New This Week: 4 Stylish Living Rooms With Plenty of Seating
See these great ideas for adding flexible seating options without overcrowding a room
Mitchell Parker
April 16, 2021
Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative trends, breaking news, industry analysis and humor.
Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative... More
In March, we profiled five living rooms where designers added ample seating options while maintaining a light and airy layout. In this follow-up article, we share four more living rooms that exemplify this balanced approach.
1. Armchairs, Footstools and Two Matching Sofas
Designer: Conni Lovelace of The Decorator
Location: Denver
Size: 288 square feet (27 square meters); 16 by 18 feet
Homeowners’ request. “This newly built home was inspired by the lifestyle of California and a love of Spanish Colonial homes,” designer Conni Lovelace says. “The clients wanted a space where they could entertain their family and guests. And they wanted it to have a natural flow leading from one room to another, with neutral colors.”
Seating mix. Two matching custom sofas. Two slipcover swivel chairs. Two woven footstools. “The clients love to entertain and drink red wine with close friends,” Lovelace says. “This room is directly off the kitchen and dining room, so it was designed to do that. It’s set up for intimate conversations by the fire. The client always wanted a matching pair of white sofas. They were hesitant about white fabric so I suggested we build and upholster the sofas in outdoor fabric. Outdoor fabrics from well-known brands like Perennials Fabrics have come so far that one would never know its purpose was intended for the great outdoors or for lounging with a glass of red wine.”
Other special features. Coved ceiling. Blue rug, pillows and art. Light gray walls (Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore). “This is one of the best ‘whites’ I have found and love in the Denver light,” Lovelace says. “There are so many whites and not all look the same from city to city. The local light can cast different tones and it makes all the difference when selecting paint colors. When I work on projects in California I use other whites.”
Designer tip. “The pair of chairs are on a swivel so they can turn around and be a part of the kitchen space,” Lovelace says. “I think a swivel is very important, at least a bonus. If your upholsterer is building a new chair, you can request a stationary swivel, which means when you get out of the chair, it goes back in place so your space stays looking neat and pulled-together.”
Find an interior designer near you
Designer: Conni Lovelace of The Decorator
Location: Denver
Size: 288 square feet (27 square meters); 16 by 18 feet
Homeowners’ request. “This newly built home was inspired by the lifestyle of California and a love of Spanish Colonial homes,” designer Conni Lovelace says. “The clients wanted a space where they could entertain their family and guests. And they wanted it to have a natural flow leading from one room to another, with neutral colors.”
Seating mix. Two matching custom sofas. Two slipcover swivel chairs. Two woven footstools. “The clients love to entertain and drink red wine with close friends,” Lovelace says. “This room is directly off the kitchen and dining room, so it was designed to do that. It’s set up for intimate conversations by the fire. The client always wanted a matching pair of white sofas. They were hesitant about white fabric so I suggested we build and upholster the sofas in outdoor fabric. Outdoor fabrics from well-known brands like Perennials Fabrics have come so far that one would never know its purpose was intended for the great outdoors or for lounging with a glass of red wine.”
Other special features. Coved ceiling. Blue rug, pillows and art. Light gray walls (Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore). “This is one of the best ‘whites’ I have found and love in the Denver light,” Lovelace says. “There are so many whites and not all look the same from city to city. The local light can cast different tones and it makes all the difference when selecting paint colors. When I work on projects in California I use other whites.”
Designer tip. “The pair of chairs are on a swivel so they can turn around and be a part of the kitchen space,” Lovelace says. “I think a swivel is very important, at least a bonus. If your upholsterer is building a new chair, you can request a stationary swivel, which means when you get out of the chair, it goes back in place so your space stays looking neat and pulled-together.”
Find an interior designer near you
2. Sofa, Club Chairs and Upholstered Benches
Designer: Maggie Jones Design
General contractor: Hampden Hill Custom Building
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Homeowners’ request. “This family room is connected to the homeowners’ kitchen,” designer Maggie Jones says. “It is part of an addition where an open floor plan was a key component of the work. As a young family with two active little boys, it is important for them to have a room that’s comfortable and livable as they grow in the space.”
Seating mix. Leather sofa. Large armchairs. Upholstered benches. “This family loves to entertain and it was important to have lots of seating options and styles,” Jones says. “It was also critical that all the seating be able to hold up to the wear and tear of busy little ones. We incorporated performance fabrics and durable leather. The benches were found online and then re-covered in the homeowners’ most favorite fabric. These benches actually float between rooms and are great to pull up when needing some extra seats.”
Other special features. “Another feature that is very special are the bookcases,” Jones says. “We worked with Polosko Custom Woodworks to build these statement bookcases that are a focal point in the room. I love the large lower cabinet, which is great for toy storage, and the thicker shelves that hold special family mementos and photos.”
Shop for sofas on Houzz
Designer: Maggie Jones Design
General contractor: Hampden Hill Custom Building
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Homeowners’ request. “This family room is connected to the homeowners’ kitchen,” designer Maggie Jones says. “It is part of an addition where an open floor plan was a key component of the work. As a young family with two active little boys, it is important for them to have a room that’s comfortable and livable as they grow in the space.”
Seating mix. Leather sofa. Large armchairs. Upholstered benches. “This family loves to entertain and it was important to have lots of seating options and styles,” Jones says. “It was also critical that all the seating be able to hold up to the wear and tear of busy little ones. We incorporated performance fabrics and durable leather. The benches were found online and then re-covered in the homeowners’ most favorite fabric. These benches actually float between rooms and are great to pull up when needing some extra seats.”
Other special features. “Another feature that is very special are the bookcases,” Jones says. “We worked with Polosko Custom Woodworks to build these statement bookcases that are a focal point in the room. I love the large lower cabinet, which is great for toy storage, and the thicker shelves that hold special family mementos and photos.”
Shop for sofas on Houzz
3. Armchairs, Footstools and Two Different Sofas
Designers: Morgan Mackintosh and Nicole Noonan of Beige and Bleu Design Studio
Location: Wenham, Massachusetts
Size: 441 square feet (41 square meters); 21 by 21 feet
Homeowners’ request. “Our client’s wanted to create a space that felt layered and eclectic but that was also very functional and relaxed and comfortable for their family,” designer Morgan Mackintosh says. “Their goal was to include as much seating as possible, as it was their main entertaining and living area.”
Seating mix. Two sofas. Two leather-and-wood armchairs. Upholstered footstool. (There’s also a cushioned built-in window bench behind the white sofa.) “We wanted to create a comfortable space for family to gather and relax around the fire and watch TV, but provide alternative seating to those areas that are closely adjacent,” Mackintosh says. “This is the family’s main hangout area, so we wanted to provide a variety of seating options centered around the built-in wall.”
Other special features. “We used a white oak reclaimed mantel to add texture to the space,” Mackintosh says. “For the furnishings, we incorporated different textures, including crossweaves, linens and leather to bring dimensions to the space. All of the fabrics on the furniture pieces are very durable indoor-outdoor performance fabrics, so our clients don’t have to worry about living in and using their space to its fullest. We wanted the colors overall to feel neutral and comfortable, but layered.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “We wanted to do a ‘refresh’ to the existing fireplace, which was a raw, outdated stone and had an outdated mantel,” Mackintosh says. “We decided to replace the mantel with a reclaimed-wood mantel to bring some texture to the space, and we filled the gaps with mortar. We originally painted all of the stone black, but the client felt like it was too bold, so we ended up having to strip the paint off. It actually left us with a more textured stone look, which ended up looking the best in the end.”
Designers: Morgan Mackintosh and Nicole Noonan of Beige and Bleu Design Studio
Location: Wenham, Massachusetts
Size: 441 square feet (41 square meters); 21 by 21 feet
Homeowners’ request. “Our client’s wanted to create a space that felt layered and eclectic but that was also very functional and relaxed and comfortable for their family,” designer Morgan Mackintosh says. “Their goal was to include as much seating as possible, as it was their main entertaining and living area.”
Seating mix. Two sofas. Two leather-and-wood armchairs. Upholstered footstool. (There’s also a cushioned built-in window bench behind the white sofa.) “We wanted to create a comfortable space for family to gather and relax around the fire and watch TV, but provide alternative seating to those areas that are closely adjacent,” Mackintosh says. “This is the family’s main hangout area, so we wanted to provide a variety of seating options centered around the built-in wall.”
Other special features. “We used a white oak reclaimed mantel to add texture to the space,” Mackintosh says. “For the furnishings, we incorporated different textures, including crossweaves, linens and leather to bring dimensions to the space. All of the fabrics on the furniture pieces are very durable indoor-outdoor performance fabrics, so our clients don’t have to worry about living in and using their space to its fullest. We wanted the colors overall to feel neutral and comfortable, but layered.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “We wanted to do a ‘refresh’ to the existing fireplace, which was a raw, outdated stone and had an outdated mantel,” Mackintosh says. “We decided to replace the mantel with a reclaimed-wood mantel to bring some texture to the space, and we filled the gaps with mortar. We originally painted all of the stone black, but the client felt like it was too bold, so we ended up having to strip the paint off. It actually left us with a more textured stone look, which ended up looking the best in the end.”
4. Large Sectional, Armchairs, Footstools and Built-In Benches
Designer: Karen Goodman of Copper Dot Interiors
Architect: Michael Hally Design
Location: Natick, Massachusetts
Size: 525 square feet (49 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “This room was an addition on the side of a raised ranch rebuild,” designer Karen Goodman says. “The client was craving high ceilings and tons of windows, none of which raised ranches are known for. Light and bright was first on the list and next was cozy and welcoming.”
Seating mix. Extra-large sectional. Multiple footstools. Armchairs. Built-in benches. “This room was intended to be the main ‘everything space’ for this family of four,” Goodman says. “With two young boys, this is the room where Legos, puzzles, reading and family movies all happen. The goal was to create zones so that the family could be in the same room but each be doing their own thing. There’s space for puzzles, a reading corner, floor space to set up a miniature airport, and plenty of space for the family to cuddle on the couch and watch a movie.”
Other special features. “Aside from the large windows and high ceilings, the brick-like tile fireplace and wood ceiling are stars,” Goodman says. “The TV was a necessary evil in the room; however, with the Frame TV (from Samsung), most of the time it feels like artwork as opposed to a big black box.”
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: Karen Goodman of Copper Dot Interiors
Architect: Michael Hally Design
Location: Natick, Massachusetts
Size: 525 square feet (49 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “This room was an addition on the side of a raised ranch rebuild,” designer Karen Goodman says. “The client was craving high ceilings and tons of windows, none of which raised ranches are known for. Light and bright was first on the list and next was cozy and welcoming.”
Seating mix. Extra-large sectional. Multiple footstools. Armchairs. Built-in benches. “This room was intended to be the main ‘everything space’ for this family of four,” Goodman says. “With two young boys, this is the room where Legos, puzzles, reading and family movies all happen. The goal was to create zones so that the family could be in the same room but each be doing their own thing. There’s space for puzzles, a reading corner, floor space to set up a miniature airport, and plenty of space for the family to cuddle on the couch and watch a movie.”
Other special features. “Aside from the large windows and high ceilings, the brick-like tile fireplace and wood ceiling are stars,” Goodman says. “The TV was a necessary evil in the room; however, with the Frame TV (from Samsung), most of the time it feels like artwork as opposed to a big black box.”
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
Related Stories
Trending Now
The 10 Most Popular Living Rooms So Far in 2024
Get ideas for furniture arrangements, color schemes, TV placement and more from these most-saved photos
Full Story
New This Week
8 Exceptionally Stylish New Living Rooms
See how home pros play with texture, color and seating pieces to create a harmonious blend of style and function
Full Story
Decorating Guides
15 Ways to Create Separation in an Open Floor Plan
By tidgboutique
Use these pro tips to minimize noise, delineate space and establish personal boundaries in an open layout
Full Story
Decluttering
How to Create a Joyful, Clutter-Free Living Room
Make this a space you enjoy by paring back and filling it with things you love
Full Story
Decorating Guides
4 Must-Have Features for a Small Living Room
By tidgboutique
A designer shares important ways to live large in a tight space and make it look stylish
Full Story
Decorating Guides
How to Decorate a Living Room
By tidgboutique
A designer offers tips for creating a comfortable space that reflects your style
Full Story
Small Spaces
How Designers Make the Most of a Small Living Room
Follow these small-space tips from interior designers and architects to help you plan your compact room
Full Story
New This Week
6 New Living Rooms That Stylishly Integrate a TV
Designers share the design details and strategies they used to create good-looking spaces that include a big screen
Full Story
Decorating Guides
8 Ideas for a Stylish Entertainment Center
By Kate Burt
Not sure how best to house your TV and its cables, boxes and related items? Let these solutions spark ideas
Full Story
Fireplaces
25 Living Rooms With Roaring Fireplaces
Pour yourself a cup of hot cocoa and cozy up to these heartwarming scenes of hearths ablaze
Full Story
The leather-and-wood armchairs in photo 3 are to die for!
Decorating ideas around sectional couch
I like the decor especially because it looks very calming.