Living Room Furniture

Design Considerations For Your Living Room

Being tasked with arranging a living room is no easy feat. After perusing images online and selecting your general look, tone and theme, the task can seem overwhelming. The best way to approach sitting room design is to break the space up into its various compartments.

Layout

First up is to decide the layout you want. Start by measuring your space, wall to wall, so that you know exactly what will and will not fit. Draw this in scale on a piece of paper so that you have it for reference.

Next, decide on a focal point of the living room. Do you have a fireplace, a feature wall, a tv stand, some great art or even a chandelier? Your main sofa will be facing this focal point. Other furniture like side tables, ottomans and armchairs can be arranged around the sofa. You can, and should, rearrange the layout to get a better feel of what you like.

Furniture

After measuring the space and designing the layout, you will need to carefully pick your furniture items. Larger areas can opt for a 3 seater sofa or a sectional option like an L-shaped couch.

Narrower spaces like townhouses might be better suited for a loveseat than an entire living room set. Prop the sofa up against the wall to create more space for other decor. Add a coffee table at the centre of the sitting room, remembering not to go overboard on size. A good rule of thumb is to make it around two thirds the length of the sofa.

Decor

Decor turns a dull space into a lively liveable environment. Place a small side table next to the sofa so that everyone seated has a place for their drinks, remembering not to clutter the space.

Consider touches of flare by hanging art, photographs or floating shelves on the empty walls. Drape a throw on your sofa or add sofa covers to change things up. Consider the color and style of curtains or blinds when designing your living room. And it’s always a good idea to get a large rug, placed centrally under the coffee table for some color.

Lighting & Color

Select your wall paint color after deciding on your furniture. It’s easier and cheaper to repaint than to repurchase all your furniture. Get sample paint from the store and see how they work in the environment you’ve created. You’ll be surprised how different the colors look up on the wall than on the swatches in the store.

Try as many samples as possible until you land on the one that you feel comfortable with. Darker colors like black and blue are recommended for larger spaces as they can make a space feel closed. Gray and white can really brighten things up, making your space feel more airy and open. If you do have a small space but want a bit of color, paint a feature wall and combine decor elements in the same color palette.

Lighting is also an extremely important part of your living room design. This overlooked design feature can add a bit of elegance and comfort. Soft indirect lighting can make a space feel calmer than direct harsh lighting. Research the various temperatures and tones before buying bulbs.