How to Make Your Living Room More Welcoming (2024)

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Where you put the sofa, coffee table and TV can create an inviting — or awkward — ambience. Find out how to do it right

Eva ByrneSeptember 15, 2016

I'm an Architect + House Consultant based in Dublin. I specialise in House Consultations to maximise Space, Light and Storage in your home. Whether you are planning a Renovation, Extension or New Build project, I aim to help you get your project off to the best possible start and to make best use of your cents and centimetres.

Our living rooms come in many shapes and sizes, and we all yearn for a inviting space where we can unwind alone or gather with friends and family. Creating that sense of warmth and welcome, however, can sometimes elude us. The living room can even be the “problem” room — the space that’s rarely used, for reasons nobody can quite pinpoint. Furniture position plays an important part in the feel of a living room, so check out these ways to get the right arrangement for you.

Greenauer Design Group

Use existing elements as a guide. Think in terms of placing the furniture in the room. This means taking time to consider exactly where each piece should go and how it relates to the other elements in the space.

Using existing features, such as a fireplace or window, as organizing tools or starting points will create a sense of order and calm. Arrange your seating to take advantage of a nice view. Or place a large rug and sofa symmetrically in front of a fireplace to create a welcoming focal point.

Kristy Noble Photography

Create conversation. Place the furniture in such a way that the pieces appear to “talk” to one another, as seen in this arrangement of chairs and sofa, which point toward each other. In this way, they will invite you to join in the conversation.

Fotograf Camilla Stephan

Find a room’s center of gravity. Think of the center of gravity in a room as the place where the largest item of furniture wants to be. In the case of a living room, this piece will usually be the main sofa. Frequently, this will be happiest opposite or adjacent to a fireplace or stove, if there is one, or perhaps the window, if not.

Working with this center of gravity will bring balance and a sense of harmony to the space. The furniture will act as an anchor and provide a strong starting point for organizing the rest of the room.

Pull furniture away from the walls. Avoid the temptation to push furniture against the walls. Although pulling it away may seem counterintuitive, especially in smaller rooms, it will, in fact, improve the flow of light and space. Just a few inches will suffice.

In a large space, think of the room as having different parts, like little moments of calm. For example, a long room could include both a cozy seating arrangement around the fireplace, and a low table for plants or a chair for reading at the window.

Kingston Lafferty Design

Resolve the fight between the TV and fireplace. Fireplaces often form a natural focal point for a living room, but nowadays increasingly large screens vie for attention as the central feature. One solution is to place them side by side, perhaps by extending the fireplace facing to create an alcove for the screen, as in this space, or by placing the TV on a low unit.

Another solution is to sit the TV on a mobile unit, on wheels, beside the fireplace. This means that the TV can be wheeled in or out of the conversation, as required. Or place it on a wall perpendicular to the fireplace.

Studio Revolution

Introduce sculptural lighting. Our furnishings and rooms tend to have corners, or be rectangular in shape, so consider the opportunity to introduce a sculptural element in the form of a light fixture to soften the lines. This could be a floor lamp or a wall-hung fixture.

An oversize lamp can bring drama to a small room and scale to a larger space. It also acts as a natural starting point for furniture arrangement, so if you feel that your room lacks a pleasing layout, try starting with a statement light.

Employ a coffee table as an anchor. A low table placed in the middle of a seating space will both define the conversation area and provide a useful surface for books and nibbles.

A height of 14 to 16 inches is perfect — any higher can become too dominant. In terms of size, err on the larger side; just like a small rug, a small table will be lost and contribute nothing to the arrangement.

homelabstylingforsale

Place art strategically. Art can give scale and intimacy to a space, and provide a striking focal point in a room that would otherwise lack one. If you’re struggling with how to place your furniture, try hanging a striking piece of art on the wall and using it as a guide.

What you hang can be less important than how you hang it. Using a height of 6 feet as a center point for most pieces will give a pleasing result — engaging to both the eye and the room.

bfs d - flachsbarth schultz

Unleash the power of the rug.
A large rug will further anchor the main seating area, and provide the opportunity to introduce texture and color into the room. It works best to place the furniture either fully or partially on the rug rather than around it.

Consider also the shape of the rug. For example, the direction in which you lay a rectangular one can have a huge effect on how you perceive the room.

Your turn: How have you positioned the furniture in your living room? Are you happy with the arrangement? Please share your photos in the Comments below.

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