Make this living room comfy?

10 years ago

We have a small living area which is a thoroughfare and it drives me nuts that no one sits around talking in it. How do I make it more comfy and conducive to chatting?

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scottevie

10 years ago

Can you pull the rug a little further out from under the couch like Vy suggested? Perhaps so that the front LH foot of the armchair near the sliding door is on it. This will define the seating area more (At the moment it looks like it finishes in the middle of the walk way so probably going to get trampled on anyway). I'd suggest a smallish round coffee table maybe glass-topped so as not to clutter the look. However, if you think you will update the couch probably best to hold off until you have that picked out.

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Comments (19)

User
10 years ago
Move the seating closer together to make a conversation grouping.

This on its own wont work without procedural changes in the household. In my house, sometimes I designate TV off time. We then talk. What you decide about smaller gadgets is up to you, but building in conversation time at least once a week might be an idea. It's just the way thing are in this decade.
Vy
10 years ago
I'd move the rug out a little..grab a coffee table ..move your yellow chairs in closer..

Can you move the modular backing to the stools? then move the yellow chairs opposite it ?

if not I'd get rid of the modular and get a pair of two seater sofas that way you can place them right angle to each other one backing the stools the other against the wall ..not too long to interfere with your thoroughfare
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I find it difficult to view your floor plan as it blurs if I enlarge it, so excuse me if this comment is invalid. Assuming the entry is from your living room and the home runs lengthways with the hall linking the bathroom, ldry and bedroom from the kitchen. The issue with this is that having two doors in the kitchen means you cannot form a working triangle for it to function well and don't have enough wall to fit out with tall storage. However, if you sealed up the door to the hall and opened access to the hall from the lounge as your plans seems to indicate in the top right of the lounge area, then you could widen the front opening into the kitchen rather than remove an entire wall, so integrate it into your living zone without lumping a kitchen in the middle of your lounge, you will improve your walk through flow, and gain a new length of wall in the kitchen where your fridge could go into the corner with a larger pantry flanking it, then your proposed layout t follow.
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I think the problem is actually not so much the shape of the room but the fact that at the "pitch of the roof" part you have a large full length window and fireplace. Essentially, because of all this there is no wall to put your back against or place furniture against. My rectangular room has similar issues with a corner window facing the fireplace. We just put the kids toys there on the floor and low kid size stuff like a toy box. You can't put any large pieces there. So, I say, start by completely ignore the top triangle of the room. Its essentially dead or unusable space, but will add to the feelings of space and light in the room. Arrange your large furniture pieces in the bottom square portion, around a large square rug perhaps that would define the space. It might feel better that way. Then arrange your other bits around that. I think if you try to work the square it will be way easier to organise the room. Emphasising a square layout will feel more comfortable. Plants in that light bright corner was a good suggestion, they soften the angles. Hope that helps!
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I must be the OCD one -- Oak sounds nice , and looks nice , BUT the armchair is darker toned and a different style to the rest ; the coffee tables are the lightest ; the floating unit is in-between colour wise , the chevrons are nice but they don't relate to anything else in the room . By comparison , the couches , the sideboard ( that can't be seen in the latest pic ) and any 1 of the lighter toned items would work , or all three IF they were the same tone and style , would work as they are similar styles , and work together IMO . And a curve-ball -- the shutters in the same white as the walls means the shutters lose 90% of their effect . IF you had done the shutters in oak , and ALL the oak matched ( even if it was all stained darker it would be better , but similar styles / eras would be even better ) iot would look a lot better IMO . But I am weird , and I am OCD haha .
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Julie Somerville
Original Author
10 years ago
Modular too large to turn around - think I will ultimately change for two two sweaters or the King furniture delta metro which can move around. Do you think a lighter colour? Charcoal?
User
10 years ago
I'm a fan of King's modular furniture. I'd wait a couple of months for their sales though. Can save a lot!
Vy
10 years ago
depends I like to mix it up

I'm reupholstering my dining chairs in this colour Suppe..

my lounge also from King is

my rug
Julie Somerville
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks ladies - I think I will be at next King sale!!
cloudpants
10 years ago
Agree with the above comments. Here's another option.
It does depend on how many people are usually in the room and whether or not all 3 kitchen stools are used daily.
Julie Somerville
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks cloud pants - yep all 3 stools used daily. We are family of 5. I have moved chairs and plant slightly which seems to help and now thinking coffee table and what do people think re a mirror near TV to take away focus just on TV?
Vy
10 years ago
you could use that tv cabinet as a coffee table for now?
Julie Somerville
Original Author
10 years ago
TV cabinet has Foxtel, Netflix, dvd inside. Will buy coffee table just need to find right one or maybe even two side stools
Julie Somerville
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks - think I will get new lounge before coffee table - any thoughts on TV wall?
cloudpants
10 years ago
Looking much better already! I'm no expert, but I don't think a mirror will detract from the t.v. I love your child's framed art. How about a little gallery instead of mirror, or even a large artwork behind the armchair?
PRO
Www.greatbarrierfurniture.co.nz
10 years ago
The sofa has heavy solid lines, I would suggest balancing a settee to the chair design. Raised base will help to give the illusion of floating. Use of an ottoman could create a conversation area.
KK1000
10 years ago
Is it possible to put couch behind bar stools and arm chairs on the wall opposite tv with a little table in between . And definitely pull the rug out from under the sofa and I think it really needs a coffee table to finish the look oven if you don't change the layout.
KK1000
10 years ago
Ps if you decide to get a new sofas go something daring like dark orange, or berry colour. You have lots of light in the room you don't have to pick safe colours.
nancymiller48
10 years ago
I like the idea of putting the sofa facing the window with its back to the stools, then chairs where the sofa now sits. This would leave the thoroughfare along in front of the tv wall instead of cutting through the middle of the conversation area (all dependent on how much room there is of course!). More colourful sofa with legs to lighten the profile would help, and of course a coffee table - again go for a light weight one with wire-type legs rather than wooden base.
PRO
archimondo
10 years ago
Paint the ceiling a darker colour.
e1yz
10 years ago
These are all good ideas but I think the room is laid out to invite people to way through the centre. I thought pull out the soft off the wall and still facing the TV. But more in line with the door that leads to the garden. That way people are forced to walk behind the soft. If you purchase the modular settee it should work also but I think one of your favourite bright colours would work very well too. Also with my suggestion I would turn the rug around to link it between the TV cabinet and the new placed sofa. A coffee table placed lengthwise along the rug would be lovely too.

Make this living room comfy?

scottevie

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Make this living room comfy?

Comments (19)

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