For a lot of people, living rooms are the most important rooms in the house. Asides from being the area where guests are welcomed and entertained, they also represent a spot for family entertainment, bonding and conversations as every member of the home has access to them. As the first place where visitors are welcomed, it is important to create a great first impression by making the space beautiful, warm and relaxing. Additionally, the living room should be multi-functional as several activities like watching the television, tackling kids’ homework or reading are done in this room so the atmosphere set should be conducive for these activities. And to make it more inviting and stimulating, having a fireplace in the living is a great idea.
A fireplace works as the focal point in a living room. It gives a living room additional structure and helps it stand out as an element of its own. Asides from functioning as a heating fixture, it can also serve as an interior design element in the living room. Even if winter has come and gone, the fireplace will remain in the living room so it should be put to the best use. Because people are naturally attracted to the warmth, light and action of dancing flames, they like to arrange furniture so everyone can catch a glimpse of the hearth. However, while arranging furniture around fireplaces in living rooms, it is important to avoid cramping up the space so both you and your guests can relax comfortably. Foot traffic should also be considered when arranging furniture around a fireplace for ease of movement. Providing a strategic seating arrangement in a living room with fireplace helps the family and guests enjoy their conversations while receiving warmth. Also, when determining furniture arrangement, you should consider what your focal point would be. The living room’s focal point could be the fireplace which is the most common or you could decide to deviate from the status quo by making the television or your exterior landscape a focal point. There are several furniture arrangements that work in a room with a fireplace – the right one for you depends on the size and shape of the room and the pieces you would like to include.
H Shape Furniture Arrangement Ideas
Begin any furniture arrangement with the largest seating piece, which is usually the sofa. The H-shaped seating grouping requires two sofas. They may be full-sized, three-cushion sofas, or smaller loveseats. Place the sofas at right angles to fireplace, facing each other, with a low coffee table in between them to form the H. If there’s room, add extra seating that faces the fireplace in the form of a low bench or a pair of hassocks.
L Shape Furniture Arrangement Ideas
The L-shaped arrangement begins with one sofa, placed perpendicular to the fireplace on either side, and facing across the hearth. The short arm of the L faces the fireplace, and may consist of another sofa, a loveseat, or a chair or two. In a long narrow space, the long arm of the L may face the fireplace to accommodate less depth in the distance from the fireplace. This arrangement opens the grouping to another part of the room, such as the dining area or the spot with a game table. Having one side of the seating arrangement open offers flexibility to include larger groups for entertaining.
U Shape Furniture Placement Ideas
The U-shaped arrangement begins with a sofa parallel to the fireplace wall and facing it. Two loveseats placed perpendicular to the fireplace wall and facing each other will form a perfect U. Two chairs on each side, perpendicular to the fireplace and facing each other can also form a U. If your space is limited, two armchairs placed flanking the fireplace, angled slightly inward and facing out toward the sofa will form a rounder U. Any of these U arrangements create an intimate and cozy conversation area for socializing.
Corner Fireplace Furniture Arrangement Ideas
Corner fireplaces seem to create a headache when arranging furniture in a living room as they always seem awkward and makes the arrangement more complicated. However, you can try working with a seating arrangements like two sofas and two chairs, two sofas, sectional sofa and two chairs or four chairs which seem like the best option. When arranging them, do not position any on a parallel line with the corner fireplace as this disrupts traffic flow as the corners of these chairs all stick out. Try arranging the sofa perpendicularly to the fireplace with the other two chairs or sofa on one corner of the sofa to form a L shape. The L shape also works with a sectional sofa. Do not make the mistake of placing a sofa directly opposite the fireplace as this arrangement makes placing of other chair impossible and also affects traffic because the corners of these chairs stick out. Also, make sure the chairs are pulled away from the walls and windows for more fluidity.
Furniture Arrangement Ideas based on Shape of Living room
Another great way to arrange furniture around a living room fireplace is to take the shape of the room into consideration. For example, with long living rooms, start the arrangement with smaller pieces like ottomans, shelves, bookcases and tables. This helps to create an illusion and spaciousness and also eliminates the hallway feeling created by the long shape of the living room. This arrangement helps to create space for other functions you might be considering the living room for. With open living rooms, there is a lot of space to be filled up and this might prove daunting. However, do not get tricked into placing the furniture close to the walls as this makes the room feel emptier. Arrange the chairs towards the center of the room and place a coffee table between the chairs to take up more space. A L shaped sofa can also help define the living room space without cramping it up. With square living rooms, you have angles to create a feeling of more space in the living room. You can use this to your advantage by ensuring the chairs are not placed too close to the walls. Also, break up the boxy feeling by placing a coffee table shaped as an oval in the room.
Small living room with fireplace arrangement
The idea of arranging your small living room with a fireplace might seem overwhelming because of the limited space. You start thinking of what could possibly fit into your space. In order to a come up with a beautiful arrangement. Accurate measurements of the room should be taken first to determine the size of furniture that would fit into the living room. Once this has been determined, then you can start thinking of furniture arrangement ideas.
If the fireplace is in the center of the room, consider placing two chairs with an accent table in between both chairs and also place a sectional sofa on the other side of the fireplace to create a cozy effect. If you have a bookcase or shelf to add, they can be placed beside the fireplace to maximize space. Another great idea that works with center fireplaces is to place two sectional sofas on opposite sides of the fireplace. With this arrangement, you can provide more seating space without making the living room boxed up. Throw in a rug for a cozier effect.
Other Living Room Furniture Placement Ideas
Occasionally, a squared-off arrangement isn’t quite right for the room. You may want to place furniture at a slight angle to the fireplace wall, especially when the furniture arrangement is away from the outside walls creating an interior space within a space. Secondary groups of seating in the room angled toward the fireplace conversation group subtly unify the design.
Table Placement Ideas
Side tables and coffee tables are essentials in a living room. Ideally, everyone should have a place close by to put down a drink or dish. A low coffee table solves the problem for everyone seated around it, but end tables are also helpful. Also, arrange tables to carve out pathways for movement rather than using them to block foot traffic. After the seating pieces are arranged, add tables to serve each place in the group. Provide 18 inches of clearance between coffee tables and seating so people can effortlessly move in and out of the group.
Common Arrangement Furniture Problems
In some living rooms, the television set or entertainment center may compete with the fireplace as the focal point. You can place the television over the fireplace mantel, or in a niche or cabinet to one side of the fireplace, so the seating arrangement works for either focal point. A good tip when arranging television is to place a TV stand on an adjacent wall of the fireplace is in the corner. This way, one of the furniture pieces faves the television directly while the others are arranged in a L shape.