I suppose it depends on how large your recliners are. If they are the slim, streamlined variety, I think you could easily have a couch (where the previous owners did), you recliners, and maybe another chair/chaise.

If they are move bulky, I would put the couch in front of the doorway facing the fireplace and flank it on either end with the recliners. You can always have occasional chairs stowed in corners to pull up if the need arises.

You almost have room for two seating areas. The pictures I added break up the room into two areas with a daybed in the middle: it provides a barrier but not cutting off both areas from each other totally.

Your space is deceptively small from the pictures. Based on your measurements it is 14.5x15 with many openings and restrictions for furniture placement. Hope I got this layout right. I think this is the best you can do with the recliners front and center. The couch placement is odd.

thank you. the area in front of the fireplace is about 10x12. You are right, that to do with the area by the windows is a challenge ...then there is the door to the back that we may or may not use very often. There are also 2 doors in the kitchen that go to the back yard, so the door is not 100% needed. If we do away with the idea of using the door, the options increase ..

Or something like this with a loveseat:

A big vote for second seating option -- lots of seating choices -- and if you can -- switch your recliners to swivel models ..... that would be even better! :)

Lovely room!

Teacats: "lots of seating choices."

I don't see that at all, but I'm not the most creative furniture arranger. If you give some examples, I'll give it a try.

Do you own recliners yet, or do you still need to purchase them? If it's the latter, another option to consider is a loveseat or small couch that reclines on both sides. I've seen them made by a few brands, and I don't look at furniture places all that often, so they may be more ubiquitous then I've seen. The controls are on each side, so both of you could recline as much or as little as you want. I've also seen larger couches with the ends reclining like this also.

Here's one with a sectional, a swivel recliner and seating by the window. Seems like there are no direct paths to seating, you have walk all the way around the furniture to sit down.

(odd double post thing happened)

This post was edited by nightowlrn on Sun, Aug 17, 14 at 12:21

Thank you. the 11:10 option looks promising. The recliners are not yet purchased. I know it sounds odd about the two recliners. But, our last house was one and it became a bit of a sore point to an otherwise conflict free marriage ... ; )

The recliners could move back at least a foot if not more as long as there is space to walk thru the room to the kitchen. There is a pretty big dead space in the area between the great room and kitchen island. And, I am leaning more and more towards blocking the door because there are two perfectly fine doors in the kitchen leading to the back yard, so guest flow wouldn't be too affected.

FYI -- room is a blank slate furniture wise ... We down sized 4 years ago and now are back to a bigger house. All the media was purchased last night -- wowsa! The cathedral (?) wall that faces the TV will be three fairly large canvas black and whites of our kids as children. The cathedral wall over the windows will have a large clock of some sort. I am thinking 108 inch curtains to flank the windows and the kind of shades the come up from the bottom as our back yard isn't too deep and that weirds me out just a bit.

Here is another idea -- no recliners, but seating to keep in mind the room needs to be comfortable. IE -- kicking back with a laptop and watching TV. Maybe NO recliner would solve the problem. I am not against a sectional, but don't want the room to look like a rec room.

Ha -- kid psychology on my own self! When my kids were little and fighting over a toy, we just took the toy away and said "we got the toy to make you happy, if it makes you unhappy we get rid of the toy."

This is nothing I ever dreamed I'd suggest, but what about reclining sectional? When I looked, there are some decent looking ones, not sure about quality, or your style:

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At first glance I liked the plan posted at 11:10 but looking again, the space around the recliners and loveseat is pretty tight. For instance, think of the person sitting on the left end of the loveseat and the person sitting at the recliner closest to it -- their knees may be touching!

If you're committed to recliners facing the TV, I think it's going to be (almost?) impossible to also have the room be a conversational area for 8-10 people.

I wonder if it would work to have a sofa facing the fireplace with two SWIVEL recliners at right angles to the sofa (like a U shape)? Am I making sense? So in the pic posted at 11:10, the two recliners turn into a sofa, the loveseat becomes a swivel recliner, and a second recliner is placed opposite that one. That eliminates the other two chairs, though. Maybe you could have a couple of smaller scale chairs tucked into corners that could be pulled out for socializing?

My sister purchased a nice leather couch (not bulky) with built in recliners. You can't even tell that it reclines.

i've seen rooms with chairs only that were very attractive and i love the
sectional idea

i do like the second picture posted by selcier also

I gave up on 2 recliners. Pottery Barn is having a 25% off everything but clearance this weekend. Votes?

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

I like the last layout. Your room is too small for any sectional pictured, IMO.

Also like the 11:10 layout, but the problem with it is that all chairs look the same size. The two chairs in front of the windows should be smaller, either slipper chairs or wood windsors or ladder backs with a small table between. They would function as pull up chairs when you entertain.

I also vote for the last one.

Question -- is that a 40" round end table (Dawson)?? That's an enormous end table!

I like the last one too. I'd use two ottomans pushed together as the coffee table so that you can separate them for seating in front of the fireplace. I wouldn't put the bench in the window--I like an open look at windows, and you've got two bookcases, a fireplace, a big a$$ TV, with plans for drapes, a giant clock, and three large canvases. Ten new pieces of furniture proposed. Something's gotta give.

Thank you. Yes, it is the Dawson. Yes, it is big, but I am thinking the scale might actually bring it together. Crate and Barrel has a similar piece 30" round. No purchases yet, still playing.

I think it's going to look like you're using a kitchen table as an end table. 30" high (I looked it up at PB) is also very high for an end table. Typical is 24" high. I'd seriously consider the 30" round. Still a large end table but more in scale.

Why I like this table is that is can hold a lamp and a few books and a photo or two without looking crowded. I can always return it ... or keep it as my bedside table.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dawson

I thought I would post an update and thank all those who offered suggestions. We ended with a version of #3.

We still don't have a table for the corner of the 2 couches, but have a place holder there. We plan to put a natural wood table (cheap black place holder now to see how we like it) behind the kitchen backed couch that can have 2 stools and will then get 2 small ottomans to place under a table we plan to place in the window that will also have a few lamps and plants. (the huge dog bed is only there for a temporary dog guest....)

We were very pleased to see there is plenty of room to walk around and we both enjoy how we live the other 90% of our lives in this room -- watching TV, surfing, and listening to music and reading. No recliners, but the coffee table is natural wood and metal and is fine for putting feet on and even sitting if needed. It also has 4 huge drawers for laptop storage, games, books, etc.

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If anyone has window treatment ideas -- feel free! The room needs some color and patterns. The rug is black, sage, tan, crimson. The shelves are a work in progress....