Help--How do I build living room around loveseat?

11 years ago

We just purchased our first home. Now, I'm losing sleeping trying to think about how to furnish and decorate it on a budget!

I want to start with our living room. When we were living in a rental house with a small living room, we purchased an Ikea Karlstad Loveseat in Kondal Green. I like the lines, but I regret the size. It's fine for two people sitting, but you can't lay down and read a book.

So now, what can I do to add furniture for a larger, more comfortable living room? Ikea has a chaise that i could add on, but they don't have the same fabric color as current loveseat. So the entire addition would come in at $500 (for chaise and new covers), which seams like a lot just to expand the loveseat.

What are folks thoughts? Keep the loveseat as a small couch and add two or more accent chairs? Add a full size couch? Add the chaise lounge?

Thanks for any thoughts. I'm feeling a little stuck with the loveseat, and hope we can make it work. I do like the color and lines, but want more cozy options.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ikea Karlstad Loveseat

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Comments (8)

LuAnn_in_PA
11 years ago
I guess it depends on how the room size, what else will be in there, and how you plan to use it.
slaurajones
Original Author
11 years ago
The room is 11X13. We have two chairs we can put in the room now, but nothing we're committed to. This house is basically a clean slate for us, and I'm struggling with thoughts about how to start. I don't want to just hop over to ikea to get it all done, but I do need it functional pretty quickly.

Anyhow, I'd love ideas on how to work around/with the loveseat, and start a process that is totally new to me. I've never invested in furniture or decorating b/c we were never in one place long enough for it to make sense.

Many thanks!
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Thanks, Loribee. I'm glad I'm not the only one. Hubby says we can head over to Macy's tomorrow to look at the Chloe and a few other chairs. Maybe look at ottomans too because Cassie has decided she loves the loveseat with the ottoman from my office for her head. :) springmeadow - I was hoping that too. But the backs of them, where you place your head, were almost brown with dirt and wear. Ditto the arms. Threadbare in those places. Then we checked them over to see if they would be worth recovering, even though it would be expensive, but hubby said there was evidence of breakage at the bottom of one and on the leg of the other. Still looking. I would really like to keep it at around $500/$600 a chair, if possible. The Chloe is on sale right now for $449.
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I struggle with these kinds of decisions myself.. but here are my thoughts: 1. a loveseat isnt much more effective than a chair --yes, you can put two butts on one, but they arent a whole lot bigger than a generous club chair. 2. If you ever have a need for more seating.. the sofa is there. If not-- well, you have another place to stretch out. ;) 3. I had a bauhaus microsuede sofa and it just wore like teflon-- even with two large dogs. 4. And finally, I like it's earthy clay color with your fireplace and the absolutely lovely floors!! I think the ivory of the loveseat may be too sharp a contrast.
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always1stepbehind
11 years ago
If you have the room, I would want a full size sofa in the living room. Then you would have your lay down, stretch out space. Since you mention decorating on a budget, I would watch craigslist for a nice neutral couch with the same lines as your loveseat.
avesmor
11 years ago
Not all furniture has to be done in the same fabric. It's fine (preferrable) to have variety. You can add a full size sofa if you want to lay down in the living room, or a set of chairs if you can lay in the bedroom, or recliners, or...

You might not care for a chaise lounge down the road. Unless you have a very lare room, you may find it limiting down the road, kind of like a sectional.
luckygal
11 years ago
If you like the loveseat you might get the matching sofa in a complementary color. Those 2 colors and one or two more will be your color scheme. If not start from square one with a different sofa and use the chairs you have.

Since your new room is not all that large do measure carefully and even lay out templates of the furniture to see how it all fits.
Oakley
11 years ago
Because of the small size of the LR, I'd stick with the loveseat and add two chairs.

My old LR was 12 x 20, and I found it tiny for a family of four. It was just too narrow. I liked it the most when we had a loveseat and no sofa in the room. We had two other chairs also. It gave me more room to play with and move around.

I could easily lay on the loveseat to read, I just plopped my legs over the arms. :)
vanillafields
11 years ago
Maybe two loveseats? You can easily turn one into a chaise lounge with a mobile ottoman, plus you get so needed storage..
lindac
11 years ago
2 love seats still isn't a sofa.....2 chairs and a love seat still isn't a sofa.
If I am reading the ads correctly, a sofa and cover to match the love seat would amount to $550.....That's what I would do and put the chairs you have in bedrooms.
Do you have a family room? or will the living room be your "place to be"....where you watch TV and generally hang out? If so you will need a sofa and a love seat in there....more versatile than a sectional and you can still add a small open arm chair if you need to.
Linda C

Help--How do I build living room around loveseat?

Comments (8)

LuAnn_in_PA

slaurajones
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Help--How do I build living room around loveseat?

Comments (8)

LuAnn_in_PA

slaurajonesOriginal Author

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always1stepbehind

avesmor

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slaurajones
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