I have never done it myself but have seen beautiful photos with four chairs in a circle and often a circular coffee table. I like the look and would consider it if I had separate LR and FR. We live in a pre-Civil War farm house that has had some odd additions over the years. Even though it is a good sized home we had a need to use what would be the sitting room for another use because we each (second marriage) had an adult child who moved "back" home. We then needed office and gym space since the bedrooms they occupied now have "kids" in them. DH and I like sitting on the sofa together and occasionally one of us might lay down to watch TV. If I had a room to have friends over specifically to have tea or wine and cheese I would consider it, because even our oversized sofa feels odd if three people have to sit on it. Honestly four people could fit but then you are facing forward and not looking at each other while you talk. If you are into board games or cards a round table that is adjustable in height might be fun.

Maybe you could post some pictures for advice. I know there are so many people here with great advice. Also what is the "vibe" you are going for?

Good luck!

I have a very small living room with an awkward layout. No sofa here. I'm trying to work in two recliners - we love our recliners - and possibly two swivel chairs of some sort so I can watch TV, talk to anyone at the breakfast nook, or watch the feeder birds and Purple Martins.

The north wall, 11'10" will be mostly filled with kitchen-type cabinet bases and bookshelves with room for a smaller TV.

My "vibe" is sit down, have a beverage (heavy on tea), talk, visit, relax, or watch a movie.

We are expanding the three-seasons room into a four-seasons room which will then be our new "living room." It may have two love seats and at least two comfy chairs. Lots of book storage, a huge-arse TV for DH, the dining table at the south end of the room, and what ever else he want's to include out there.

It will have the same vibe, just more room for it to reverberate!

We have an Octagonal living room. It has built-in window seats on four sides .

we opted for four comfy leather club chair, and a big square oversize ottoman.

It works for us because there's plenty of extra seating around the room if needed, we have a large great room that has more seating if we wanted to relax there instead, and as a practical matter we do most of our entertaining outdoors in the summer on our patios

I find it very pleasant and convivial when we have another couple over

I am thinking of doing this in the family room of the home we will be moving to. I want 2 recliners and 2 loveseats or 2 recliners and 2 comfy chairs. Right now I have a three cushion sofa and there are never more than 2 people on it at one time.

Google images for "four chairs living room" and you'll see quite a few nice looking arrangements.

https://www.google.com/search?q=four+chairs+living+room&biw=1600&bih=767&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwju04j_mK3MAhXFcz4KHYaUAHsQ_AUIBigB

Lol! Yes - no sofa in my LR at present!

My new one is being delivered this week and we moved the old sofa and loveseat out this past weekend. Now that I'm seeing the vacant space I can imagine doing a different configuration that wouldn't include a full size sofa. But, too late now -

I personally like to lie down while watching tv so I would want a sofa. Otherwise it would have to be a chairs that reclines if this was the ONLY living area/tv watching area. I could do just chairs in an extra living room space like the pic above. LOVE that look.

My living room is quite small, and we have a 72" long settee that we are replacing with two swivel lounge chairs. We bought the settee when we were in Venice and wanted an armless sofa, and so we had it made to my specifications. I had thought that it would be good for sleeping, but so far (in almost 10 years) no one has ever slept on it. If I want to lie down while watching TV, I will watch it in my bedroom, but that is rare, and I generally only watch TV in my bedroom when I first wake up. I read in bed at night, however.

We ordered the lounge chairs, and they are due mid May. The settee was no longer ergonomic for me, as the seat is now lower than I want. The lounge chairs will be much more comfortable, and if someone needs to sit between us, we can bring in another chair. I'll try to post before and after photos when we pick up the lounge chairs.

Heck, I'm ready to do away with the living room all together. There's plenty of seating of every type and it's open to the TV room. Our friends are very casual, everyone congregates in front of the fireplace at the other end. And we have a huge porch which with views which is also a comfortable and lovely place to sit.

I guess I think of a living room as sans TV; I assume the TV is in the great room, and living room is more like a "parlor". If the living room has a tv, I think four chairs may be less optimal.

I moved into a new a apartment and couldnt fit our couch in. All we have is chairs.

Its ok, but sometimes i just want to throw my feet up and relax with a movie and my kids. I love couch cuddling. Cant do that in a chair.

My Australian Shepherd would never allow me to part with our sofa. We have belly rubbing love fests every night!! She's a riot. But DH & I live in and frequently sleep in our leather recliners. Sans the canine, wouldn't need the couch.

I think the parlor concept for living rooms are starting to give way due to open plan houses. A lot depends on the house and lifestyle. I grew up in a very formal house, formally run.It worked then but expectaions differ now. Our guests never stay in one room. The TV is bigger and more important than ever. No one wants to sit where there's no action. There's a sofa in my kichen and a breakfast/game/card/dessert table in the living room. And a seating area at one end of the dining room. I like flexiblility and multi purpose. I don't think rules about rooms are as important as they once were.

We have a pair of love seats wedged in our little living room (no tv room or family room etc)

An English girlfriend of mine did four chairs in her living room. Though she also had a family room with the standard sofa arrangement, TV, etc by far all of our best chats were in that living room. Something about the layout just naturally led to great conversations.

I should have mentioned - it is a great room really no LR here. So 4 people could not sit in a circle and watch TV unless it was on the ceiling. Nevertheless photos are stunning and just seems guests prefer chairs first if they are open before sofa is taken.

I would do it only if you have another room (whatever you call it -- family room, great room) that has a sofa. I just feel like every house needs at least one sofa! If I'm sick, I want to crash on the sofa and watch TV. My DH injured his neck recently and spent a lot of time doing just that. We only have a full-size sofa in the living room (where the TV is) but in our sitting area off the kitchen, we just have a small loveseat and two chairs. Oh wait, we have two full size sofas in the lower level "play room" (where the biggest TV is!).

TR, thanks for reposting Zuzu's room. One of my favorites -- I swear I'll have a room like that one of these days! Next house...

I love Zuzu's room too. Even the plates on the wall....

I much prefer sitting on a chair. We only have a living room but I could easily do away with the sofa. I only use it when I'm sick and want to lie down with the (only one in the house) TV on. DH does use the sofa though so he can put his paperwork, etc. on the coffee table while working on his laptop so I don't know that he'd want to get rid of it.

Today I purchased 2 leather recliners, a loveseat, and 1 side chair for the family room where the TV will be. There is also a TV in the downstairs game room. The recliners will face the TV and the loveseat and chair will be opposite each other and perpendicular to the TV. You could lay on the loveseat and watch the TV and the chair can also be turned to face the TV. Normally, the most that would be watching TV in that room would be 3 people but the TV is also visible from the kitchen island which will have 3 swivel stools.

We have a FR and the LR has that set up.Initially I had a couch, chair and a half and ottoman - loved the uncluttered look; eventually got rid of the couch and added two wing chairs - loved that as well. Now it's 4 bucket chairs in a circle w/ a round ottoman. Check out Rebecca Robenson on you tube; she does this set a lot.

We're considering doing this very thing. We have only the one living room, and it houses the big television. The front door opens into this room (typical 1960 house). I'm having trouble making the leap to comfy-chairs-only, but logically it makes the most sense. We don't have visitors that often, and I sure would like to have my own comfortable chair (DH always has "his" chair and I use whatever sofa we have at the time). But there just isn't room for us to both get chairs and still have a sofa. . . and still see the TV. (The pretty photos of chair-only living rooms never seem to include televisions).

I considered the four chairs, but I only have a living room, so it would not provide enough seating. But come to think of it, the sofa only adds one extra seat and most people don't like to sit in the middle. By the way, I banished my big TV to the back bedroom and have never missed it.