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Smaller Homes Design Dilemma living room

Living Room Layout & Design -- Help Needed!

6 years ago

We recently removed the wall between the kitchen and our living room in our 1960s ranch-style home to create an open-concept living space. We are in the planning stages of a badly needed kitchen renovation and I want to take into consideration how to layout and design our living room as well so that it feels like one cohesive space. We will be running the wood flooring from the living room into the kitchen which should help, but I have no idea how choose and layout furniture, etc.

This is our only main floor living and entertaining space so we're looking to maximize seating, storage, and functionality. We are open to buying new furniture (ours is old and oversized) but want to make sure we're choosing the correct pieces for the space. Given the kitchen reno our budget is pretty tight, however we want to make sure we do this the right way so that the space works together as a whole.

Our front door opens right into the living room (no foyer or anything) and we have a coat closet along the front wall. We have a bay window that lets in a lot of natural light. We're also contending with a baseboard heater that runs the length of the wall under the window and half of the back wall that the tv is cornered against which makes furniture placement a little tricky (especially against the back wall).

Any ideas, advice, suggestions, would be greatly appreciated! Pics below.

(Ignore the unpainted/spackle ceiling and walls)

Featured Answer

groveraxle

6 years ago

Wall mounted media console, sofa moves away from the door, chairs under the window, dog in far corner.

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Comments (18)

PRO
Grey Heron Interiors
6 years ago
Hello Rachel Munafo,

Would you be interested in building in a opened wall to create a foyer "look" and moving your TV onto that wall and reorienting your seating group?

Karen
jck910
6 years ago
I would definitely have the flooring match
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Here's a more accurate room layout with the dimensions of the room and recessed area for the TV. The very simple website I was using doesn't really let me specify an open archway or change the layout of the walls to reflect the recessed area in the corner with the door, but I don't think it matters much. I'm more concerned with having seating for at least 5 people, not obstructing the window view, and giving everyone a good view of the TV. I was thinking perhaps the chair on the left should be a swivel chair, to allow someone to turn and watch the TV better. I could do without the chair there at all, but would like to have family over on occasion and it would be nice to seat more than 4. Do you guys think this would work?
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Rachel Munafo
Original Author
6 years ago
Hi Karen,

I'm not sure what you mean by building an opened wall.

@jck910, definitely agree, that's a priority!
User
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I would have your sofa backing at the window, your loveseat where your sofa is now and move the chair where the loveseat is at an angle but center your tv on the wall.
Manon Floreat
6 years ago
Please share the measurements of the living room area. We'll need it to recommend properly sized seating.
PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
6 years ago
Here's my suggestion for the room.
User
6 years ago
That’s what I suggested too BeverlyFlaDeziner
PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
6 years ago
Did you draw it up Claire because I don't read comments?
User
6 years ago
Hahaha Oh sorry BeverlyFlaDeziner I didn’t do the plan just wrote it out
groveraxle
6 years ago
Beverly, since when do you not read comments?
Rachel Munafo
Original Author
6 years ago
The wall with the bay window is just over 16ft from the back wall to the start of the door frame. The back wall (where the tv is) is 11ft 6inches, and the small wall where the love seat is 4ft.

I appreciate all of your input so far! Not married to keeping any of the current furniture pieces, want to find options for more seating and storage.

Concern about putting a long couch under the window is that it blocks a main chunk of the radiator. Centering the TV on the back wall is something i'm interested in, but don't know how to place the furniture because the baseboard radiator goes along just half of the wall.
User
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Your not blocking the heat from those baseboards for they have a opening on top of it. Now when you say the bay window wall is 16 feet does that include the entrance door. What is the width from the corner of where tv is to the beginning of door trim
groveraxle
6 years ago
Rachel, you could do a floating console on the TV wall and keep the baseboard heater completely free, if that's a concern.
Laura Hill
6 years ago
Following...
Rachel Munafo
Original Author
6 years ago
the 16 feet does not include the entrance of the door, it's from the wall to the start of the door frame.

Love the idea of a floating console-- and the dog corner haha :)
User
6 years ago
Exum 2 Piece Sectional
https://www.wayfair.com/furniture/pdp/ivy-bronx-exum-2-piece-sectional-ivbx7146.html
Rachel Munafo thanked User
gracie01 zone5 SW of Chicago
6 years ago
My daughter & SIL have a LR just like yours. They have the TV mounted on the wall by the front door with some shelves over and under it. They have a section that starts under the window and wraps around the short wall. Surprisingly it makes the room look larger instead of smaller, just having one piece of furniture.
Rachel Munafo thanked gracie01 zone5 SW of Chicago

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