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steven_steinberg

Open plan living room layout and design

4 years ago

Hi there. We are super stuck as we are trying to decide on a functional and attractive layout for our open plan living room, dining room. It's a relatively small room in a co-op apartment. We committed to placing the dining table in a particular spot which we really like but it makes furnishing the living room complicated as the table is basically in the living room. My wife is leaning towards placing a sectional in the windowless corner of the room. I understand it's the most logical place if we want a decent amount of seating and it will keep the space as open as possible. It also allows us to keep clear the area in front of the patio door . I'm just having a hard time with that choice because it doesn't allow for creating much interest and, frankly, pushing the sectional into the corner seems to be a bit boring. While I'd prefer to float a sofa away from the walls for some visual depth and to create a focal point (with some shelves, plants, collectibles, artwork), there's not much room for that unless we divide the already small space with a sofa cutting across the middle of the room.
I'll post some pictures in the next post. Any and all thoughts on how to make the corner sectional work or an alternative will be appreciated.

Comments (23)

  • 4 years ago

    Please share photos so we know whereof you speak! Do it here, not in another post. Simply comment and add them in the comment.

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  • 4 years ago




  • PRO
    4 years ago

    Is there a tv?


    Please show all 4 walls of room.


    Where else could the dining table go?


    Thanks.

  • 4 years ago

    Sorry, it seems to be posting only some of the photos I submit. I'll keep trying.

  • 4 years ago





  • 4 years ago




  • 4 years ago



  • 4 years ago

    If there will be TV and the connections are set in stone, that needs to be ironed out first. I see why she wants the table under a light. Looks like you have young children, so I suggest you get rid of the glass table. It is an accident waiting to happen for toddlers. Instead, get a drop leaf table. With one leaf up, it will be large enough for the family, and can be pulled away from the wall and opened when you have guests. Since you're likely to move as your family grows, I would hesitate on a sectional. Everyone has to sit lined up like they're on bleachers at a sporting event, and the corner is a miserable place to sit. Consider a 3 seat sofa and two armchairs with a coffee table, some floor lamps and art, pillows, throws. You might look at reversible chaise sofas too. That way you'll have options to rearrange it if you move. Again TV information is imperative before we can really suggest a good arrangement for you. You might want to use swivel chairs if the TV spot requires it.

  • PRO
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Hi.


    -glass table not the best with little ones

    -there are a few cat climbers that look decent, but mostly they look hideous, so if that stays in this room, they take a ton of space and don't look very good

    Questions before I can give input

    1) Is there a tv?

    2) Why do you want a sectional? (If you really want one, you can get one, but they are fairly dysfunctional and take up a huge amount of space).

    3) Is there another place for the dining table we are not seeing?

  • 4 years ago

    Form/function the forever debate. In the end with small children and all the paraphernalia they come with, I would step away from your dreams of high style for this room and set it up functionally with what gives your family the utmost floor space.

  • 4 years ago

    Would you consider putting the table in front of the patio doors? Nice place to eat, but also to play games or draw with your little one, and that leaves you two full walls for the living room seating.

  • 4 years ago

    if I was thinking like the architect and designer when these were built, it seems to me the intent is your entertainment center on the back windowless wall, sofa (L sectional, I agree, sectionals don't give options to rearrange) facing the entertainment center, creating a walkway to the patio door. Perhaps create an L shape with a second sofa or 2 chairs, maybe swiveling to accommodate conversation or tv viewing. Second sofa or chairs go against window wall. If you want a more open arrangement, then 2 sofas facing each other on window wall and opposite.
    By the placement of the hanging light fixture, I think your table is where it was intended, but gee, is that a walkway to bedrooms?
    I'd use that generous entryway to create a mudroom type drop zone or add some kind of cabinet for additional kitchen storage. Think pantry.
    My two cents for the day.

  • 4 years ago

    Ok. My bad. Not a walkway, Just a wall the jigs and jogs. How long is that wall past your table?
    I would also consider moving the table in front of the patio doors.

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    I need measurements of the spaces to be of help. Start in one spot and go around the room and measure each wall length, slider length, indent, opening etc on a small sketch of the total space. I would not use a sectional. Space hog and hard to use down the road as well. Smaller pieces such as "condo" size will serve you well now and in the future. I would sell the glass table and definitely put the bench along the wall beside the slider door then add a drop leaf table as suggested above. Very versatile and flexible for the future. Might even work with a sofa facing the windowless wall with a drop leaf table as a "sofa table" and dining table. TV? On windowless wall probably. Once I get measurements, I can do some scale drawings. Don't buy any furniture until you get the sizing right. Most buy too large of pieces and are sorry for years!

  • 4 years ago

    Very helpful thoughts. I should have mentioned that we just moved back after a renovation and really have no furniture yet. The glass table is temporary. That is not the final place for the cat tree. (The cats have more places to sit than we do right now.) We have no high style aspirations. I understand the logic of placing the table near the patio doors, a common thing to do, but we were hoping to keep that area relativily free of obstructions. Besides, we already placed the pendant and would rather not move it though I suppose it would work over a coffee table as well. There's no intention to place a tv for now but that makes creating a focal point more challenging. Maybe should plan for the possibility. I'm not sure I know what is meant by a"sofa table". I'll put some thought into moving the table (we can easily move it now and live with it for a while) but does anyone see a way to make it work in it's current location? A quick sketch with dimensions coming up. Thanks everybody.

  • 4 years ago



  • 4 years ago

    And yes we're planning for some storage for coats, shoes and kitchen overflow by the entrance.

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    Here is Option 1. With drop leaf style table behind sofa. I made the left wall the focal point. I put a console there or it could be a buffet. Extra storage and a size that could also hold a TV. BIG art would be great above it too. A condo size sofa (80” x 36” deep) with a 48” drop leaf table. Lots of good choices out there for this style table. Bench on wall opposite to be brought up to table as needed. I used the area where you have glass table for play area. Kids stuff takes up a lot of real estate. The measurements were ok but incomplete so I couldn’t complete the total drawing. In small spaces, everything has to do double duty.

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    Here is example of drop leaf style table.

  • 4 years ago

    Thanks so much to all and to cdr design and flo mangan for sketching up those floorplans. Incredibly helpful. The drop leaf table could work very well in a space like our's. I've not considered it before. One last question for anyone who has experience with corner sectionals, though, it's pretty clear how people feel about them, would one where the two sections are relatively equal along with one comfy chair in the room not sit the same or more people than a smaller sofa and two chairs?

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    Depending on the size of the sectional, it technically could.


    Here is the issue, though.


    1) Adults like their own seats, if possible. It feels socially awkward to leave and get up and down when shoved between 2 other people. (younger you are, less you notice this).


    2) The corner seat is the worst for #1


    3) No end table to place a drink, except for 2 end people.


    4) A sofa and 2 chairs have more current and future flexibility, as they can be configured in many different ways.

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