10 tips on how to arrange furniture in a living room

Asha Bogenfuerst Asha Bogenfuerst
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One of the most important elements of professional living room interior design is the arrangement of the furniture. Creating a beautiful and comfortable living room is not so much about the brand of furniture you have in it, but more so about how it is arranged and laid out. Today, we have spelled out some simple guidelines for you to follow so that you can achieve a somewhat professional looking design for your living room without having to spend lots of money. These tips are helpful, but don't expect them to turn you into an expert just like that, like all things, it requires practice, patience and skill, which you can effectively hone by using some of the information and ideas here. All the best! 

1. Purpose

What is the purpose of the living room? Is it a room where the family watches television? Or is it a room to entertain guests mostly? This is what you should ask yourself first before planning the arrangement of your furniture. For example, if you're a family of five who like to have dinner while watching TV in the living room, then arrange the furniture in such a way that accommodates to these activities and the number of persons using the room. 

2. Highlight

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Every living room should have a highlight or a focal point like an accent wall, an impressive painting on the wall or a captivating TV wall if that is the main focus of the living room. Whatever it is or wherever the area is, it is important to highlight it, so that there is a focal point to the living room. 

For more inspiration, here are 5 stylish living room ideas.

3. Biggest first

As a general rule of thumb, place and position the biggest piece of furniture first, before arranging the rest of the furniture. This step will ensure that you get the space distribution even, making the next steps much easier. The biggest piece furniture should ideally face the TV or the fireplace, and make sure you allow enough space in between other chairs so that there is enough leg room to stretch out and be comfortable. Last but not least, unless your room is really small, try not to lean all the furniture against the wall. For more inspiration, here are some small living room tips

4. Asymmetrical arrangements

Unless you're trying to look really professional and formal, asymmetrical arrangements are the way to go for a modern, casual look for your living room. Basically, this means not arranging one couch directly facing the other, but rather arranging them at an angle, so that the arrangement is not perfectly symmetrical and square. 

5. Foot traffic

Consider foot traffic flow through the living room when arranging the furniture as you wouldn't want people accidentally bumping into things and things falling over. Allowing enough foot traffic between each piece of furniture and the path between doorways is essential and should be prioritized. 

6. Various sizes

When choosing furniture for your living room, always make sure you choose various sizes of chairs, sofas and side tables as this helps to achieve a better looking design in general. Uniform sofas and chairs that are of the same size should not be placed next to each other, but rather on opposite ends of each other for that professional interior design look. 

7. Contrast shapes

Variety is the spice of life so contrast as many shapes as you can. For example, you can contrast a rectangular sofa with a round coffee table or minimalist straight lines with country curvy lines, the choice is yours to make. 

8. Accessorize

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Don't forget to save enough space to accessorize – for example you might need space for a reading lamp, a bookshelf or even some space to place family photographs or your favourite flowers. The little details make all the difference sometimes, so don't leave them out. 

9. Dining area

The dining area is a very important part of the living room as it carries with it a specific function. In order to make the home dining experience a comfortable one, make sure you allow enough space between chairs at the table – you should be able to place both your elbows comfortably on the table without being disturbed by the next person. Also avoid placing the dining table or chairs too close to the wall.

For more ideas, here is which table to choose for your dining room or kitchen.

10. Plan before you start

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Before you start the back-breaking work of moving furniture around, it is best to have a plan or drawing of where you will place which furniture. This will save you extra work and time in the long run, so don't hurry the process, stop, think and consider everything twice before you decide. 

We hope you've found the tips here helpful. For more ideas and inspiration, have a look at 5 ideas to arrange your living room.

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