I just love rearranging the furniture in my house. It’s my own workout session without having to go to the gym. And since I’m constantly rearranging furniture, I’m always getting a good workout. How do you think I stay so lean especially with all the free cookies, ice cream and candy in my stores?
My favorite room to rearrange the furniture in is the living room. Not only is this great for my arms, but I also like creating comfy conversation areas—to talk about the furniture of course! Just this past weekend I had an hour-long discussion with my friend about the difference between a sofa and a couch.
Anyhoo, here are 10 tips to help you arrange your living room furniture:
1. Determine a Focal Point
Choosing a focal point will make your living room appear more streamlined
Look around your living room and figure out which element you want to highlight. Some examples include a fireplace, big picture window, entertainment center or an oil painting of the first sofa. Once you have chosen your focal point, arrange your main seating areas so the sightlines are focused on the main feature in your room. After you’ve arranged the main seating areas, position the rest of your decor as well.
2. Leave Room to Move
In large and small spaces alike, it’s important to leave room for all the people who will be using your furniture. In most cases, a good rule of thumb is to leave about 30” of space between your furniture for walking and about 18” between your sofa and your coffee table to keep drinks, remotes and other things within reach. End tables can be just a few inches away from the sides of your sofa.
If you have a small living room, try using a nesting table. Not only are they super fun but they are also extremely functional.
3. Create a Natural Traffic Pattern
Now that you’ve created ample room to move around, make sure you have a good traffic pattern in the room. Remember, this is a living room, not a ninja challenge or a parkour course. There should be open access to all main seating areas. Try removing an item or two if your room starts to feel cluttered.
4. Let there be Light!
Nothing adds life to a space like good ole natural sunlight. Don’t be afraid to center your room around a particularly stunning view. Sometimes I’ll just sit on my sofa, take in the beautiful view of the trees and think about my ancestors.
When I’m not thinking about grandpappy Bob, I’m watching the History of Furniture on my television and I definitely don’t want any sun glare on the screen, especially during the episode about tufting. Talk about craftsmanship!
Sorry, tangent.
When you position your TV and entertainment center, try facing it away from the sunlight, so as not to catch a glare.
5. Establish a Conversation Area
Because when you’re not watching TV, texting or on social media, sometimes it’s still nice to have a face-to-face conversation. Position your sofa and loveseat in an “L” shape, and place your coffee table between them. Place an armchair opposite the crook of the L and face it toward your coffee table. To tie the whole area together, anchor your furniture pieces with an area rug.
6. Design Your Space
Don’t be afraid to try different arrangements in your room. My 3D Room Designer allows you to plan out your room for free so you can see how the space will look without moving around your furniture. And if you don’t like the look, simply move some items around and try again. You can even change flooring options, paint color and views of the room so you can see all the different perspectives.
7. Augmented Reality
Another really cool tool that’s fun to use is my augmented reality app. This app literally allows you to see furniture in your space before you buy it. Just download Bob’s app, scan your room, and select the furniture you have your eye on to see it in your space. It’s really that easy!
8. Keep your Conversations Cozy
Arrange your main seating areas so you have defined conversation blocks. This will make the space feel more comfortable and reduce any unnecessary shouting across the room. If you have a larger room, divide the space into “activity zones.” Try arranging your furniture into comfortable “islands” that allow you to make use of your full space. Families with kids might make one part of the living room a play area or a separate reading area with a few chairs and a bookshelf. In those cases, it’s not unusual to break up the room by using your sofa or loveseat as a physical divider.
9. Add a New Accent Piece
You’ve finished arranging your living room and it feels like it’s missing something. Try a new accent piece to give your room that finishing touch, or to add a pop of color. A new accent piece is a fun and budget-friendly way to freshen up the look of your room without having to update the entire room.
10. Change your Rug
It’s amazing how changing your rug can give a whole new look to the room. A rug is the perfect way to introduce new colors and textures into your space. You’ll also want to consider how the room is used while selecting a rug. If your living room is a high-traffic area, you’ll want a rug that’s more durable. Have children? You’ll want a rug that is easy to clean. Check out my rug buying guide for more great tips!
Share your Living Room Pics!
I’d love to see how you’ve arranged your living room. Snap a pic and share it on social by tagging me @mybobs for a chance to be featured in my feed.
Comments (2)
Max Becksays:
April 13, 2020 at 1:30 pmI love that you talked about the exact measurements that you should use in order to have enough space for walking and comfortable putting your drinks on the tables. My spouse and I are going to spend some money on custom furniture this year and redecorate our house. We can’t seem to find any pre-made furniture that has the fabrics and fringes that we like.
Sleep Center Davissays:
January 27, 2022 at 2:06 amThanks for sharing these useful and helpful tips! Keep it up!