Sometimes, it’s the little things that make a difference – like a small shift in your living room furniture arrangements. If you’ve got a small space or don’t want to commit the time to a full overhaul, try these living room layout ideas from Evelyn Lily Interiors.
The way we use our home is ever-changing but when redesigning your living room, you need to consider three things:
- The users (such as family or adults)
- The purpose (such as socialising or multi-purpose, like a workspace)
- The dimensions (such as size, long and thin or square).
There may also be other quirks to your home outside of these general considerations. For example, you might have bought a period property that offers little ‘extras’ to help you get creative. But first, we need to consider who is residing in the home.
Living room layout ideas for different groups
If you’ve got a family to accommodate, you’ll need a flexible option. Large L-shaped sofas may limit you if you need to move items around, so instead, consider one main sofa and a smaller armchair. You can then have a ‘breakout area’ for kids’ play, with an informal dining set.
If your house is inhabited by elderly people, you may also need to consider mobility. Think about the flow of the room. How easily can residents get from the sitting area to the door? Are there obstacles in the way such as coffee tables? Create a thoroughfare and picture yourself gliding through it. You may also want to consider levels here. Older residents may struggle to reach items high on shelves, so make sure everything is within sitting reach. A small side table for telephones and magazines is ideal.
If it’s adults only, you may consider a more formal, balanced setting. Consider two couches facing one another, or a couch facing two armchairs. Every living room needs a focal point, but this doesn’t have to be the TV! It could be a fireplace or coffee table to encourage conversation.
Living room furniture arrangements based on purpose
If it’s more of a casual setting for relaxing or having friends over, you can afford to be less flexible. An L-shaped sofa would work well here, but equally, smaller chairs and stools that you can move around would also work. Just make sure the TV is visible from all angles – or the coffee table if you’re so inclined!
If it’s a multi-purpose space, you might want to consider sectioning off areas. You don’t need a rigid wall or separator – just a rug underneath one area will be enough to distinguish the spaces.
Keep the distractions (like the TV) in the social area, and plenty of lighting in the office space – ideally next to a window.
Working with a standard or non-conventional living room layout
A standard square room might sound like it affords you the most options, but you can be creative! Let’s say you have a long, thin living room, for example. You’re likely limited with natural light, so you need to designate artificial lighting to specific areas.
You may consider a freestanding lamp to highlight a reading or study area. Or you may have to be resourceful with storage options. Taller storage options can help you clear away the clutter without infringing on the main space in the room.
Got room to swing a cat? Experiment! Don’t feel that you have to push all the furniture items against the walls. This is a common living room layout faux pas and it leaves the items looking lost. Instead, return to that focal point – such as chairs positioned around a rug or coffee table.
If you’ve got a standard square layout but less than 9m each way, there are other ways you can enhance the space. Add a wall mirror to instantly open up a room, or consider moving soft furnishings away from sources of natural light.
Living room layouts in period houses
If you’ve bought yourself a charming period property, there’s plenty of scope to be creative – especially if you like a challenge. Period houses can offer all sorts of awkward layouts, as well as beams, low ceilings and imposing fireplaces. Don’t consider this a bad thing. Work with it!
Let’s say there is a fireplace that’s hogging all the attention. It may have worked well in Victorian times, but nowadays, the centrepiece is invariably a television or workspace. So, take the focus off the fireplace and don’t position furniture next to it. Instead, stop furniture hugging the walls and bring it forward. This will direct the eye away from larger distractions.
If you’ve got low ceilings, make sure there is no seating positioned directly underneath it. This is asking for accidents and may feel imposing to visitors. Instead, use these areas for small shelves or nesting tables, where users would have to bend down either way.
Living room layouts in smart homes
On the other side of the scale, your home may be space age! If you’ve invested in a smart home, there’s still room for classic furniture to serve a purpose. A ‘smart home’ may comprise any number of different technologies, from voice assistants to automatic blinds and home cinema screens.
As such, you’ll need to position your furniture accordingly. Start by thinking about the sound in the room. If you’ve invested heavily in audio-visual equipment, then you’ll need to think about how the sound reverberates around the room.
Are you going for that cinema effect, wherein viewers feel like they are immersed in the scene? If so, keep soft furnishings a fair distance from speakers as this may distort the sound. Conversely, hard, metallic surfaces can amplify sound, so make sure these are positioned in the right place – not pointing out of a window, for example.
Automated blinds are great for saving energy, but they may cause your furniture to fade if you’re not always in control of when they come on. Leave sofas away from direct sunlight, and rotate cushions and rugs regularly.
Get more inspiration at Evelyn Lily
Your house will only become your home when you put your unique design stamp on it. Whether it’s storage solutions or clever lighting, we’re always coming up with ways to make the most of your space. Find more ideas on our blog or living room collections.
