7 Common Living Room Layout Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Planning a living room revamp? Try these expert tips to make it the best space for you
Assuming furniture always needs to be against a wall, forgetting to consider lighting, and falling back on a one-size-fits-all setup. These are among the common mistakes that can lead to a living room that just doesn’t quite work. It’s easy to underestimate the planning that goes into designing a cozy and functional living space, so we asked a panel of experts to share their tips — and some of the pitfalls to avoid.
2. Falling Back on One-Size-Fits-All Solutions
Setups such as an L-shaped sofa against the wall are classic for a reason, but they may not be the right choice for your space.
Solution: Work with your designer to find a furniture layout that suits both the space and your needs for it. “Clients often worry that every room has to be maximized, hence large furniture pushed up against walls to display floor space,” Shepherd says. “This actually has the opposite effect most of the time, because movement around the room becomes limited to a straight line along the sofa and back.”
Also think about how furniture pieces work together. “In my experience, if the furniture pieces look as if they’re talking to one another, the room will be inviting to use, both for one person and for a crowd,” says Eva Byrne of Houseology.
In this setup, use a rug to anchor the furniture. “Emphasize the sense of gathering by including a large rug sized so that each person can sit with their feet on it. Add a coffee table to further ground the arrangement,” Byrne says.
Setups such as an L-shaped sofa against the wall are classic for a reason, but they may not be the right choice for your space.
Solution: Work with your designer to find a furniture layout that suits both the space and your needs for it. “Clients often worry that every room has to be maximized, hence large furniture pushed up against walls to display floor space,” Shepherd says. “This actually has the opposite effect most of the time, because movement around the room becomes limited to a straight line along the sofa and back.”
Also think about how furniture pieces work together. “In my experience, if the furniture pieces look as if they’re talking to one another, the room will be inviting to use, both for one person and for a crowd,” says Eva Byrne of Houseology.
In this setup, use a rug to anchor the furniture. “Emphasize the sense of gathering by including a large rug sized so that each person can sit with their feet on it. Add a coffee table to further ground the arrangement,” Byrne says.
3. Not Considering Scale
Fileppi suggests furniture that’s too large can lead to the room feeling cramped. “Conversely, furniture that’s too small for the scale of a larger room can make it feel cavernous and lack a sense of comfort, leading to it being underused,” she says.
Solution: Work with your designer to find a furniture arrangement that’s carefully scaled for the space. If your room is on the smaller size, consider different formations. Would it be better to have one or two armchairs instead of an L-shaped sofa, and a footstool that doubles up as a coffee table?
Shepherd prefers using side tables rather than a single coffee table in some spaces. “They don’t disrupt the floor space, rumple rugs or create vacuuming obstacles,” she says. “We love a solid, circular side table that can be moved around at whim, and even perched on should you need to.”
Fileppi and Arefi use the Houzz Pro Selection Boards tool to make it easier for their clients to choose the right furniture mix. “It’s an interactive tool that provides product images, descriptions and prices,” she says. “It allows clients to ask questions about products and to choose between items. It’s linked to the invoices so they can also receive images of items in the invoices, which clients have loved.”
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Fileppi suggests furniture that’s too large can lead to the room feeling cramped. “Conversely, furniture that’s too small for the scale of a larger room can make it feel cavernous and lack a sense of comfort, leading to it being underused,” she says.
Solution: Work with your designer to find a furniture arrangement that’s carefully scaled for the space. If your room is on the smaller size, consider different formations. Would it be better to have one or two armchairs instead of an L-shaped sofa, and a footstool that doubles up as a coffee table?
Shepherd prefers using side tables rather than a single coffee table in some spaces. “They don’t disrupt the floor space, rumple rugs or create vacuuming obstacles,” she says. “We love a solid, circular side table that can be moved around at whim, and even perched on should you need to.”
Fileppi and Arefi use the Houzz Pro Selection Boards tool to make it easier for their clients to choose the right furniture mix. “It’s an interactive tool that provides product images, descriptions and prices,” she says. “It allows clients to ask questions about products and to choose between items. It’s linked to the invoices so they can also receive images of items in the invoices, which clients have loved.”
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
4. Skimping on Lighting
Not factoring in lighting can result in a living room that doesn’t feel quite right, no matter how well the other elements have been considered.
Solution: “Lamps, lamps and more lamps,” Shepherd says. “Lighting matters in here more than in most rooms because it will completely dictate the mood.”
She recommends layers of light, including a pretty ceiling pendant, wall-mounted lamps and table lamps in corners, on shelves and on side tables.
Shepherd notes that plug-in lights are good alternatives where there are no hardwired sconces. And portable USB-charged table lamps can be moved around the room to vary the lighting scenarios.
Think about natural light too. Try to avoid putting a sofa in front of a window, Byrne says. Depending on the setup, a sofa here may block the light coming into the room or impede flow in the space.
How to Light Your Living Room
Not factoring in lighting can result in a living room that doesn’t feel quite right, no matter how well the other elements have been considered.
Solution: “Lamps, lamps and more lamps,” Shepherd says. “Lighting matters in here more than in most rooms because it will completely dictate the mood.”
She recommends layers of light, including a pretty ceiling pendant, wall-mounted lamps and table lamps in corners, on shelves and on side tables.
Shepherd notes that plug-in lights are good alternatives where there are no hardwired sconces. And portable USB-charged table lamps can be moved around the room to vary the lighting scenarios.
Think about natural light too. Try to avoid putting a sofa in front of a window, Byrne says. Depending on the setup, a sofa here may block the light coming into the room or impede flow in the space.
How to Light Your Living Room
5. Not Considering the Height of the TV
Although a fireplace might be an obvious place for a TV screen, think carefully before you hang one here, Shepherd suggests. Not only can it be quite dominating, but high placement can make for uncomfortable watching.
Solution: If you have a high fireplace, use a large piece of art or a mirror above it and place the TV in the corner instead, Arefi says.
“Another way of hiding the TV is to opt for a darker color on the wall,” she says. “If a dark color doesn’t suit your home, it’s a good idea to distract the focus away from the TV by curating the space around it with large, colorful art or bespoke shelving units that you can decorate with beautiful accessories that give you joy.”
For avid film buffs who might want a larger screen, Shepherd recommends a projector and screen that can be hidden away when not in use.
Although a fireplace might be an obvious place for a TV screen, think carefully before you hang one here, Shepherd suggests. Not only can it be quite dominating, but high placement can make for uncomfortable watching.
Solution: If you have a high fireplace, use a large piece of art or a mirror above it and place the TV in the corner instead, Arefi says.
“Another way of hiding the TV is to opt for a darker color on the wall,” she says. “If a dark color doesn’t suit your home, it’s a good idea to distract the focus away from the TV by curating the space around it with large, colorful art or bespoke shelving units that you can decorate with beautiful accessories that give you joy.”
For avid film buffs who might want a larger screen, Shepherd recommends a projector and screen that can be hidden away when not in use.
6. Not Thinking About Doorways
“If you find it tricky to achieve a welcoming layout, ask yourself if some key element needs to change,” Byrne says. “A typical example is a badly located door. A door located in the middle of the long wall of a living room, for example, may make it impossible to create a welcoming arrangement of furniture.” Or it might be that a door needs to be added to make the most of a room.
Solution: Talk with your designer about either moving a doorway or adding in a dividing door where necessary. For example, Fileppi recalls a client with a knocked-through living room in a terraced house, or row house. “The kids had a TV at one end, but it monopolized both rooms and meant our clients were spending most of their evenings in the kitchen,” she says.
“We recommended installing glazed double doors between the rooms, which still let light through to the back room,” she says. “This separation has meant the adults now have a room they can chill out in and the kids still have a room to play games and watch TV in. They love the fact the double doors can be left open to create that larger entertaining space too.”
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“If you find it tricky to achieve a welcoming layout, ask yourself if some key element needs to change,” Byrne says. “A typical example is a badly located door. A door located in the middle of the long wall of a living room, for example, may make it impossible to create a welcoming arrangement of furniture.” Or it might be that a door needs to be added to make the most of a room.
Solution: Talk with your designer about either moving a doorway or adding in a dividing door where necessary. For example, Fileppi recalls a client with a knocked-through living room in a terraced house, or row house. “The kids had a TV at one end, but it monopolized both rooms and meant our clients were spending most of their evenings in the kitchen,” she says.
“We recommended installing glazed double doors between the rooms, which still let light through to the back room,” she says. “This separation has meant the adults now have a room they can chill out in and the kids still have a room to play games and watch TV in. They love the fact the double doors can be left open to create that larger entertaining space too.”
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7. Not Designing the Living Room in Relation to the Rest of the House
Shepherd notes that problems often arise when a living room isn’t factored into a larger home renovation, for example, when a renovation changes the flow through the two reception rooms in a Victorian house. In that case, the second reception room either “becomes a glorified hallway, used primarily to access the kitchen, [or] the front reception room is barely used and no budget is allocated to ensuring it remains connected to the rest of the design,” Shepherd says.
Solution: “Space planning is key to a good design being successful,” Fileppi says. “If it doesn’t work on paper, it won’t work in real life.”
This is where a designer can help. “The best way to establish the optimum layout for your living room is to create a floor plan, drawn to scale and using detailed measurements. This allows you to establish not only the overall layout, but also the precise dimensions and location of each piece,” Byrne says.
10 Common Kitchen Layout Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Shepherd notes that problems often arise when a living room isn’t factored into a larger home renovation, for example, when a renovation changes the flow through the two reception rooms in a Victorian house. In that case, the second reception room either “becomes a glorified hallway, used primarily to access the kitchen, [or] the front reception room is barely used and no budget is allocated to ensuring it remains connected to the rest of the design,” Shepherd says.
Solution: “Space planning is key to a good design being successful,” Fileppi says. “If it doesn’t work on paper, it won’t work in real life.”
This is where a designer can help. “The best way to establish the optimum layout for your living room is to create a floor plan, drawn to scale and using detailed measurements. This allows you to establish not only the overall layout, but also the precise dimensions and location of each piece,” Byrne says.
10 Common Kitchen Layout Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Designers use Houzz’s 3D Floor Planner or CAD tools to create detailed plans and help clients visualize potential layouts. “The client gets to see their new space in 3D and have a walk-through to get a much better understanding of the furniture layout and flow,” Natascia says.
“Design your home with care and have patience,” Arefi says. “We all want a finished room quickly, but if you don’t have the budget right now, it’s better to save up to later purchase the pieces you truly love and create a home that’s personal, comfortable and timeless.”
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“Design your home with care and have patience,” Arefi says. “We all want a finished room quickly, but if you don’t have the budget right now, it’s better to save up to later purchase the pieces you truly love and create a home that’s personal, comfortable and timeless.”
More on Houzz
Read more stories
Browse photos for ideas
Find home professionals
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Your living room might look beautiful, but if it isn’t serving the needs of you and your family, it’s not working.
Solution: Ask yourself exactly what you want from your room. Shirin Arefi and Natascia Fileppi of Interia Design always start with a client questionnaire, asking: “Do [the homeowners] see it as a space that will be conversational? Will it be a kids’ zone? Do they want it to be cozy, formal or mostly a TV room? Are there any pieces of furniture they want to keep?” The answers affect everything from the color scheme to the furniture and finishes.
Anna Shepherd of Life Design London gives the example of a space used primarily by parents to relax away from toys and mess for a couple hours at the end of the day. “The design can afford to be cozy, with smaller sofas or enveloping armchairs rather than an enormous L-shaped sofa that engulfs the space. Textures and colors can be more opulent or intense because [the room] is only being used for a few hours and in mellow, moody evening lamp light.”
This approach also makes it easier to avoid some potential challenges. “If the living room is the front reception and used mostly at night, flow isn’t as important, nor is looking out of the window,” Shepherd says.
She also suggests using the 80-20 rule to help plan how the space will be used.
- “When will the room be used 80% of the time?” Day or night? Daily or occasionally?
- “Who will be using it 80% of the time?” Adults? Children?
- “How will it be used 80% of the time?” For relaxing? Playing? Entertaining?
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