Q: I am moving into a new apartment which has both a fireplace and tons of windows (a feature that I love.) I am a little stuck, however, as because of the amount of windows and the fireplace, the only stretch large enough for my Ikea 5 x 5 EXPEDIT bookcase which houses both my large book collection as well as my TV, is directly across from the fireplace, which is where it seems natural to place the couch. I don't want to give up the EXPEDIT and yet I don't know how to make it work.
Attached is a picture of the living room. Directly across from the fireplace is the largest exspanse of unbroken wall and the front door to one side. The fourth wall hosts a closet door and the entrance to the dining room, not leaving enough room for the EXPEDIT.
Any suggestions on arrangement?
Sent by Elizabeth
Editor: Leave your suggestions for Elizabeth in the comments - thanks!
• Got a question? Email yours with pic attachments here (those with pics get answered first)
Smart & Simple Small Space Solution: Angela & Tania's "Murphy Table"
Monica & Austin's Charming Bungalow
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Ercol Bar Stool
Why I Became a 1-Gallon Homebrewer
True Greek Recipe: Paximadi Bread Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Capers
What about placing the couch perpendicular between the fireplace and the couch, and have a couple of chairs facing it? So creating a square of couch on one side, fireplace on the next, chairs on the next, and tv/bookcase on the last.
I have difficulty visualizing such situations without a floor plan and measurements, so can say only that your living room corner looks pretty and good luck!
Don't plan around Ikea!
(I mean, it's hard to really tell how things are in that particular house, but in general? It can seem awkward when someone's planned a room in order to accommodate one big piece that they love. Especially if that piece is totally replaceable and in every house ever.)
the couch doesn't need to be against the wall. You can put the shelves on the wall and float the couch about three feet away, which will also give you a more intimate seating area.
Sorry, not sure about the arrangement but I have to say, I'm very envious..what a beautiful apartment!
I agreed with katharine! Floating furniture can even make a room feel larger - a rug will help anchor it. Also the fireplace should be the focal point so perhaps mount the TV over the fireplace and use the Expidit for just storage (or maybe see if it can be used as a room divider? perhaps perpendicular to the front door forming a "hall" and entry/mudroom condition? I can't tell if the room is large enough for that.)
Just thinking outloud :) it's a beautiful space!
I'd do what @lynell suggested, with an area rug in the middle. A skinny console table behind the sofa might work, too, the room seems big enough.
@bangs -- why NOT plan a room around IKEA, if you like the furniture? AND (as mentioned) it holds the TV? Those of us who enjoy television need a place for the sets. Across from a fireplace and windows is not ideal, but in this room, that's where I'd put it as well. (Maybe with room darkening drapes to cut glare on the screen.)
Pleeeease don't put the TV above the fireplace! It's beautiful as it is and putting tellys above them make it look like a TV shrine. We have quite a similar lay out to you but without the windows either side of the fireplace - http://cecilymae.com/#wpcom-carousel-2335. We have two sofas, one facing the fireplace, and one at right angles which makes a lovely cosy area. I would go for a low table in the corner with the TV on. I also agree with Katharine - put the sofa a few feet out from the wall, so it faces the fireplace and the TV, then put the shelves on the wall behind it. You get a cosier area infront of the fire, and a little library section behind the sofa. www.cecilymae.com
Why not invest in another couch and put them back to back or have one chaise or lounge style chair? That way one piece of furniture faces the fireplace and one piece of furniture faces the TV?
@SherryBinNH - The problem is that she would have to cut off access to the fireplace if she put the bookcase there. And it would be kinda ugly there.
@cecilymaehandmade - I think TVs above the fireplace are fine. People should do what they want. TV is a hobby that many people enjoy, so why not? I don't mind a TV shrine..cause I really like watching TV.
The problem with putting the TV on a small table in the corner is that she'd be cutting off the window and there would be a lot of glare from the sun reflecting off the TV. It would be ugly and a pain to draw the curtains just to watch TV.
Have you thought about placing the Expedit bookcase perpendicular to the fireplace, a couple feet back toward the double window in the image? If you broke up the room this way, you could put a small reading area between the expedit and those double windows (say a chair and end table)... it would give you a room-within-a-room and make the remaining living space a little cozier, too. The couch would then go perpendicular to the fireplace on the other side, with perhaps two chairs facing the fireplace to complete the seating arrangement. A console table behind the couch and perhaps a carpet in the center of the seating area would anchor the floating furniture.
Either way, a great space. Congrats on the find!
Those windows are just calling to have low bookshelves put below them, if you can give up the big bookshelf. I've actually cut a large bookshelf (not IKEA) in half to make two long low ones, and it looked great. But if you must keep the big one, I would float the couch in the middle of the room facing the double windows, at a 90 degree angle to the fireplace. Get two club chairs to face it and put a coffee table and rug between. Then you have a conversation =-friendly room, but can still lay on the sofa and watch TV over your toes.
I have an idea. How about:
1. mounting the TV above the fireplace,
2. placing the sofa facing the TV and fireplace, in the middle of the floor,
3. laying the Expedit on it's side up against the back of the sofa,
and lastly....
4. streamlining the collection a bit.
It will look less cluttered, and everything else can be arranged around these main elements.
Who needs a tv when you have a big beautiful apartment, huge windows, and lots of books!??!! I say, nix the tv, use the bookshelf as a room divider somehow, and point that couch at a righ angle with the fireplace, facing two accent chairs, so you can look at your guests or over their heads and out those windows.
Very good idea !!
Wish you'd posted more pics or shown the room plans also but :
Love the idea of the Expedit as room divider. Maybe create an extended entryway with it? Also, hanging the TV above the fireplace seems a strong and good suggestion. Good luck! Great looking room.
Placing an arrangement of sofa and chairs perpendicular to the fireplace wall and tv center makes a nice "square" shape that will be welcoming to visitors for a place to chat and can utilize the space equally.
I would hesitate mounting the TV above the fireplace. In my opinion, it distracts from the function of the fireplace (which, WOW, mantel space to spruce up for holidays! score!) and you already have a functional TV unit that you love...
You're lucky to have such a nice place! Good Luck!
Hannah McCoy
hannahmccoyinteriors.com
we have the same room! We have a chesterfield sofa facing 1 large chair and small end table with a coffee table in between it all. So, the TV (YES, ours is enshrined above the fireplace) is on the left if you were sitting on the couch. I got a jute rug to anchor the whole thing and I like it!
For the wall on the "right" (opposite fireplace) its SUPER long, and I have yet to figure out how to arrange pics!
Also - I painted the TV /fireplace wall a dark brown which 1. helped the white fireplace pop and 2. blend the tv into the wall better.
Is there a rule that every Good Question post must include at least one comment telling the inquirer to get rid of their TV? Anyway, I had a similar problem with my living room which had a fireplace and no good walls for a TV. I ended up putting the TV in a different room. If there is another option for the TV instead of this room, I would recommend it. Then, you can put the sofa opposite the fireplace and expedit shelves on the wall behind the sofa. If the TV has to go in this room, I would place the sofa perpendicular to the fireplace facing a couple of chairs so you have the choice of either looking at the fireplace or the TV
Another vote for putting the couch perpendicular to the fireplace, with a couple chairs across from it, and the expedit with the tv on the long wall opposite from the fireplace. That seems ideal, actually. I would probably put the sofa on this side (facing the double windows), with a console table or bench behind it.
Enjoy that beautiful room!
I have my expedite behind my sofa. It divides the room into separate seating sections. Not sure if that would work for you.
You could still put the TV above the fireplace, but cover it when not in use with an art canvas or some decorative shutters. That way, the couch wouldn't need to be angled to the bookcase.
a big expedit is wasted up against a wall! i use mine to divide up office space. i think you should use it as a make-shift wall, to create a little reading area in the corner by a window or something. i don't know if you have a separate dining area, but if it's an open floor plan it could work as a nice partition between the living/tv space and that as well. gorgeous room. congrats!
Flip the expedit upside down, put it behind the couch and mount the TV above the fireplace. With the expedit upside down, it wouldn't look as akward to put the couch in front of it.
And I love the bookcase lined walls look.
I totally agree with lynell.
My house is very similar and I like how it turned out - http://www.postlets.com/rtpb/p6439975
Get rid of the Expedit! I did during my last move and i am so glad i did!
I don't know why Expedit has such huge fans on this blog - it is a cheap piece that does not withstand a lot. Don't plan your room around it.
I'd aim for low shelving for books under windows like :
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/good-questions/la-good-question-affordable-modern-legs-for-ikea-lack-shelf-046939. I wish I had a non-IKEA example though.
It's a little difficult to tell what your options are without knowing the overall size of the room, and therefor whether or not it would be an option to use your expedit as a room divider. Anyway, I think the key lies in the fact that none of your furniture really needs to go against a wall. Your TV, on the other hand, really should. Your expedit shouldn't block your windows, though. Obviously, you have the big 5x5 expedit, not one you can lay on its side and use as a low bookcase. I think the expedit, complete with TV, should go on the long wall, opposite the fireplace. The sofa should go at a right angle between them, facing neither, with chairs opposite, creating a conversation area. Assuming the room isn't much bigger than pictured, and the wall with the door to your dining room is to the back/left of the picture, then the couch should have its back to the windows, and the chair have their backs to the dining room. This would give you a more open flow to the dining room.
depending on how deep the room is, you could place the couch to face the fireplace, and (barring enough space) place the expedit BEHIND the couch. you can still access it on one side, it grounds the couch in the center of the room and creates a little 'hallway/walkway'.
just a thought
You shouldn't put the tv on top of the fireplace (mantle) is because it will be too high. I also am not a huge fan of the big expedit, because I had one that I bought second-hand and I nearly died putting it back together (my floors were also not level, which complicated things). I just chucked it in my next move. So... I vote you see whether your expedit makes it through the move intact. If it doesn't, then I think your problems are greatly reduced. XD
I would suggest you either get a low media console and put it in the corner we can fully see, where it will only block off one window, and then if you have both a couch and loveseat have both angled towards the fireplace but with the sofa directly facing the tv, possibly backed by 2x4 expedits if you are fond of this series, OR put the tv on a console table in from the fireplace (that I think can frame it; this one puts the tv at a height similar to the expedit) and have the couches more or less the same. In winter, if you ever use the fireplace, you can still scoot the console table into the corner.
I don't think you have to make the fireplace the focal point of the room. Treat it as another piece of amazing "furniture in the room"
A mirror or a frame above the fireplace would be nice as it doesn't look like it has a platform above it.
I'll put a nice armchair and a lamp on the corner with a low bookshelf below the "twin" windows.
floating sofas will be awesome around the fire place but don't have to be facing it and definitely a rug to anchor it. I'm not sure what's on the other side of the picture but you can put you media console on that end.
This one is easy! Sofa floated against window wall. Two chairs facing sofa with coffee table. and Expedit opposite the fireplace wall. I would also try the sofa facing the windows (library table behind sofa with twin lamps for reading) and the chairs under the windows. Either way, you can focus on either the tv while getting the warmth of the fireplace, or, with tv off, focus on fireplace without seeing the tv. The room witll appear more open with the sofa under the windows and perhaps a little more intimate and separate if it is facing the windows. Either way you will create great traffic patterns: a natural "hallway effect" behind the sofa or chairs, and then also if the tv is on you can always walk past the fireplace avoiding blocking viewers - always appreciated!
Your sofa doesn't have to be stapled to a wall. Bringing it closer to the fireplace will make the area cozier and give you room for your giant book shelf on the wall behind it. Sofa on wall...ick. It's only really required or even appropriate if you are furnishing a *small* room. This room does not qualify.
@lydiechan
The issue isn't floating the sofa, the issue is being able to see the tv on the expedit from the sofa.
Mount a huge black tv above the fireplace and cover all of the windows with IKEA bookshelves. Don't forget to put in a styrofoam tiled drop ceiling too.
Place the Ikea across from the FP. Float the living area with sofa and chairs, preferably on a rug, in between.
Hi guys,
Sorry, I got busy with Christmas etc and did not realize my question had been posted!
I do not want to chop up my room and make it seem smaller so using the expedit as a room divider is a no go. I definitely want to keep it because I LOVE my tons and tons of books and love having a wall full of books.
The TV is a small older one and so is not flat screen, no mounting is available and I also want to be able to use the fireplace for decor. I have the TV in one of the expedit cubes and so it is there when I want it but is not a true focal point of the room, rather the books are (which again, I love.)
I had thought of the couch perpendicular to fireplace option with two chairs across from it, but I like the idea of "floating" the furniture with the couch back to the expedit, so I will try that.
I understand that ikea furniture isn't the end all be all of decor, but it allows my books to shine and that's the look I want.
Thanks to all for the compliments on the space, I got very lucky finding a somewhat affordable apartment in an older but well maintained home - get this- with w/d connections. heaven! I did have to overlap my old lease so paid double rent for a couple months, but I think it was worth it to lock this place down :)