Help laying out a living room with corner fireplace and built-ins.

8 years ago

I have had the same furniture situation for the last ten years. I have started a remodel on my house starting with the not so fun stuff i.e. rood, foundation, plumbing and a/c. I will be doing the floors next and installing a vinyl plank flooring in place of carpet. I want to set the living room up to where it is most usable but aesthetically appealing as well. The corner fireplace is brick with a brick mantle that is all currently painted white to match the built-ins. The brick half wall has three support columns that go all the way to the ceiling and they are also painted white. The "dk" in the picture stands for dog kennel that can be moved anywhere. I currently have a tv hanging on the wall with a small entertainment center below it, a couch, a chair 1/2 with ottoman and a small, round end table. I plan to buy all new furniture after the floors are done but don't have anything particular in mind yet. I am attaching a "paint" sketch of the layout blank and then also furnished as it currently is. The living room is approximately 19x17 with 8ft ceilings. My style tends to lean to the eclectic, industrial side if that helps.

Thanks in advance for any responses received.

Chris

Featured Answer

cawaps

8 years ago

Your room is large enough that your furniture does not need to be, and probably should not be, all against a wall. Your sofa is, what, 16 feet from your TV? That seems awkwardly far.

My first thought was to take the sofa and chair in their current 90 degree configuration and move the whole shebang much closer to the fireplace (align the front left corner of the sofa with the end of the built-in, leaving just enough room for an end table. The problem with that is that it leaves the sofa off center with the TV. If you centered the sofa with the TV, the chair I think would block the walkway to the master bedroom.

What if you moved TV viewing into the current formal dining room, made the current TV area into a formal dining area, and just had a small seating/conversation area in front of the fireplace? The formal dining area has more free wall area, and would give more flexibility in locating the TV and orienting furniture around it. If you have a low-hanging chandelier (as many dining rooms do for over the table), you'd have to replace (or move the the new formal dining area).

Photos would probably help.

Also, the brick half wall, are the columns load-bearing?

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Comments (14)

DH
8 years ago
Can you please post more photos so we can get sight lines please?
simplechris thanked DH
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simplechris
Original Author
8 years ago
Yes, the columns are load bearing. We were going to remove them until we found that out although removing them might still be an option. I had thought about adding some 2" thick shelving in between the columns if I left them. I'm not sure if that would close off the area too much though. I like the idea of pushing everything closer to towards the fireplace. You're right that if I did the current configuration and centered the sofa, the chair would indeed be in the walkway. The formal dining currently has a low hanging chandelier. I was wanting to make that room an office/tv room. I'm okay with not having a formal dining room so perhaps your idea of making the main living area just a sitting area would work. I will try to take some actual photos of the current set up now and post. Thanks you.
simplechris
Original Author
8 years ago
This is from standing in the breakfast area.
simplechris
Original Author
8 years ago
This is from sitting on the far left side of the couch.
simplechris
Original Author
8 years ago
Standing just to the left of the couch.
simplechris
Original Author
8 years ago
Standing in between the kitchen and breakfast area.
simplechris
Original Author
8 years ago
This is looking into the living from the hallway to the bedrooms. The entryway is just to the left in between the brick.
simplechris
Original Author
8 years ago
This is from inside of the formal dining looking over the brick wall at the far right side of the couch.
simplechris
Original Author
8 years ago
Same view as above but looking a little more left.
simplechris
Original Author
8 years ago
Standing at the back door looking into the living showing the formal dining, foyer and columns.
simplechris
Original Author
8 years ago
Also, I measured from the tv to the couch. It is 17ft and the tv is a 65".
DH
8 years ago
Great, that helps. How wide is the tv itself? 65" is diagonal screen, right? Cute dog!!
simplechris
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Yes, 65" is the diagonal measurement. The actual end to end measurement of the tv is 57.5 inches. The wall that it is hanging on is 7'4" wide. Thanks! That is Hank. He is a rescue that I have had since March.