5. A bookcase along the angled wall between the windows, with a floor lamp next to it and a comfortable chair/ottoman combo in front of it. This location would allow for natural light from the window while reading, but the floor lamp would provide necessary light when the sun isn't out.

6. A sectional in the corner along the bathroom wall, with a side table and a coffee table. A sleeper sectional would provide space for any overnight guests, while the position would allow for both conversation, since it faces the reading chair, or for watching TV, since it looks across the space at the entertainment center. The side table provides space for magazine storage, a small lamp, etc.

7. You may also want to add another sitting chair between the seating and the entertainment center, which would facilitate socializing with other seated individuals or could be swung up next to the reading chair for TV watching.

The open space would allow for easy passage through the area, while the orientation of the furniture would encourage interaction not only with other seated people, but with anyone who may be in the immediate (living) or adjacent (dining) space. The suggested "floating couches" would face the bathroom wall, which means seated guests would have their backs to the room...not exactly ideal for conversation.

I think bepsf's suggestion is perfect.

What a cool space! I think you can have a really dramatic room given the shape.

The first thing I would suggest is to map out your traffic patterns through the room and then designed the spaces in accordance to them. The living room is at the center of the house, and it looks like you will have traffic going right through the center of the room (from the bedroom/bath hallway to the kitchen/dining room). You may also have a minor trafiic pattern going from the front door to the kitchen (i.e. groceries). If this is how you will traverse the room, then this walkway will cut the room into two triangular shaped spaces: one big space where the windows are and a smaller space along the wall shared by the kitchen. You may want to devote the larger space to the t.v. and the major seating area and the smaller space as a causal workspace with a desk and guest chair (which can double as a more intimate conversation area when you entertain). IMO, bookcases can work in either space (or both spaces). It is hard for me to make further suggestions about furniture placement without first knowing their sizes, but you could float a sofa in the middle of the room so that trafiic passes behind the back of the sofa (you can put a sofa table back there) and that would clearly define where foot traffic goes. I do think bookcases should line the walls for safety reasons (if you have a lot of books, the cases should be anchored to the wall to prevent them from toppling over).

You can sketch out a different traffic pattern and arrange the furniture accordingly, but many people seem to choose the shortest distance through a room (which in this case is through the center).

I think you have a lot of options and that you should try out a number of configurations until you find something you like.

I like bepsf's layout too. I'd stand a flat screen (rather than mount it) on a narrow console along that 8" bathroom wall. That way the furniture is a focal point more than the television. Do a smallish sofa facing the television, and find two comfy club chairs in a bold pattern. Have one club chair floating next to the sofa angled toward the television, and the other in the corner with the window and radiator, with a little side table and lamp to create a reading nook. A bold chair in that corner (and some great window treatments) will help disperse the room's focal point so it's not completely on the television, and it's great to pull in for more seating when you have company. Also, an alternative to the sofa table-as-desk idea would be to use the long wall backing up to the kitchen for a desk/shelving combo. Do two tall bookshelves flanking a writing desk to create a mini-library in that section of the living room. If you skip the sofa table, just make sure you get a sofa that's pretty from the back, since you'll see it from the dining room!

Hmm, bepsf layout I think is too spread out, and plastered against the walls. I think the TV is too far away from the couch. maybe I don't have a great grasp of the actual amount of space but i envision creating 2 seperate areas. One square: to include the 8 ft wall with a flat panel (like maaikeh suggests) and a couch facing it, that way when you come into the room you are walking behind the couch not cutting through the area. I would make another zone on the back wall with your bookcases and some chairs for lounging/reading. The wall to the left of the front door is perfect for that landing zone that another poster mentioned.

I made a custom picture frame that fits neatly over the tv and then swings out of the way when we want to watch it. Often the best place for a tv is a a focal point in the room. This way you can have a beautiful picture as the focal point when you're not watching tv and best of all the tv is completely invisible. (I hate electronics in the open.)

1. Put your TV watching area in the dining room.

2. Move your dining table and chairs into the living room.

3. Add some comfy chairs and side tables for entertaining. Looks like you have room for two conversation areas.

I like the basics of bepsf's layout, but would put two club chairs on the 8' wall with a small table between and the tv above that rather than to put it over a tv cabinet. This way it reads more like artwork over the club chair seating arrangement. When you aren't watching tv, your guests are still facing eachother in the club chairs/sofa seating area. Maybe the club chairs could be mobile in some way so they could be pulled away from the wall if you have more people over to wach tv than a sofa will hold...

The anchor the TV on the wall (the bathroom wall) and don't mount on the wall too much work, there are some tv stand with mounting bracket (check out this one from EQ3 - ginger, then you know what I mean).

And if you like sectional, then do a chaise along the window, then do a 45 degree angel or wedge instead of standard straight one. for example like this one from Younger furniture, the red one toward the bottom.

BTW, EQ3 has a room builder it will help you to layout your room and play around with the space. The bookshelf will be a great idea along the long wall. It depends on what you like for storage or just books. Bookcase depth = 12-13". B2C series from EQ3 gives you lots flexible storage space.

Or for your TV place, you can do a book shelf next to your tv stand.

IF you like sofa, then get two swivel chairs, so you can have more flexible layout instead of a loveseat.

Good luck :)

A big but not too massive TV bookcase - like the Ikea Expedite 5x5 - right inside the main door will give you a 4th wall in the living room, and a separate entry area. I imagine the bookcase placed in front of the main door, with its right side against the wall next to the closet. The TV will be visible from most of the living room but still tucked away neatly in the bookcase .

Good luck!

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/10103093

-TV on the 8foot wall

-An organic shaped sofa facing it:
https://www.mattblatt.com.au/Store/cart_popup.asp?image=Noguchi%20Sofa

-bookshelves to the left of the door

-desk up against the top window

I picture the desk on the wall against the kitchen (with a really great piece of art work you love above it) and a tall bookcase there as well to the right of the book case.

If you wanted more bookcases, I think they would look great on the "north" walls of the layout between the windows.

The Tv would be on the wall against the bathroom, perhaps on an arm so you could swing it out? or just a really nice table along that wall with artwork and the TV.

The couch I picture running almost parallel to the 16'4" line in basically in the middle of the room but slightly facing the door, with perhaps a comfy chair in the corner near the bookshelves and the kitchen to create a cozy reading nook. At the end of the couch, furthest the windows a pair of chairs to host more seating, or perhaps a small love seat.

Really Just keep in mind what you see when you walk into the living room from the door. Is it inviting and cozy? Or whatever the image you're aiming for. Good luck!