How do I arrange big living/dining/play space?

12 years ago

Hello All, a newbie here :). I spent the last few days reading past posts, the forum surely is a mount of information and helpful knowledge.. Here's my dilemma: big and long, open living space in our new apartment. We recently moved from a small 3 bedroom apartment to a 3 story house and we're having a tough time organizing the place (well, I am, husband would just throw in the couch and a tv and call it a day ;)). The living area now is probably 3 x the previous space, but not that ideal of a layout though. Once you open the front door, you walk straight into the long living room with windows on almost every wall. It's furthermore divided into 2 spaces (columns and the different floor colors - we rent so not much to be able to change here). The first area has 2 big windows, the second area has a fireplace and a window across, wide entry to dining room.

The previous tenants setup was: couches, chairs, coffee table and TV in the first space, dining table with chairs in the second space (with the fireplace) and playroom in the third space. I'd ideally want to keep the dining table close to the kitchen, which leaves the divided living space for parent 'adult' living area and my daughter's toy heaven ;).

I had a thought about putting the dining table behind the sofa, and relegating toys into the blue room and making a designated playroom, but then the dining area is all the way in the front of the house, kitchen all the way to the back... And once you open the front door, you see the table as the first thing. Now you trip over the toys, not ideal, either.. I'd really like to keep the couch where it is, love that fireplace, right now the sofa is slightly slanted.

Attached is also my idea for a coffee table, the round one was a temporary (free) CL replacement for our coffee table that got damaged during the move. The glass is not great with a active 2 year old. I already have the hairpin legs, need the tabletop and a warm day to make the table - it'll fit the space right? Hope so.. Please help me brainstorm ideas how to finish up that space! Should we switch dining/place spaces around? I know the place needs wall decor, curtains, maybe another small reading chair. The white bookcase can be moved, it's anchored to the wall, and it seemed best placement for it.. Thanks in advance!

Here is a link that might be useful: Living room pix

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Comments (7)

polly929
12 years ago
First I have to ask, how committed are you to keeping the big giant blow up bouncy houses in your living space? There is just no hiding them or disguising them. So if you really want to keep both of them, you will always have a room that screams toy haven. Is there a spare bedroom where you can keep the larger one? Or reserve it for use outside?

I think the front room will work really well as a child's play area. Using creative storage, covered baskets or even cubes on your white book case can help conceal some toys. Since you are facing into the living room when entering from the front door, if the room with the fireplace is arranged in a cozy manner, that will be the first thing you see. Is there any way you can put the couch beneath the window, and the TV next to the fireplace where the white chair is? This way when people walk in they don't see the back of the couch and the TV facing them. Maybe you can move the chair to the corner of the play room, with a small storage cube ottoman in front to hold toys.

I agree, I think your dining area should stay close to the kitchen in the blue room. Otherwise it will be completely impractical when serving dinner or having guests over for a meal.
vanillafields
Original Author
12 years ago
Thank you for your advice, here are some clarifications :):
The huge bouncy castle is out the door soon (it was temporary solution to get my hyper 2 toddler worn out when it was too cold to play outside - we live in Northeast). It barely holds any air anyway. The table and chairs are in the garage, they need to be refinished, but that's waiting for a warmer weather too - hopefully soon in the beginning of March, believe me, I'm fed up having the castle there too lol.. The table: round oak table with pedestal leg and pressback chairs, the tabletop will be stained and the legs painted black, same with the chairs.
As for the sofa.. the problem is, the window there is the only one that can hold AC unit in summer (the other windows are opened vertically) - that WOULD be perfect if it wasn't for that AC! Maybe if I moved the console all the way to the right of the back of the sofa and put an accent chair there.. Or moved the console on the wall where the bookcase is now (bookcase would have to move someplace else then) and put two accent chairs with a little table in between? The sof IS the focal point right now (or the back of it.. without my slightest intention at doing so..
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I vote for hardwood or engineered wood through the whole space, including the kitchen. Opening the wall would be nice, but I suspect your appliances are arrayed along that wall? I'd paint the wall the same pale color as the living space, and hang a really big mirror on the wall if you can't open it. Then you open the wall visually, and reflect the light from the sliders back into the space. (I know...me and mirrors. They are great manipulators of space, particularly when you commit to making them big!)
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Thanks for quick the reply! I do not receive clients in the room, so I don't need any other chairs. I was contemplating a small chair with an ottoman for reading, but haven't decided yet. The window on the right in my pictures looks out to the backyard, the window on the left looks out to my neighbors. The office is on the second floor. Nothing will distract me, I enjoy glancing out at the windows and the birds. I'm going to add light filtering shades in case the glare gets too bad. I'd like to avoid being in a position where they need to be down all the time because of glare since I like looking out the window so much. The second desk will double as my drawing space and for my makeup. So, I will be reaching for it on a semi-regularly basis.
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The toilet is strange (being wholly exposed from the side view) in it's original configuration, now it is the same but seen in the mirror, so if you can't rework it I would just add a pony wall to hide it. That is an assumption based on you won't be buying a $2400 toilet to be used as an art piece. The new beams is just be cognizant of the sizes, as you don't want to go deeper than an 11 7/8" or probably would not want to widen the Dining wall if you need a (2+) plies. As far as "at least," I'm not a big fan of enclosing the view and constricting the arrival point of the entry caused by the shifted Powder Room. Nor of the W/D being viewed directly across the house (pocket doors are usually left open most of the time because they are a hassle). Also, I'm not sure how big a Dining table you need, but you have 12'x9', and have created a circulation of 3' between the table (closer to 5'-6' actual clear) to get out the new swing door. Having that separate swing door and it's circulation reduces your Kitchen counter/cab space (as opposed to using a slider, which matches the Living slider, behind the table within the 12' room length). And your island probably doesn't need a prep sink, as it is a small kitchen and the main sink is right there. None of these are make it or break it things, the layout you show will do if you're fine with it.
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So here’s what I came up with. Two things to take note of: 1. I painted three walls with a darker color. Visually, this will trick your eye to think the walls are connected so to speak and become one wall. 2. The wall of drapes. If you can do this, it hides that little section of wall between the windows and makes that seem like it’s one big wall. You will want to put tv on an articulating arm so you can pull it out and angle it toward the sectional.
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polly929
12 years ago
Do you know how to put the pics in the actual message instead of providing the link? It was a bit difficult going back and forth between the link to give you some advice. You may get more help and advice from the forum if the pics were front and center.
vanillafields
Original Author
12 years ago
I would love to embed the pictures in the message but not sure how. Tried to go to the Help section but I only see the explanation on attaching the link. Can you help?
polly929
12 years ago
I can do it on photobucket, but I couldn't figure out how to do it from the site you were using.

Can anyone else help?
heather483
12 years ago
Just checking to see if this works to share the pictures:
vanillafields
Original Author
12 years ago
Ok.. THANK YOU. I used photobucket instead and looks like I figured it out now.. Here is goes:
Here's the view into the space from the front door.

The sofa is a bit on the diagonal, used to be straight but it seemed like it chopped the space into 2, and all you could see was the back, now it's more the side/back..
I wish it could go opposite the fireplace but then it's flush with the only window that can hold the AC unit.. And I really want to keep it close to the fireplace. Here's the playspace behind the couch:

Here's the view from the dining room, it's still pretty open to the living area.

And here's the dining room:

Again, the bounce castle will be out the door once I finish with the dining table, once the weather warms up.. My other idea was to make the dining room into playroom but the only space for the dining table would be behind the sofa, right next to the entry door.. Far from the kitchen which is connected to the dining now (half a duplex, so it's long and narrow). Any other ideas? Thank you in advance!

How do I arrange big living/dining/play space?

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polly929

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How do I arrange big living/dining/play space?

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polly929

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