Readers continue to send us lots of questions and dilemmas. We’re happy to offer our two cents to help you guys get past a particularly knotty problem or issue. Today Kim is struggling with a furniture arrangement issue.
Furniture Arrangement Challenge
“Hi guys,
I love your blog! I am so terrible with decorating. Please help. I just got some new furniture (new sofa, desk and two bookcases). My living room is big but I have two entryways (one to the foyer and one to the dining room) plus a big window to the back yard. I’d love to make that window the focal point, but I’m not sure how to do it. Here are some pics and a dimension floor plan. Thanks for any help! Any comments would be SO HELPFUL! -Kim K.”
Kim sent this drawing of her floor space. This arrangement doesn’t maximize Kim’s space or the window focal point she wants, so let’s see what else might work. The problems I see are that the new sofa is blocking the window instead of facing it; the desk is very much a part of the room which means desk mess is also part of the room; the two sofas feel too far apart for comfortable conversation.
Kim's sofa in front of the bay window.
The desk in the living room.
As you can see, the desk isn’t particularly large, but it’s all open shelving so you just know it will add visual clutter to the space.
The bookcases will be stronger paired together.
Kim moved the desk to this wall as she realized the bookcases should be side by side for biggest impact.
The love seat angles across this corner.
My suggestions to help Kim realize her goals are to start by floating the new sofa midway in the room, facing the bay window to emphasize it as a focal point. Move the love seat down against the long wall, forming a “L” seating area with the sofa. Move the desk to the stairwell wall (where the loveseat is currently) so that it’s not part of the seating area and any mess is less visible. Place the two bookshelves side by side on the wall where the desk is currently. They will be out of the traffic pattern, but add interest to the wall space. It looks like there’s room to add an accent chair in the corner to the right of the bay window, opposite the loveseat for additional seating (at some point in the future). A narrow sofa table behind the floating sofa with a lamp, plant or accessories would add a finishing touch.
Your Input?
How would you suggest Kim address her space planning issues? What if she wants to add a TV – where would you suggest she accommodate that? Share your thoughts in our Comment section below!
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Cool blog with great info
Wow! What an excellent size and shape for a living room, square and spacious! Having such a lot of space to work with can be as daunting as too little space in a room. I like the L shape sofa idea, Terrie. If there is enough room for passage, the L shape could bes flipped so that the back of one of the sofas is facing the opening to the other room. A sofa table can be place behind it for a nice look. Then a TV set might go well in the corner to the left of the window on a triangular corner media cabinet or on the opposite wall from the sofa/ loveseat , with a low console underneath it.
This would preserve the focal point and give a viewing angle for the TV, which would also be visible from the other room.
Good luck , Kim!
PS
Terrie, your color book is so awesome! I love to read a little each time I get that decorating fever!
It is full of vital information for the amateur decorator like me!