New This Week: 5 Stylish Living Rooms With Ample Seating
See how designers use an array of furniture options to create plenty of places to sit without overcrowding the room
For a living room to be livable, you need plenty of seating options to accommodate family members and guests in a variety of situations. But the last thing you want is a space overcrowded with furniture. For ideas on arrangements that work well, check out how five designers maximized seating without sacrificing style in these living rooms.
2. Daybed and Tufted Ottomans
Designer: Butter Lutz Interiors
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: 275 square feet (26 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. For this living room in a new-construction home, the owners “wanted something that felt bright, colorful, fresh, cheery and ‘now,’ but also textural, relaxed, warm, comfortable and timeless,” designer Amy Lutz says.
Seating mix. Teal velvet sofa. Two swivel armchairs. Daybed in persimmon orange chevron linen. Brown leather tufted ottomans. “The sofa sits on the right side of the room so the owners can look out on the beautiful backyard view,” Lutz says. “The daybed opposite of the sofa provides flexible seating — one can lounge on it like a chaise while watching TV, or it can sit two for conversation and entertaining. The design of the ‘open back’ offers flexible seating options and does not block the beautiful view beyond it.
“The lounge chairs are on a swivel base so they can turn to the view outside or to the kitchen behind for conversation while dinner is being prepped,” Lutz says. “There are leather tufted ottomans that sit in front of the coffee table for perching close to the fireplace to get warm, but those ottomans can also be pulled over as footstools for the swivel chairs.”
Other special features. “The homeowners wanted sumptuous, soft furnishings but needed things durable enough for the constant influx of friends and family through the space, including their dog (and many guest pets), so we made sure to use a mix of materials that were both rugged and refined,” Lutz says. “Mixing high-performance fabrics in jewel tones, loading in depth with textures like velvet and distressed leather and the rustic natural stone of the fireplace gave us just the right blend of elements to give life and warmth.”
Shop for sofas on Houzz
Designer: Butter Lutz Interiors
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: 275 square feet (26 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. For this living room in a new-construction home, the owners “wanted something that felt bright, colorful, fresh, cheery and ‘now,’ but also textural, relaxed, warm, comfortable and timeless,” designer Amy Lutz says.
Seating mix. Teal velvet sofa. Two swivel armchairs. Daybed in persimmon orange chevron linen. Brown leather tufted ottomans. “The sofa sits on the right side of the room so the owners can look out on the beautiful backyard view,” Lutz says. “The daybed opposite of the sofa provides flexible seating — one can lounge on it like a chaise while watching TV, or it can sit two for conversation and entertaining. The design of the ‘open back’ offers flexible seating options and does not block the beautiful view beyond it.
“The lounge chairs are on a swivel base so they can turn to the view outside or to the kitchen behind for conversation while dinner is being prepped,” Lutz says. “There are leather tufted ottomans that sit in front of the coffee table for perching close to the fireplace to get warm, but those ottomans can also be pulled over as footstools for the swivel chairs.”
Other special features. “The homeowners wanted sumptuous, soft furnishings but needed things durable enough for the constant influx of friends and family through the space, including their dog (and many guest pets), so we made sure to use a mix of materials that were both rugged and refined,” Lutz says. “Mixing high-performance fabrics in jewel tones, loading in depth with textures like velvet and distressed leather and the rustic natural stone of the fireplace gave us just the right blend of elements to give life and warmth.”
Shop for sofas on Houzz
3. Upholstered Coffee Table Ottoman and Footstools
Designer: Melanie Hay Design
Location: Toronto
Size: 213 square feet (20 square meters); 8½ by 25 feet
Homeowners’ request. “These homeowners had small children and were looking for a smart, tailored room using family-friendly materials with multiple functionality in terms of use and seating,” designer Melanie Hay says.
Seating mix. Sofa. Two swivel armchairs. Upholstered ottoman. Two upholstered cube ottomans. “The two swivel chairs can easily be positioned to face the TV above the fireplace for casual family time or movie nights, or swiveled toward the other seating areas for social gatherings,” Hay says. “They are also upholstered in a high-performance, dark fabric for maximum durability and to avoid stains.
“A custom-made upholstered large, square ottoman was used in place of a traditional coffee table. This allows the family to really relax and put their feet up in the space, while still having a surface to place drinks and snacks upon — through the use of a tray — when having guests over. Two cube ottomans upholstered in a lovely sage green velvet can be moved around for additional seating or used as a footstool or side table when necessary.”
Wall paint: Simply White and Salamander, both by Benjamin Moore
Designer: Melanie Hay Design
Location: Toronto
Size: 213 square feet (20 square meters); 8½ by 25 feet
Homeowners’ request. “These homeowners had small children and were looking for a smart, tailored room using family-friendly materials with multiple functionality in terms of use and seating,” designer Melanie Hay says.
Seating mix. Sofa. Two swivel armchairs. Upholstered ottoman. Two upholstered cube ottomans. “The two swivel chairs can easily be positioned to face the TV above the fireplace for casual family time or movie nights, or swiveled toward the other seating areas for social gatherings,” Hay says. “They are also upholstered in a high-performance, dark fabric for maximum durability and to avoid stains.
“A custom-made upholstered large, square ottoman was used in place of a traditional coffee table. This allows the family to really relax and put their feet up in the space, while still having a surface to place drinks and snacks upon — through the use of a tray — when having guests over. Two cube ottomans upholstered in a lovely sage green velvet can be moved around for additional seating or used as a footstool or side table when necessary.”
Wall paint: Simply White and Salamander, both by Benjamin Moore
4. Chairs and Footstools
Designer: Glenna Stone Interior Design
Location: West Chester, Pennsylvania
Size: 255 square feet (24 square meters); 15 by 17 feet
Homeowners’ request. “Our design keywords for the project were ‘tailored’ and ‘light,’ the latter pertaining to maximizing natural light throughout,” says designer Glenna Stone, who collaborated with her clients through Houzz ideabooks. “In the living room, the clients requested a fresh, airy palette as a change from the heavier, more traditional style they’d had for many years.”
Seating mix. Sofa. Two club chairs. Side chair. Two upholstered footstools. “It was key to not only create a functional seating arrangement, but also to maintain a flow from the entry through the living room and into the dining room for a couple who enjoys entertaining,” Stone says. “To achieve this, we put the sofa against the longer wall. Two upholstered chairs sit opposite in front of the windows. We added a fun patterned accent chair to complete the feeling of a conversation area, without obstructing that easy flow. The corner felt a bit bare, so a small custom upholstered stool that could double as extra seating for guests is a practical and stylish touch.”
Other special features. “We centered our design on a mix of creamy neutrals, crisp pops of white and shades of blue,” Stone says. “Patterns and solids in the furnishings combine for visual interest, while glass lamps and a large mirror create a sense of openness.
“Working with a blue-and-white palette can often edge into a coastal vibe, but we (and the clients) wanted elegance in this space along with those colors. Mixing shades of blue and patterns along with refined silhouettes allowed us to create more of an upscale salon. In addition, the gallery wall with custom vintage maps creates a unique focal point. Each map has a personal connection to the clients, whether it’s a place they lived together or where they grew up.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “There were two tricky moments in the design,” Stone says. “The first was that there was a large return vent on the wall above the sofa, so we needed to relocate that to accommodate the gallery wall. Another was marrying the updated aesthetic that they wanted while incorporating a few existing, much-loved pieces, including the coffee table. By drawing on a fresh, light palette of blues and neutrals, we made the space feel bright and the rich woods act as anchors.”
Wall paint: White Sand, Benjamin Moore; trim paint: White Flour, Sherwin-Williams
Designer: Glenna Stone Interior Design
Location: West Chester, Pennsylvania
Size: 255 square feet (24 square meters); 15 by 17 feet
Homeowners’ request. “Our design keywords for the project were ‘tailored’ and ‘light,’ the latter pertaining to maximizing natural light throughout,” says designer Glenna Stone, who collaborated with her clients through Houzz ideabooks. “In the living room, the clients requested a fresh, airy palette as a change from the heavier, more traditional style they’d had for many years.”
Seating mix. Sofa. Two club chairs. Side chair. Two upholstered footstools. “It was key to not only create a functional seating arrangement, but also to maintain a flow from the entry through the living room and into the dining room for a couple who enjoys entertaining,” Stone says. “To achieve this, we put the sofa against the longer wall. Two upholstered chairs sit opposite in front of the windows. We added a fun patterned accent chair to complete the feeling of a conversation area, without obstructing that easy flow. The corner felt a bit bare, so a small custom upholstered stool that could double as extra seating for guests is a practical and stylish touch.”
Other special features. “We centered our design on a mix of creamy neutrals, crisp pops of white and shades of blue,” Stone says. “Patterns and solids in the furnishings combine for visual interest, while glass lamps and a large mirror create a sense of openness.
“Working with a blue-and-white palette can often edge into a coastal vibe, but we (and the clients) wanted elegance in this space along with those colors. Mixing shades of blue and patterns along with refined silhouettes allowed us to create more of an upscale salon. In addition, the gallery wall with custom vintage maps creates a unique focal point. Each map has a personal connection to the clients, whether it’s a place they lived together or where they grew up.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “There were two tricky moments in the design,” Stone says. “The first was that there was a large return vent on the wall above the sofa, so we needed to relocate that to accommodate the gallery wall. Another was marrying the updated aesthetic that they wanted while incorporating a few existing, much-loved pieces, including the coffee table. By drawing on a fresh, light palette of blues and neutrals, we made the space feel bright and the rich woods act as anchors.”
Wall paint: White Sand, Benjamin Moore; trim paint: White Flour, Sherwin-Williams
5. Sectional and Upholstered Coffee Table Ottoman
Designer: Dillard-Jones Builders and Tribus Design Studio
Location: Six Mile, South Carolina
Size: 420 square feet (39 square meters); 20 by 21 feet
Homeowners’ request. For the living room in this custom-built home, the owners wanted a space that was comfortable and set up for entertaining. Sliding doors allow them to open the room to a patio and pool area. On the other side of the room are a home bar and four large, wall-mounted flat-screen TVs.
Seating mix. Large leather sectional. Two swivel armchairs. Turquoise coffee table that doubles as an ottoman.
Other special features. Natural thin-cut stone fireplace. Wood ceiling beams in a gray-wash stain. Through the doors on the right is a custom wine cellar.
Paint colors: Worldly Gray (walls), Shoji White (trim) and Amazing Gray (ceiling), all by Sherwin-Williams
More on Houzz
How to Decorate a Living Room
Get more living room ideas
Find an interior designer
Shop for living room furniture and accessories
Designer: Dillard-Jones Builders and Tribus Design Studio
Location: Six Mile, South Carolina
Size: 420 square feet (39 square meters); 20 by 21 feet
Homeowners’ request. For the living room in this custom-built home, the owners wanted a space that was comfortable and set up for entertaining. Sliding doors allow them to open the room to a patio and pool area. On the other side of the room are a home bar and four large, wall-mounted flat-screen TVs.
Seating mix. Large leather sectional. Two swivel armchairs. Turquoise coffee table that doubles as an ottoman.
Other special features. Natural thin-cut stone fireplace. Wood ceiling beams in a gray-wash stain. Through the doors on the right is a custom wine cellar.
Paint colors: Worldly Gray (walls), Shoji White (trim) and Amazing Gray (ceiling), all by Sherwin-Williams
More on Houzz
How to Decorate a Living Room
Get more living room ideas
Find an interior designer
Shop for living room furniture and accessories
Designer: Cindy Eyl of Jefferson Street Designs
Location: Arlington, Virginia
Homeowners’ request. “My client has fabulous taste,” designer Cindy Eyl says. “I was so excited to see the warm, eclectic and layered inspiration photos she sent — like an English country home.”
Seating mix. Long sofa. Two armchairs. Cushioned bench seats. Leather coffee table and ottoman that can double as seating if needed. “The homeowners needed more seating for their three boys, Newfoundland [dog] and three cats,” Eyl says. “Selecting a longer sofa and adding the bench cushions and cozy pillows added the extra seating they needed.”
Other special features. “It was important to use durable fabrics as much as possible,” Eyl says. “The bench cushions and sofa are upholstered in performance fabrics, and the rug is actually machine-washable.”
Designer tip. “I love to incorporate vintage and personal pieces to give a room character,” Eyl says. “The red pillow was made of a fabric my client found in Prague.”
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