Living Room Seating Ideas that Bring People Together
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PHOTO CREDIT: PINTEREST
PHOTO CREDIT: PINTEREST
PHOTO CREDIT: PINTEREST
Size, scale, and color are critical in living room design, but there’s one key factor that interior designers always pay attention to that you might not know: Room functionality. The way you set up a room can make or break the way you want it to be used. When you create lots of cozy places to sit together, you can foster a warm and inviting atmosphere. It’s so important to get your seating arrangement right so that your living room feels like a space of intimacy and connection, rather than an uncomfortable place that no one wants to spend time in.
Here are a few seating arrangement ideas that you can use to create a more inviting living room at home.
Group Your Seating Around a Focal Point
To begin, we always choose a central point to focus on and build our living room seating arrangement from there. This might be a coffee table, fireplace, or TV console. By having that central focus, you give your guests something to gather around. It encourages face-to-face conversation, making your living room feel cozier and more inviting.
Use Flexible and Lightweight Furniture
We highly recommend using versatile living room seating or lightweight, moveable furniture if you are planning to entertain frequently. For example, a modular sectional can be reconfigured to suit a your exact number of guests and the activity taking place. Additionally, you might like to have several small ottomans, padded footstools or poufs that can be used as seats, footrests, or tables if needed. These are easy to move around and put away when not needed.
Pull Furniture Away from the Wall
While it might seem like you are creating a more open space by placing all your furniture along the wall, it can unfortunately create a sense of detachment and hinder social interaction. Surprisingly, it actually makes a living room feel more spacious to keep a separation between the walls and furniture as it provides necessary breathing room. To achieve the right balance, design your room from the center, rather than from the walls.
Vary the Types of Living Room Seating
Everyone has their own requirements to feel comfortable, whether it’s supportive cushions for back pain or the ability to recline in front of the TV. To accommodate your guests, it’s always a good idea to have several different types of living room seating available. For example, you might include recliners, swivel chairs, or armchairs with ottomans. In one of our recent projects, we grouped two armchairs, a sofa, and a padded bench around a coffee table to provide maximum seating options. Having a diversity of living room seating options ensures that everyone can find a comfortable spot that suits their needs.
Create Separate Zones
In a large, open plan room, it makes sense to divide the space into several distinct zones. You might focus one area around entertainment and another for conversation or reading. Creating zones makes for more intimate spaces. It also breaks up a large space, making it feel less intimidating.
The living room is a place that requires thoughtful design that will continually make it a favorite gathering spot for family and friends. Beyond the furniture, it’s important to bring in elements like cozy cushions, blankets, soft lighting, and personal touches that make your living room feel like a reflection of you. Cherish every moment in your living room and make it feel special – it is the heart of your home, after all.
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Talk to you soon,
Paula