What are your options? Meaning do you intend it to be mounted to a wall or sit on a credenza of some sort? Is this the only room available for TV watching? I does not appear architects think through how a space is to LIVE in when they design these things does it? What's behind the chair on the right?

Hi. Congrats on the new home! If you don't mind, I'd love to see a photo of the entrance wall.

With the info I have, I would create a foot path from the entrance to the (dining area?) and place the furniture arrangement as I show.

The disadvantage of having the tv in the corner and also the staging setup is that foot trafficeis continually walking past the tv.

Foot traffic will go in the direction of the red arrows.

Depending on how you live, sofa and chairs could be flipped or you could buy a sectional. Make sure to keep furniture low height and light in color.

Hope this helps!

Thank you! I’m not sure it will work with our layout and we are working with a small space, but here’s some more pics.

We do have a basement also for a tv, but we would like one in the main living space too. Open to mounting or atop furniture. Would it make sense to modify the built in and remove some shelves to mount the tv inside?

Hi. Thanks so much for additional photos! If you have exact room measurements, I can help more, but I can guess based upon furniture I see in the space. Here are 3 more ideas.

You could remove the shelves on the bookcase and place the tv there. Or remove the bookcase altogether, as the tv would be rather high.

I would not angle the tv, as that is a very dated look. You can always put the tv on and articulating arm, should you choose to hang it in the bookcase area.

What I would do is to take your existing furniture and try the layouts I proposed and see what works best for you.

I don't know how many people are in the family or your lifestyle.

I did not add rugs, tables, lamps etc to all of the floor plans.....just trying to give you a general idea.

Well, you were typing as I was suggesting the same.

Again, it depends on what you want and how you live. Design is never perfect, except on hgtv. LOL.

So, putting it in the bookcase downside is that foot traffic will pass through and the tv will be mounted high. Upside is it opens up the room more.

It depends on how you live, how many people are watching tv, foot traffic patterns, etc.

Are you in the home now?

Yes, pros and cons especially when buying a home that other people made design choices on! We close on Friday and move over the weekend but I think I’ll just have the TV in the stand on the floor at first. we are coming from a condo where the TV was mounted above the fireplace since that was the only possible configuration, so somewhat kind of used to walking in front lol

Yes.....an angled tv never looks good.

An articulating arm is your answer. Make sure you check the depth it takes up when folded back and/or get the thinnest tv. People are surprised how quickly the depth adds up.

Yes, you can get a sectional. Just be careful to measure and not buy one that is too large. Also, I recommend a modular one........that is, it can be taken apart and reconfigured.

There are downsides to sectionals, but they do work in some situations. Visually, it would work well here.

From a practical standpoint, here are the downsides

-guests prefer their own chairs (with covid, even more)

-sectionals cannot be rearranged (unless you get a modular one)

-only 2 people have and end table.

Again, depends on you and what you want and how you live. Visually, a sectional would be perfect.

If you have existing pieces, leave them in this room at first, and move them to form a sectional......see how you like that. I think you will, based on what you said.

Measure, measure, measure. Make sure you buy the right size.

How exciting to move in this weekend!

Great advice! I really do appreciate it. Do you have any recommendations for small space modular sectionals? I hear mixed reviews regarding Lovesac.

I like article.com and roveconcepts.com for a more modest budget. Article allows you to buy individual pieces. I also like joybird.com They allow you to try a sofa for 2 weeks with free return.

Have you considered a TV stand with a back in front of the stairs?

Some other styles:

https://foter.com/tv-stand-with-back-panel

I just purchased a sectional sofa at a high end furniture store. It is not a sofa that will last for decades, but it is a good quality sofa (Flexsteel). The sofa I purchased has the highest grade fabric flex steel offers and has 3 recliners, 2 stationary seats and the corner seat. The list price was just over $8,000.00, but someone else had ordered the sofa and then refused delivery and this was sitting in the back room. I purchased the sofa for $2,800.00. The best price I found on the internet for this model was $4,500 and that sofa was a 2 x 2 vs a 2 x 3.

I have always found the best deals shopping high end shops and when I lived in San Diego, shopping in the high end neighborhoods and cities.

I’ve always had good luck getting high quality pieces off craigslist, but with mattresses and sofas, I prefer new or floor sample!

Do you think a stand in front of the stairs would look too busy with the current shelf?

Yes, not only too busy, but not enough space. Tv would need to be tiny.

If you place the TV in the shelving unit you have about 3' maybe 4' for the TV. It will be in the direct line of sight when you walk through the front door and unless you use an articulated arm and have the TV pulled out and at an angle you won't have a good viewing angle.

Placing the TV on the long wall opposite the stairs is another option that was mentioned earlier.

Is having the TV in front of the stairs ideal? No, but it may be the best option. It looks like the wall is equal to about 7 stairs, at 11" each that gives you a small alcove 1' deep and 6' wide.

I would leave the options open until you move in and then use cardboard cutouts to test the TV and furniture placement in the space.

You didn’t mention how big the TV is, but can’t you place it on a stand in front of the windows? Then, place 2 chairs opposite the TV. I like the model home’s sofa placement.

The TV is 42-44”. I have one slightly smaller as well that i could swap out.

Our current living room is a similar size and layout. our TV is mounted opposite the stairs. we have a couch and one chair facing it. I think that's the best looking layout. I think putting the TV anywhere near the stairs makes the space feel awkward. you don't need to sit far from a 44" tv. 8 feet is probably ideal. unless you don't plan on watching it much, I wouldn't put it in the bookcase.

Thank you! do you have a pic of your living room?

the rug is 9x12. I think it works better without a coffee table but we had it so we used it. without the coffee table we'd have space to move everything in a bit. our couch is not large or puffy, which helps keep the room in perspective. it also helps delineate our entrance.
also we know our TV is mounted way too high but we have no other choice.

I like your arrangement a lot! Love your floors.

Similar to my floor plan. It depends on what you want. Use a light-colored low sofa.

If you goal is to make the room feel very open, but not so functional, you could place the tv in the bookcase. If your goal is to create a nice place to view tv and keep foot traffic out of the furniture area, then you want it like below.

Always think "function" first. How do you use this room? How many people? What is the purpose of the space?

Do you still think we could use a modular sofa/L shaped sofa if we choose that arrangement.

Yes. See how I show the sofa with a chaise end? You could put the second section along the window.

Before you move the current sofa to the basement, leave it in the living room and configure it how I show below (or you can try the other choice of tv in the bookcase).

Then, actually sit on it, look at it and determine what works for you.

This is why I do a floor plan and 3 d rendering for each client. They can see what their room will look like in reality.

Perfect I’ll try and report back :)

This is an interesting dilemma. I would put the sofa on the window wall and saying some plain white drapes on the Windows behind it. Then put a credenza and the TV set on the wall where the staging pictures have the sofa and the large picture. Then you can keep your nice built-in bookcase. Use your smaller chairs in the remaining space facing toward the TV end or couch so you can view the TV and move them around if needed. This will keep the traffic area free to get to that dining room.

Thanks Nancy!

Ok— we are getting somewhere with configuring the space in our living room! We’ve decided to place the TV on some sort of stand against the wall across from the stairs (where the staging couch was). We will place a sofa under the two windows on the front wall. We will move our leather chair and ottoman to the corner with the built in shelf and potentially another smaller accent chair in the opposite corner. Does that make sense? Thoughts?

I don't think it sounds like an ideal plan.

How will you be using the room? It sounds like the furniture will be so far apart, one cannot hold a conversation. Also, it is going to feel a little wonky with 2 unmatching chairs, unless you want an eclectic vibe.

It’s honestly not very far apart since the room is not large. The room will mainly be used to hangout at home and watch TV. As far as unmatched chairs, I actually really don’t lIke matching sets. I much prefer putting different things together. With that info, I am open to any and all suggestions that have the sofa on the window wall and TV on a stand of some sort on the long wall opposite the stairs!

I’d pull the chairs to face the tv. If you are happy with how you have it now, though. I would leave it that way.

We haven’t even ordered the couch, tv stand or additional accent chair. One piece at a time (couch first) to ensure we have enough space.

How practical is that shelving unit in the living room? It's awkward. You can't put a TV in it and watch comfortably. IMO creating a pantry that opens into the dining room might be best for it. You'd create a solid wall on the living room side.

IMO putting the sofa on the window side is a good idea. In this way you can pull it away from the window and put a storage trunk or table there to put stuff on as you enter your home.

Yeah the built in is kind of awkward but after living in the space for a week, I think it will look nice and hold all our servingware. I already decided against the tv inside there because it would have been a hassle to try and take the shelves out, Mount the tv on an arm, etc. it also would have killed the shelf if we decided we didn’t like it for the future!

Another thought - increase the size of the built-in a wee bit to create a coat closet(not unless there is one not showing in the photos).

I thought I would add this question here regarding my sofa, since my second thread isn't getting any responses.

I need to order a couch for my new living room and want to make sure I order one that isn’t too large for the space, yet seats three comfortably. The wall we are putting it on is roughly 120 inches from the corner to the door. The couch will sit under two windows that are 100 inches from end to end. Do you think an 88 inch couch, centered under the windows will not overwhelm? It will sit about three To four inches Above the window sill as well. Across the couch will sit two chairs (haven’t yet ordered or considered). I’ll place a large area rug on the floor. a TV stand will sit centered on the plain wall across from the stairs. Thoughts? (mostly about the couch size, but other feedback welcomed). Pic of room and also couch we are considering attached for reference. Couch will be in a neutral, light fabric, but TBD.