Good Questions: How To Arrange This Room?

Hello AT,

I have a question about your statement regarding living room seating. I recall that you stated that there should be a minimum of three seating arrangements in the living room, and that objects should be pulled away from the wall.

I live in a 800sf apartment with my partner and his two teen boys. There are two bedrooms, one of which houses my armoire and computer. My partner and I use the sun room as a bedroom. The two teens share a room.

Our living room is like an extension of the kitchen, and part of the living room is essentially the corridor between the boys' room and the sun room. I've attached two photos of the living room for your review...

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The first is from the corridor. The boys' room is essentially to the left, "behind" the TV unit. The sunroom is to the right, behind the clutter behind the couch. In the second photo, you can see the corner of the kitchen table in the lower righthand corner of the photo.

Obviously, we need a bigger space, but I would like to make the best use of this space -- not to mention make it a "home" -- until we find a more suitable space.

Any suggestions you have for the living room (and how to get three distinct seating areas in an ~12x8sf area) would be greatly appreciated. Oh, and I do feel the need to tell you that those boxes of books are for donation -- going to the library this weekend.

Thank you! Gina

Dear Gina,

thanks for the TOUGH question! While we can't see the rest of the room, we would recommend that the sofa go up against the wall here, allowing you to place a small chair and ottoman (or two ottomans/cubes) facing the sofa. This would complete your circle, take away from the Movie Theater syndrome that you have going on here, and allow passage through the room.

Also, that wall in the top pic that the sofa could be against would be a great wall to paint with an accent color (warm). That would really pick up the room.

Anyone else??

Comments (22)

What if you bought a storage unit w/open shelving to use as a room divider (with the back of it facing the kitchen)?

Holly that's what I was gonna say. They had a 200sf apartment in the latest issue of Domino and showed her using one of those open bookshelves from Ikea as a room divider. It let light through so it wasn't too cumbersome.

http://www.dominomag.com/knowhow/decorating/060421knde_openbookcases

On that page, there's also a link to some open bookshelves they recommend.

Before you do anything you should declutter!

There are a lot of ottomans and benches out there that open up with hidden storage. Something like that - seating cubes with hidden storage or a long bench with hidden storage - would hide some items out of site and also give you extra seating. An upholstered coffee table could be used as an ottoman, table or as extra seating if needed. With a small living room, it might help to make each seating piece serve an additional function.

Bianca, believe me, I'm on the declutter track! Sadly, the living room is serving as a "holding pen" for the de-cluttering and clearing that is going on in other rooms at the moment. While I'm happy with the progress in the other rooms, the clutter that is accumulating in the living room is definately a bit deflating. Thanks for spurring me on to get the clutter to the recycling center, the Goodwill, and wherever else (other than my living room) it needs to go!

Is it possible to put the TV on a less bulky unit that can go on the now-blank wall? That would open up the TV wall for a settee or bench or a couple chairs, depending on how big the space actually is.

One of your challenges is that while futons are comfy and are useful for extra overnight visitors, they are space hogs. This is one of those nooks that would look fabulous with two small settees or with four chairs (a la Turquoise's living room on the LA site), but combining small size and really cushy comfort is NOT easy.

Have you considered an arrangement like this?
Family Friendly:
http://tinyurl.com/kbyms

That would move the TV center to the far wall, the sofa facing it, and the dining table backing up the sofa. No one has to walk between the TV and the sofa in order to access the dining table/kitchen area.

Traffic can flow around the TV/seating area to the individual rooms, bedroom on left, sunroom on right.

This also allows TV viewing from behind the sofa. That could be a good thing or a bad thing. It allows the dining table and chairs to be USED as part of the living room too.

It's no longer just the dining table...it IS another conversation area. It can be used for games, board games, card games, without feeling like you're playing in the kitchen.

The dining chairs can easily be roped into service for use in the living area, as needed.

While you're over there, check out the Arrange A Room tool on the left side of the article. You can enter your room measurements, and try out furniture arrangements without having to move furniture.

Because, as I've found out time and time again, THINKING it will fit and KNOWING it will fit are two different things.

What about putting in some open shelving that holds the TV and other stuff on the long wall and putting the futon against the wall where the armoire is currently? You could add some ottomans and a coffee table so that there is some separation from the dining area, but that it is not visually cut off from the dining area? If there is room, you can orient this as one seating area on the left side of the room (with one side being the TV) and then put another small seating area closer to the window, perhaps a bistro table?

Clean it first.

Terry, that's pretty unnecessary, don't you think?

Gina, First let me applaud you for making a go of it with two teenagers in 800 sq feet. And congratulations on the success you've had thus far Curing.

My suggestion is along the likes of a lot of those above. The TV center along the far wall with its wood could warm up that wall as Maxwell wanted without painting. It could potentially eliminate the glare on the TV from the sunroom windows it now faces (I think I have the orientation right).

If you moved the couch to where the TV is now, a lot of natural light from the right will flood the room. And using cube ottomans or other low-back armless chairs facing the TV could serve to "divide" the dining from living.

Good luck!

I second holly.

Terry, Gina said the space had temporarily become the Out Box for her Cure. She succumbed to "hey, I'm getting somewhere!" enthusiasm and posted the question before making the trip to Goodwill or whatever. I know this urge!

Let's not slap people down for being excited about making progress on their homes -- the middle stage of cleaning and organizing often temporarily looks worse than the Before.

Wende,

That is so true. I know that sometimes, in the middle of a decluttering, I look around and want to cry. You know you are getting closer, but it doesn't look that way during the process.

My file cabinet declutter almost sent me over the edge, but it's worth it now that it's (almost) finished.

I like to call this stage The Storm Before The Calm.

Well said wende in sfo and Gina.

Fiona, I am in the middle of filing cabinet decluttering and I am crying just *thinking* about the mess that awaits me at home ;-) Congrats on (almost) getting to the finish line.

I think moving the sofa to the wall is a good idea so that you can look into the sunroom and from there see the outside. You might put some plants on a bench or chair which could be enjoyed in the LR and in your bedroom. I think the entertainment center is out of scale with the rest of the space and it doesn't seem to be very efficient. The open shelving that Avocado recommended seems like a good suggestion.

Gina, living in such small quarters with three other people deserves a hats off. Your desire to make where you live NOW as comfortable as possible while you look for larger quarters is great.

I like the idea of the couch against the wall because then you could look outside while reading or relaxing and the light would wash in better. Gina, I've got two ottomans (ottomen?) that have become so useful that I can't imagine what I did without them. I've used them as desk chairs, which then slide easily under the desk, extra seating in the LR and handy side tables.

Andree, I really like that suggestion -- especially for a room that's rather square-shaped as Gina's appears to be. Gina, do you think that would work with your dining table?

Putting the sofa against the wall is the best solution, it seems. Is there enough space (I know, don't laugh) to put a very narrow sofa table behind the sofa so that you can put stuff back there that's not used a lot? You can then put a reading lamp and some books (stacked artistically, of course) on it. A large mirror above that will make the room look larger. Also, a large plant/small tree tucked in the corner with an uplight will give the room interest and dimension.

I did a picture for you using BHG's Arrange A Room and put it on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/96179754@N00/

I don't know which way your measurements ran, but it looked like the room was 12' wide, across the blank wall.
I put the TV on the blank wall, the sofa facing it, used a dining chair on the top right by the sun room, and added an ottoman on the left side (which can be moved around as needed for seating or coffee table or a place to actually put your feet).

The dining table I have no idea how big yours is, so I used a small rectangular coffee table in it's place, put a chair on either end, and there would be more chairs behind it.

On the left wall, where the TV currently is, I added a mirror. You get great light coming in from the sunroom area, and currently the light is cut off by the sofa. Having the sofa face the blank wall and the other couple of moveable seating areas will allow that GREAT light to move across the floor. And then to be reflected in the mirror.

The sofa is within the 8 feet from the blank wall, so if you decided not to use the dining table behind the sofa, it would still be in the same place.

I added a rug as well, even though you have carpet. I just wanted to make your life difficult so you'll trip over the rug on the carpet. No. Not really. Rugs are great for defining space. That rug says "THIS IS THE LIVING AREA" and invites you to come in, or to pass on by.

And you CAN pass on by the living area now, to go to the sunroom or to the bedroom. People can be in the midst of conversation or watching a show, and there won't be interruptions or "pardon me, pardon me, excuse me" as someone tries to get through the room without tripping over legs.

Also, people can EXIT the living area from two spots, rather than just having an entrance that dead ends at a wall. Or having to exit the same way...and walk in front of everyone watching TV.

I forgot to put in your floor lamp, so I guess you can only use the room during the day. Or move the light behind the plant.

You may also be able to use some kind of lamp behind the sofa, on the dining table. The cord may be able to be "hidden" under the area rug, under the sofa, and up on to the table.

Rather than a regular table lamp, consider the kinds of lamps that have an adjustable head of some kind. This would allow the table to be used as a study area, for paperwork, for games. Or to swivel or readjust the lamp to come over the shoulder for someone on the sofa to read a book with good lighting.

A dimmer on said lamp is also a nice touch. Giving you the option to have a more romantic dinner at the table, or just subtle lighting for the living room area.

Andree,
Thank you for the room design!
We measured, and the room is 12' from where the TV is now to just short of the sunroom/bedroom. We have about 7' of usable space from the now-blank wall to just beyond where the edge of the couch is now.

I think your layout can could definately work for us. We just have to lighten our load in terms of the entertainment unit! The current TV unit is large, bulky, and cumbersome without the benefit of offering much storage for all of it's bulk.

I'd probably keep the kitchen table and chairs in the kitchen, as there is room. This would give us the opportunity to make use of the space behind the couch for a little table for a computer or just flowers, etc.

Mille grazie for the thought and effort you put into this. It is much apprecaited.