skip to main content

Furniture Design Dilemma living room

Sunken Living Room Furniture Advice

12 months ago

Hi All! My wife and I are finishing up some light updating on our new home, which has both a den and a living room. We're coming from a condo, so our existing furniture will fit well in the den. However, we now have this nice large living room as well, and we're struggling to figure out how to configure the furniture. It's a sunken living room, which is immediately visible as you enter the front door. The far end (left if you're facing the fireplace) is open to the dining room. I've attached some photos below (the red carpet is the "before" shot, but it's the only one with the view into the dining room, so enjoy a peek at the past!).

We'll have a TV in there, wall mounted either left or right fireplace (I'm thinking to the left of the fireplace, but open to the right). I don't really like looking up at a TV, so above the fireplace really isn't an option in my opinion.

We'd like a sectional, but can't decide if right-sided (legs facing the fireplace and the dining room) or left-sided (legs facing the fireplace and the front window) make the most sense.

If we go right-sided do we push the sectional all the way under the window so we're not "wasting" space? I usually don't prefer pushing furniture against the wall, but maybe it makes sense in this case? Then we'd put a couple of chairs on the left side, which would potentially leave some dead space down from the dining room?
If we go left sided, that might create a "cozy" living room setting, but then might make that area feel more closed off, since the backs would be toward the dining room? Would that approach negate the openness of the space?
Or do we say screw the sectional and go with the longer straight couch with more chairs + ottoman?

We appreciate any advice!

(I cut off the bottom dimension, sorry! The width of the living room is 14', so the core space we have to work with is about 14x20)

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

jackowskib
12 months ago
I’m sure some pros will chime in on living room layout guidance. But I’m curious, have you explored raising living room floor so it’s all the same with entry and dining level? That before photo, wow! Lol.
kandrewspa
12 months ago
I agree with @jackowskib - everything is already torn up - this is your opportunity to raise the floor. I had a friend with a sunken family room. All of the cold air from the first floor pooled in there so it was always the coldest room in the house. Since it was the room they spent the most time in, this was not ideal. It would be a good first step to bringing your house out of the '70's (or '60's).
Related Discussions
1st Home Furniture Arrangement! Small, high-traffic sunken living room
Q
Comments (11)
Definitely no to two conversation areas, but yes to opening it up and taking advantage of the entire space. I'm not sure how far you are on your selections, but Ethan Allen offers Complementary Design services with your purchase, and I can honestly say working one on one with someone to create a tailored, cohesive space for you down to the exact measurements and circulation of a space plan is very valuable for pieces you want to own and fit for a long time. If you want more info, you can PM me. Otherwise, good luck with your space and congratulations on your new home! I like the idea of sofa + 2 chairs or Sectional + 1 or 2 small chairs.... not everything has to match, just balance well!
...See More
Advice for design, colors, etc, for sunken/vaulted living room 1976
Q
Comments (10)
Thanks again everyone for the feedback. Below are a few pics of the room from the listing, show the room better than I could. Sounds like: 1. Leave wood paneling intact and "as is" 2. Continue flooring down into sunken area 3. Replace track lighting w/ modern design but retain existing location 4. Paint wood ceiling beam to match ceiling color Would staining beam to match the wall be too much of one thing? I was originally thinking of making the flooring in the sunken area different, like a lighter white as a contrast to everything else? Pic below is sort of what I was thinking of, it's sort of an off-white, can't tell definitively but the main level flooring kind of sort of like what I have now. What sort of ceiling fan would work? I don't think it will need a light, not sure on the blade size though, don't want to overwhelm the room with fan but conversely don't want to put something in just for the sake of putting something in. As for the style I like, I'm not trying to necessarily "re-create" a particular genre but like aspects of several styles.
...See More
Help me stage my sunken living room
Q
Comments (3)
I would suggest one set of pillows on each sofa. I would move the floor lamp between the two sofas unless you can find a small end table and put a lamp on it. I would also move the white sofa closer into the area because it seems to be out too far in the hallway. But first, turn the rug the other way so that the eye sees the width of the room instead of the shortness from the window to the white sofa. Easy! I would also move the plant on the console, to the middle to balance the two pictures. Lastly, a couple of books or magazines on the coffee table would give a potential buyer the idea that this is a good room to relax and read. Hope you give this a try and post the photo of the remake.
...See More
Unique situation, family room adjacent to sunken living room PLS HELP
Q
Comments (2)
I would leave it as it is. Its a lot of work, and you may not be able to match the flooring. A wider step can be dangerous too. You have a good sized opening, and it looks good the way it is. If the floors were level, I may feel a bit different about it, but, no matter what, with the step down, it will not all be an open nice room, it will always be two rooms, and you will have removed walls where furniture needs to go, and created a dangerous step down area, that will most likely need a railing to separate the two areas.
...See More
PRO
Sabrina Alfin Interiors
12 months ago
last modified: 12 months ago
The wall to the left looks pretty low, due to the slope of the roof. Not sure raising the floor is a good idea because doing so would make that wall less than 8 feet high. Just eyeballing it; you'd have to measure. If all the walls were as high as the highest point, then raising the floor would be a good suggestion. As it is, I feel like it will make the room claustrophobic.

Have the sofa face the fireplace and put in a low console next to it with a wall-mounted TV above. Make sure you put in a railing near the front door and put in some kind of contrast flooring for safety's sake.

ETA: This is the kind of scenario that would be perfect for a modular L-shaped sofa to fill in the full length of the longest side of the floor with a shorter side near the dining area.
David P
Original Author
12 months ago
Thanks for the quick responses. We did consider leveling the floor, but ultimately decided that we like the interest of the sunken living room -- a lot of the architecture of the house is very generic, so this gives it a bit of character. For reference, the short side of the room has at 9' ceiling (and the dining room and rest of the house is on 8' ceilings).

@Sabrina Alfin Interiors -- so your suggestion would be to have the short side of the sectional with it's back towards dining room? We were worried that would "block off" that side of the room too much? Or maybe that's less of a concern since the room is sunken anyway, so anyone in the dining room would still have a clear view over and into the living room?
houssaon
12 months ago
I think you have more flexibility with a sofa and chairs.
PRO
Sabrina Alfin Interiors
12 months ago
I don’t think you have to worry because the sofa will be set lower than the sining area so the back kof the sofa wouldn’t impede the sight lines. And yes, short side of the sectional nearest the dining room.
PRO
Sabrina Alfin Interiors
12 months ago
FYI, google “conversation pit, sunken living room” and you’ll get a bunch of photos with ideas similar to what I’m trying to explain.
PRO
Perfect Touch Blinds
12 months ago
Hello, we can offer you window treatment

Related Stories

ROOM OF THE DAY Room of the Day: Right-Scaled Furniture Opens Up a Tight Living Room

By Mitchell Parker

Smaller, more proportionally fitting furniture, a cooler paint color and better window treatments help bring life to a limiting layout

LIVING ROOMS Drop In on a Hot Comeback With a Sunken Living Room

By Mitchell Parker

Take the plunge into a new kind of practicality with an interior design feature that has a rich history

LIVING ROOMS Good Furniture Combos for Tight Living Rooms

By Toronto Interior Design Group

Consider these sofa, chair and ottoman pairings to maximize seating and comfort in a relatively small space

LIVING ROOMS Lay Out Your Living Room: Floor Plan Ideas for Rooms Small to Large

By Charmean Neithart Interiors

Take the guesswork — and backbreaking experimenting — out of furniture arranging with these living room layout concepts

ART Room of the Day: Art an Inviting Presence in a Formal Living Room

By Becky Harris

A redesign brings new energy into the room with a mix of contemporary furniture, forgotten treasures and appealing artworks

THE HARDWORKING HOME Room of the Day: Multifunctional Living Room With Hidden Secrets

By Becky Harris

With clever built-ins and concealed storage, a condo living room serves as lounge, library, office and dining area

LIVING ROOMS Room of the Day: Curiosities Bring Quick Intrigue to a Living Room

By Mary Jo Bowling

From blank box to captivating, exotic concoction, this room goes for the wow factor — and the whole house took just 4 days

LIVING ROOMS Room of the Day: New York Style for an L.A. Living Room

By Jeannie Matteucci

Flexibility meets urban chic in a historic downtown loft, decorated à la Carrie Bradshaw

DECORATING GUIDES How to Plan a Living Room Layout

By Vanessa Brunner

Pathways too small? TV too big? With this pro arrangement advice, you can create a living room to enjoy happily ever after

SMALL SPACES 11 Design Ideas for Splendid Small Living Rooms

By Samantha Schoech

Boost a tiny living room's social skills with an appropriate furniture layout — and the right mind-set

Sponsored

39 Reviews

Ohio's Kitchen Design Showroom |11x Best of Houzz 2014 - 2022

More Discussions

How to style credenza

5

Does anyone have any recommendations for dining chairs? I appreciate i

14

Desperately in Need of Furniture Layout Help

4

unsure of area rug size for our our sectional

2

Problems Dismantling Bed

0