Arranging: Zone Your Furniture

The living room tends to see more activity than any other room in the house. This is one reason why you need to carefully consider your furniture placement. Try to avoid placing every piece of furniture up against a wall. This helps you break the living room into zones and improve its aesthetics.

Consider the Main Functions of Your Living Room
Before placing your furniture, think about what you and your family spend the most time doing in the living room. If it’s watching television, slant seating towards the TV. For talking and socializing, create seating groups for increased intimacy. The sofa should go in the middle of the living room and be away from the walls. Placing a coffee or end table in front of or at the sides of the sofa helps to visually balance it. It also offers a practical solution since it gives people a place to set their drinks, papers, or books.

Keep Normal Traffic Patterns in Mind
No one wants to have to walk around furniture as they pass through the living room on the way to another room. It’s also important to avoid obstructing existing paths near the doorways. If the room has architectural focal points such as a picture window or fireplace, try to arrange the furniture in such a way that they remain prominent.

Define a Zone with an Area Rug
You want your living room to be welcoming while still creating recognizable zones. Putting down an area rug is one way to accomplish this without the appearance of a barrier. A folding screen or some tall potted plants help to create zones as well. When you want to open up space in the living room, place furniture at an angle.

Paying attention to zones when deciding where to put your living room furniture allows the room to be stylish and comfortable while also remaining functional.