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Design Dilemma
s7pyatt

Do I need to add some furniture?

s7pyatt
9 years ago
I'm trying to get my living room finished and rearranged my new furniture this evening. Do I need to add a love seat on the open side? Something else? Leave it open? Also, any ideas on the open wall above the couch would be appreciated!!
Featured Answer
  • decoenthusiaste
    9 years ago
    Love seats are painful to arrange and don't enhance conversation between the two people who sit there. I'd suggest an upholstered bench at the stair railing. It can be pulled into the seating area for extra guests. The reason you may feel you need more furniture is because the seating is so far apart and isn't conducive to conversation. Try turning the rug the other direction and pulling all the seating closer together. If the hassock is to be strictly a coffee table, top it with a tray and move it 18" from the sofa (close enough to be useful, but not crowded.) What about a large piece of art above the sofa? Style the shelves with 1/3 books, 1/3 large decor and 1/3 open space. Move a few photos to table tops and the rest to the master bedroom or hang larger ones on the walls in the hall leading to the master. You could use a pop of color in pillows, throws and accessories. A soft yellow might be nice. How about an arc lamp hovering above the hassock?

    Comments (22)

    • coconuts1234
      9 years ago
      I'd roll up the rug and take it back, it really chops up the space.

      How would it look with the couch facing the TV and a chair flanking each side of it, facing each other?

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    • hayleydaniels
      9 years ago
      Do as decorenthusiaste suggests, and then reassess your needs. The only reason I can see for adding more seating is if you actually need it.
    • groveraxle
      9 years ago
      Big art over the sofa. Something not brown.
    • whitleyt25
      9 years ago
      I think it looks very nice as it is. I think that a love seat would fit in there fine, if you need the seating. Other wise I would leave it open.
    • s7pyatt
      Original Author
      9 years ago
      Thank you everyone for your time! I appreciate all of your ideas. I will post 2 more sets of pictures. First set is with the rug turned the other way and furniture moved in. Second set I took the rug out.
    • s7pyatt
      Original Author
      9 years ago
      Rug turned the other way
    • s7pyatt
      Original Author
      9 years ago
      No rug
    • abbyjean
      9 years ago
      last modified: 9 years ago
      I think I like it better without the rug on top of the carpet.

      I know you said you just rearranged and I have no idea how it was before, but a big part of me wonders how comfortable it is to watch tv in this room when all seats have to turn sideways to see it. I realize the chairs are kind of the divider with the dining area, but is having the couch face the tv an option for you? Then it is also a divider with the stairway area, too. Chairs on the sides of the couch, facing each other, work for conversation and those are the only places then that need to turn to watch tv.
    • whitleyt25
      9 years ago
      I like the rug. I think it looks the best turned around like you just did.
    • abbyjean
      9 years ago
      I feel like the rug and the ottoman fight each other....unless my monitor is way off.
    • Elizabeth Schultz
      9 years ago
      I like the rug. I don't care for the ottomon...anyone else? Need a glass table or something maybe? or does the ottomon need a tray with something on it?
    • groveraxle
      9 years ago
      Move the sofa and chairs closer, art over the sofa, a pillow on the chair to echo the art. You'll have a nicer ambiance if you turn out the overhead lights and use lamps.
      s7pyatt thanked groveraxle
    • lnicol8
      9 years ago
      I would line the ottoman in front of the fireplace that is the centre focal point of the room, bring the couch forward and add a console / sofa table behind the couch balanced by two lamps and hang a piece of art on the wall in the middle balance w/ lamps. (Example of balance w/ lamps art and console) I think either you can have a table against wall or behind sofa and away from wall...either way would work. But the main thing that hits me is that nothing is balancing I front of the fireplace.
      s7pyatt thanked lnicol8
    • acm
      9 years ago
      I wasn't sure about the rug until you turned it. For sure the furniture needs to be pulled in, and the rug helps unify that arrangement and make it feel cozier.

      Still might want to try couch facing TV, but this certainly *looks* nice...
    • lnicol8
      9 years ago
      I just noticed the second set of photos where the rug is turned and furniture pulled forward, that looks good, way cozier.
    • PRO
      Interior Affairs -- Vickie Daeley
      9 years ago
      I like the idea of trying to have the sofa face the fireplace wall and have one chair on each side of teh sofa facing each one another. Then a side table for each chair in between the chairs and the sofa..use the ottoman directly in front of the fireplace box and bring in an awesome cocktail table and dress it in with accessories. Lamps for each table.
    • Katy Elder
      9 years ago
      I think the love seat would be too much. It looks nice as it is!
    • groveraxle
      9 years ago
      Well, you moved the furniture much faster than I did. The arrangement below with the rug turned is much better. But abbyjean makes a good point about having the sofa face the TV. If you do this, turn the rug back so it is parallel to the sofa and fireplace.
    • adamskla
      9 years ago
      If you truly need more seating space and are contemplating a love seat, why not spend another $50-$100 and purchase another sofa instead, identical to the one you already have? You will gain more seating space as well as a balanced and symmetrical, traditional design. Pull all furniture pieces closer together to create a more intimate space conducive to conversation. Face the two sofas opposite one another and flanking the fireplace. Position the chairs squarely facing the fireplace with an end table between them. As far as art goes, with a wall like that with no sofa directly under it, you can create a large art wall with a variety of frame sizes and interesting items. Put the ottoman between the two sofas (oversized square ottoman would work better here) or scoot it against the rail for additional seating when you might need it.
    • adamskla
      9 years ago
      No area rug needed here...
    • sandradclark
      9 years ago
      I like Vickie Daeley's idea. Area rug I like lengthwise to pull all pieces together. You will still need some art pieces on wall that was behind the sofa as it is now. I think all seating will work better for conversation and for TV watching. I think the ottoman is a bit large.
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