Best 4 Ideas for Rectangular Living Room Layout

We'll tell you the secret to making your designs feel safe. Deciding on the layout of your living room can be more important than choosing the furniture itself. A newly constructed modular sofa looks great on a graphic area rug, next to a totally trendy side table. But if that rug is too small and that sofa is pushed into a corner, that is, if a trendy side table is installed in the walkway, problems arise. Style is just as appealing as its functionality, especially if you're looking for a comfortable home. When it comes to the best living room layout ideas, intentional placement of pieces can make a huge difference in how your overall design scheme looks and feels.

So don't kick your favorite surfaces or seats to the curb just yet, move the pieces to a more optimal position and see if everything feels airier and more inviting (no one These two words people like to use to describe their lives) area). No one expects you to become a master of this particular game of Tetris, but there are some tricks to remember to maximize flow and symmetry. We asked three designers for advice on classically shaped spaces. Here are their thoughts on the best layout ideas for a rectangular living room.. Read on for four easy layouts to try and lots of practical tips.

Placing the sofa directly against the wall may seem like the best place to do it, but if you have other space available, going this route can make your rectangular room feel much larger. Instead, designer Alvin Wayne suggests letting the sofa “float” around the room, giving it enough surface area to move around comfortably. “If you have a fireplace, place it towards the fireplace as a focal point,” he adds. By floating the sofa in the room, you can make the area feel larger and more comfortable. A side table can be placed on either side with the coffee table in front (or you can have just one side table and a plant or table lamp on the other side), or a small You can also place a console table behind the sofa for a vignette or lighting. Add accent chairs for additional seating as space in the room allows (again, you need to make sure there's enough room to move around each piece). You can also make the arrangement asymmetrical or team the duo on one side of the room or on opposite sides of the room.

Or maybe a very rectangular living room means there are special opportunities for avid entertainers. says designer Amy Vroom, owner of The Residency Bureau. “Do you want to create a fun conversation zone?” she asks. “If that's the case, put two couches facing each other. Place a coffee table in between for easy access to drinks and appetizers.” Bookworms can relax as long as there's no risk of tripping over the furniture. You could also consider adding a chaise lounge in the corner of this long room, she says, as a secondary area for your work.

Many designers will tell you that installing a TV above a fireplace is not the best layout option. The main reason is that televisions often compete with this architectural feature for attention. But that's not the main reason why Renovate 108 designer Jessica Ditri Mares advises avoiding it whenever and wherever possible. “We understand that in some households there may not be a second option, but doing this will inevitably raise the TV too high for physical comfort,” she says. . “The absolutely ideal solution is to hang your TV centrally at eye level when you're seated. This provides a more immersive and ideal viewing experience, while also reducing your posture and neck. ” To that end, if your rectangular living room layout allows, consider hanging a media console above a table for a finished look or mounting a screen on a swivel. Place peppers on chairs, tables, and other furniture as space allows.

In small apartments and houses, working around the perimeter of a rectangular living room may make better use of the space. Think of it this way. If you put your sofa too far from the wall, you might not have enough space to add a coffee table without bumping into it when you walk around…etc. So consider placing the sofa in the center of the wall, opposite a focal point of some kind, and adding a number of tables and chairs or ottomans for additional seating if you have space.

Depending on the orientation of the rectangle and the actual dimensions of the room, Vroom suggests a second alternative. “In small rooms, I often place two chairs across from the sofa and a focal wall between them, like a fireplace or artwork,” she says. This is similar to the “talking” setup on the sofa above, only significantly reduced in size. “If you have a little more space, you can also add a small bench or two small stools for additional seating when guests stop by.”

Most of the above layouts can be customized to suit your own needs. For example, in any case you can replace the sofa with some kind of section (with the exception of the “talking” layout of the sofa, where you can create a similar setup with one U-shaped section). That said, if you want to avoid creating traffic jams in a room as you and others move through the space, you can add or remove accent furniture or add lighting to increase visibility. You may need to overlap. The pros shared some more wisdom about table and rug selection, so keep these ideas in mind as you fine-tune your rectangular living room layout now and in the future. .

As long as your coffee table doesn't wobble, that's good enough, right? Well, there's more to this anchor than meets the eye. “The coffee table should be 18 inches from the sofa and no more than two-thirds the width of the sofa,” says Mares. So if your current coffee table is significantly smaller than that, consider placing it next to your sofa or next to a chair, as it may be a good material for a side table.

Drinks tables are making a comeback in even the smallest living rooms. “I really like the idea of ​​having a small cocktail table between two chairs, in addition to a side table or coffee table,” continues Mares. “This is especially useful in tight spaces, as it typically has a pedestal base so it can easily slip between two chairs, even if they are placed close together.”Last Math to Remember Tip: “Don't force two side tables with sections if it doesn't work,” Mares says. “Side tables should be within 1 to 2 inches of the sofa's arm height.”

When it comes to side tables in particular, Vroom says she stacks them to suit how she uses her living room. “Do you need a small drinks table or something bigger for a lamp?” If lounging is your primary goal, add an upholstered ottoman to put your feet up. ” The larger one can be used as a coffee table.

You should be able to reuse a familiar coffee table or sofa if you change the layout, but you may have to let go of a rug that's too small. Wayne, Mares, and Bloom all agree that the biggest layout mistake they encounter in living rooms is often a small rug, which can take away from style and functionality. did. Rugs that look like islands are slippery. In the middle of the room!

“Typically, I choose a rug that's a little longer than the couch. My preference is to go a little larger in size to stabilize the room,” says Vroom. “Choose a size that at least allows the front legs of your sofa or chair to rest on top of the rug. You can also pair it with an asymmetrical rug or a circular rug. Make it large enough so that some of your furniture can rest on top of the rug. intend to.”

But if you really like a rug that is too small, Vroom has this suggestion. “To solve this problem, layer a neutral rug like sisal underneath your favorite items.”