Arranging a Living Room Layout
The concept of a living room conjures varying mental pictures for different
people. There is not one clear definition for the room other than a
most basic one "a room in which social activity may occur." For some,
the living room is a place for formal, elegant furniture. A room in which
guests are invited to sit, discuss the affairs of the world and drink
sherry. For others, it is the room where the family meets to relax, socialize,
play games and watch TV. The latter is also what nearly everyone thinks
of when speaking of a family room.
If you do not have separate family and living rooms, then you must combine
all the features of both into one room. If this is the case in your home,
then you may decide to skip the rest of this article and read about arranging
a family room. If, however, you do not need a family gathering space,
or you wish to layout the space in the traditional manner of a living
room, then read on.
As with any room, you should start by making a list of what the room
should be able to accommodate. Your list should include both activities
that will occur in the room, and furniture that you will definitely place
in the room. By starting this way, you can establish the requirements
of the room. For example, you may have an antique writing desk that must
be placed in the room, either because you love it so, or because there
is no other place for it to go. Establishing activities for a room, such
as playing a piano, reading, listening to music, playing cards, group
meetings etc., will help you to identify requirements such as seating,
lighting, and specialized furniture.
Next, consider the style for the room. Will it be formal, traditional,
casual, modern, eclectic or something else. Also, will it have a theme?
A theme doesn't have to be over the top, it may be something as subtle
as the colors or accessories used. You might pick an Asian or Mediterranean
influence. The room might have a recurring detail such as timepieces,
musical instruments or a collection. We think a theme is important because
it adds interest and it makes a room cohesive.
Selecting color for your room is an important way to set a mood. Putting
a bold color on one wall is an excellent way to add drama and to draw
focus to that part of the room. Earth tones are a good choice for
a cozy or relaxed feel. Dark colors make a room feel smaller. This can
be useful to "bring in" large rooms, but should be avoided for rooms
that are already a comfortable size. Bold colors add energy to a room,
and may be a good choice in a room used frequently for entertaining.
Draperies, to some, are an afterthought. However, draperies can be instrumental
in making positive changes to a room. Of all the rooms in your home,
this is probably the most appropriate place for dramatic, elegant draperies.
Of course, every situation is unique, your room may be better suited
to shades, shears or another simple window treatment. But if you to go
with draperies, go bold. Bland draperies do nothing for a room, they
become strictly utilitarian. They provide privacy and block out light,
but they do little for the look of the room. They might be a suitable
choice when you want to emphasize the view through a window. Otherwise,
we feel that draperies should help shape the room. Using draperies that
are darker than the wall color will increase their emphasis. Lighter
or similar to the wall color, will deemphasize them. For drama, a drapery
should be floor length, full, and have complimentary top treatment.
Arrangement of furniture has a big impact on the room. Avoid the temptation
to push every piece up against a wall. Also, don't feel that you must
align everything with the walls. Furniture should "float" in a room.
Avoid overfilling a room with furniture. There needs to be a flow for
traffic and too much furniture can destroy the flow. A classic living
room's chief need is seating. Arrangement of seating should create one
or more conversation areas. An area for larger groups and a more
intimate place for two or three persons is ideal.
Lighting should be broken up into general illumination, task and key
lighting. A hanging fixture or a series of recessed can lights are good
choices for creating general illumination in a room. For task lighting
floor and table lamps can be used for reading as well as lighting an
otherwise dark corner of a room. Key lighting includes fixtures focused
on wall hangings and artwork. Key lights add elegance and interest to
a room. Sconces can serve as any form of lighting and are a good way
to add height to a room. Placement on the wall help to draw the eye upward.
Tall floor lamps are also a good way to add height. We recommend putting
the room's general lighting on a dimmer circuit, so that a mood can be
set depending upon the circumstances.
Rugs are a good way to help define subspaces in a room. Placed beneath
two chairs a smaller rug helps define an intimate conversation space.
Similarly, a large rug, placed under the main seating space, helps to
unify the space. Don't be afraid to use rugs on top of a carpet. If a
rug creates too much depth on an already thick carpet, consider removing
the carpet in that room and covering the floor with a series of rugs.
For
more information and ideas on arranging specific rooms in your home,
see our other articles;
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