apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

First of all, it looks like you are trying to cram too much in the space, the dining table, the large desk are what's causing it, that is where they are placed in the room.

From what I can see, it's not an easy room to arrange due to the layout of the kitchen, dining area, front hall etc.

Do you really need that desk in the living area at all? Can it be moved into the bedroom (preferably a spare bedroom if you are in a 2 bedroom), if not, can you perhaps downsize the desk to something smaller (such as a hutch type of desk where doors can be shut to hide what's inside) and place it on the wall where the table is and put the dining table where the desk is now? A thought anyway.

As for the living room layout, hard to suggest what to do with the TV with the pictures provided but you had the right idea of trying the diagonal approach and perhaps in this space, it simpy isn't the right solution due to the size/shape of the space.

But I'd start with the desk and dining area first and then work the living room last as just modifying the other areas may provide you with the clue(s) necessary to fix the living room area itself.

Good luck.

I need to see more photos--especially of that bookcase corner and the wall to the right of the sofa.
Would the sofa fit on that wall?

Could the sofa float in front of the doors? Then you could move the shelf to that side wall and leave the tv as is.

Could you make do with a smaller computer desk? (I know there's probably storage in there too)

Having looked at the pictures again, I see now the layout. I still think the desk/dining area may be part of the problem.

Also, you have a focal point with the tall windows and it never hurts to put the couch's back facing the dining area to seperate the two areas and place the table so if it extends, it'll extend somewhat into the traffic area, rather into the living area and place the TV in the corner where the bookcase is now (true, there is a door there so you can utilize more of that wall with say a chair and the bookcase in the corner where the couch is now.

I know about crowding the space, I have a hand me down sleeper sectional that is just too big for the space and is of a innocuous beige cheap 80's thing that is not me but hey, what can I say? it was free and I needed a couch of some kind. It's going to go bye, bye this spring and be replaced by something more to my liking and will fit the space better.

Just some additional thoughts

everything is on an angle - place things flat against the wall to start and you get back some wasted space. at the moment, when people enter the door, they walk smack into a table - make a clear path to navigate thru the dining and living spaces.

I would completely eliminate either the desk or dining table - you could put high stools up to the counter instead of having the dining table (be honest - how often would you reeeally use it?), or I'd use the dining table as a desk with the computer hidden away in a hutch of some sort. If you are totally unwilling to part with either of these item, I'd flip the places of the desk and dining table - it looks a bit strange to have a desk "butting up" to your kitchen. As others have suggested, I'd flip the couch to face the windows, and put the TV where the bookcase is (or on the opposite side of the window). If you do this, you might actually be able to put some sort of slimline desk behind the couch??

I have a few thoughts:

Can the dining room table can be moved to the space in front of your open kitchen? Easier to serve to the table, and provides a screen to the business of the kitchen cabinets, etc.

There are a lot of diagonals in your room with the angled corners, and I think the couch angled compounds the problem. How about turning the whole sofa around so its back is parallel to the dining table and it faces the windowed wall? We have a similar layout (kitchen, dining, and living all in one space) and the couch back actually serves to break up the space into separate functional areas nicely. Your couch is pretty square so this should work.

Once the couch has been moved, you can move the TV to where the bookcase is (or the corner on the opposite side of the windows), and move the bookcase where the TV is.

Add a nice cozy conversation chair in the corner where the TV isn't. Put the lamp next to the chair.

As the previous poster mentioned, the desk is an issue. If the desk must go in the living area, I would recommend a smaller desk with a hutch that can be completely closed off and put it against the wall on the left in the first picture. I think this one is too big and bulky but you get the idea:

http://eq3.com/cat-eq3/process/locale/en_US/currency/en_US/3080-570 571.html

thoughts: put the dining table where the desk is, put the desk where the nook is (in the first picture, wall closest to the dog bed), put the sofa up against the window, and put the bookshelf where the dining table is. get rid of the dog bed in lieu of letting your dog sleep on the couch, get a smaller desk, and replace the table lamp behind the couch for a taller floor lamp.

You definitely need to move that desk. Put your table there instead.

Also, consider moving one of your dining table chairs somewhere else, and pushing your table right against the wall. If you don't have 4 people at the table very often, you can save a bit of space this way.

That TV is huge.

I agree it's a little hard to tell the proportions of things. But, I think this is what I would try:

1. Desk: the natural place for the desk is in that nook next to the window across from the front door. The perfect thing would be some sort of wall system with a fold out desk, but shelves with a regular desk or a secretary desk would do as well.

2. Dining room table: Place in front of the kitchen counter.

3. Couch: Does it fit in front of the window? If not, it can go with it's back to the DR, creating a kind of room separation. If there's room, a dividing see through bookcase would be nice there. Or, go on Craigslist and get a smaller couch that's more appropriate for your space.

4. bookcase: can go where the desk is presently, but I would prefer shelves up on the walls to make it more spacious.

You may even be able to fit in a sitting chair or two in the LR with this. Also, I think the decorative items above the kitchen cabinets are not really serving you. It just makes the place seem cluttered.

Send after pics and good luck!

Honestly I think your biggest problem is clutter. The room will look alot more put together if you remove all the little items that you have everywhere. It's just so busy that your eye jumps all over the place.

Seconded, Laura.

Once the clutter's minimized, it will be easier to relax and figure out what to do with the furniture.

What a cluttered mess!

Get rid of the desk and computer and invest in a laptop. Put the table & chairs in its place, with the table at a 45 degree angle so that nobody's back is against the side wall. Consider replacing the square table with a round pedestal table.

Purchase a long, low console with deep drawers and doors and place it on the wall to the left of the window - The television belongs there as well, and any printers/peripherals/wireless routers for the computer live inside that piece. The wall behind this is a good candidate for a dark color like the brown that's on the opposite wall - but paint the recessed areas only, not the projecting columns.

Sofa centered under the window, cocktail table in the center and a new lounge chair opposite/left near the console. Consider a 8x10 area rug to anchor the sitting area with reds and dark greens. Place one end table on the end of the sofa by the door and another by the new chair with another lamp on it. Place a new floor lamp between the sofa and the console.

Those shiny red draperies are wrong: Get 4 panels that are not so shiny and with more texture - sew pairs end to end and rehang the rod at the ceiling so that both sets of windows (upper and lower) read as one huge window. Bamboo or matchstick blinds layered beneath the draperies covering the upper windows and extending down past the tops of the lower windows would be a good idea too...

Nix the dog bed, kitty tower, bookcase, TV tables, bulletin board, the awful candle sconces and the itsy wall shelves. Hang your coats in the closet. Clear the stuff off the tops of the kitchen cabinets. Put the candlesticks on the dining table.

If you need more storage, get end tables with drawers and consider purchasing a buffet for the dining area with drawers that can hold files as well as dishes, etc. A round mirror above and a vase or tall candlesticks would complete that space - tho you might even consider a hanging light fixture swaged over the dining table that can be connected to your existing track lighting.

Good luck!

I totally second kittyj's comment. (Not just because my name is kitties!)

I think besides the clutter and too much in the room (I agree that one of the many problems is the big desk), I find that all the black furniture makes the room seem even more crowded. Could you paint or replace some of it? The dark furniture against the white kitchen and light floor and walls stands out even more.
One idea might be to turn the back of the sofa to the kitchen, so you look out of the window while sitting on the sofa. This way you could also create more separate spaces.

I would get a light shelf along the wall where the desk is now with a small table (maybe even fold out) where you can store your things. then you can rid of the other shelf and clutter around the room.

I like the idea of moving the couch so it's back is to the entrance.

Then switching the tv with the bookshelf.

Will the desk fit by the window? If so, you could move the dinning room table to where the desk was. You might even want to put the book shelf on the wall the dinning room table was on (if the desk was moved, because there would probably be too much furniture on one side of the room).

I love moving furniture around, it sure can change a space!

I'm sure you'll come up with something you like, just move things around as much as you want. :)

I'm going to assume that like most of us, you have to live with the furniture you have. A few things that I see:

You have relatively little wall space in your living room because of the long windows, what looks like a bedroom door, and that part of the wall to the left of the photo that juts out. I can see why you have angled things to try and make it work.

Your sofa either has to be angled or stick out somewhere. Have you tried placing it across and facing the windows? If there is enough room to give you a walk through between your dining and living areas, that might work.

If you can get a couple of friends to help and don't mind piling everything into the bedroom, you could experiment with changing things around. Try different layouts and decide which you can live with the best.

Of course, winning a modest lottery would also help. Then you could buy all new furniture to go in your new condo.

Good luck!

The TV trays are probably for when you have friends over. I keep mine behind the dresser in my bedroom. They fit just fine and it keeps them out of sight.

Your computer desk appears to be a corner style with a piece that runs flat to the wall intended to hold peripherals? If so, flipping the table and the desk won't work. Otherwise, I would suggest that.

You have a lot going on!

Right now you have 'kitchendiningoffice'. The desk/office stuff needs to be moved somewhere where it can be it's own little area. Perhaps the corner where the bookshelf now is would be a solution.

Also, with so much 'stuff' and so many functions in one room, it would probably make the room feel more 'right' if it was more streamlined. I'd suggest putting the couch and coffee table and bookshelves parallel or perpendicular to the walls, rather than on an angle. Angled furniture works well when you want to add visual interest, but when you want to create restfulness or flow, it would probably be better have your furniture more conventionally aligned.

Awesome that you sought out advice. It's always tricky to get perspective on your own space and it's brave to open your home for us readers. I think folks offered great suggestions although I am a fan of taking a look at what you own before heading out and buying new stuff. "Buying a laptop" won't fix your problem.
Like many of us with limited space, you have many different activities happening in one space. I'm a fan of creating zones, an idea I first read about from Julie Morgenstern. It looks like you already have that started, but creating more definition would help, through the use of paint or furniture arrangement. I like the idea of turning the couch to face the windows and creating a cozy area where you can watch your favorite movies and relax. Do you do your work at your desk and really eat at the table or do you end up bringing it all over in front of the tv?
Most importantly when you walk in you want to feel calm and not stressed out. Limiting visual clutter, an idea suggested by many, is the first step to that.
If you really want to keep all of your pieces of furniture, rearranging them so that the first thing you see when you walk in is something calming and not busy shelves. For example swapping the tv and the big black shelving unit. Above the tv, hang favorite photos or art that you already have. That way the first thing you see is things you love. Or better yet, put the tv on the wall to the left in the nook where that piece of art is now. You could also use that little built in nook for your "office zone", keeping things organized and clean so that when you look at the space you are relaxed and not overwhelmed. If you buy anything I would suggest nice decorative boxes or baskets for your office supplies so that the office side of your room blends with the design of your room. Good luck, and I hope you submit pics of what you decide to do. It'd be fun to see how it turns out.

go to an online planner (better homes and gardens website is free) and lay it out online before you move everything around!

I agree with most of what was said above. Buy the 8 step cure to start! :-)

Consider lightening up the color palette to make the space feel larger.

Consider eliminating (storing) at least two dining chairs and the desk chair -- use a dining chair when you need one.

Consider swapping your couch for a loveseat, or two cozy club chairs. Consider floor pillows for casual group seating.

"Get rid of the desk and computer and invest in a laptop."

@ bepsf: i dont know how much money you have to toss around, but "investing" in a laptop is pretty costly and not always the first option for people who are redecorating. also, did you even consider how you sounded when you exclaimed "what a cluttered mess!" and dismissed the "awful candle sconces"? while i'll admit that Reni's taste is no where close to my own, i'd never be as rude as you came across. i applaud Reni for being brave enough to ask for help and am so glad that (most) everyone was nice.

Reni, everyone seems to have some great ideas for you and I agree with them! my only plea is that you find somewhere else in the apt to put the dog bed...

I'm not positive if those are upper windows that I see, but if they are, I would think about adding some material to my curtains and hanging them from the top set of windows to pull the eye upward.

Even though your photos do show most areas of the room, it's hard to rearrange your stuff without knowing how much space is really there (I'm guessing less than the pics lead us to believe), but if you had enough room, I would try some/any/all of the following:

Could your computer go on a smaller desk and possibly be put in the area the tv is currently in? That part of the room is sort of hidden from view, and it would be nice to come in and not stare at "work" first thing when you get home. I would say that ideally it would be cool to have one of those leaning shelf/desk things that prop against the wall.

Put your tv on the wall! : ) I know there's the problem of then finding a place for all of the things that go with it, but it's something to consider...

Can your tv moonlight as a computer monitor? If so, maybe there are some possibilities there.

I also love the pot rack but think it might open things up if yu removed it. Would your pans look cool as a display on the empty wall above your table?

Good luck!!

I agree with behren about considering moving the pots - while I love potracks, I think with such a "combo" space it might help to open it up a bit. I also think things might look a little more pulled together if you cleared off the kitch. cabinets - I had a lot of stuff on mine, and when I did the whole room seemed to breathe better. Perhaps it's worth a try? Good luck! I'm excited to see your end result :-)

(I admit that I haven't read all the posts carefully, so I'm sorry if this repeats others' ideas...)

Depending on the available space, of course, would you consider putting the dining table and chairs by the window? It would be a nice place to have breakfast, read the paper, and perhaps spread out some work during the day, and would give everyone more room at dinner time, too. Then put the sofa along the left wall, and the bookcase where the desk is. I would consider using the brown wall for a longer, taller, leaner desk/shelving/storage system with enough room to enclose the office items and attractively display things as well. If the TV can move to the corner where the bookcase is, then that nook by the door could hold a filing cabinet or other floor to ceiling storage unit (maybe cabinets or something simple from IKEA) to relieve some of the clutter around the desk. Then, finally, you could add an armchair floating out to the right of the sofa , in front of the bookcase to break up the space a little.

Just a few thoughts. Good luck!

What a good idea Pam, i never thought of that.