4 Tips for a Large Living Room

Recently, I was speaking with a client who was discussing living room layout options for her space – she felt overwhelmed and confused because with such a large great room, she wasn’t sure how to arrange furniture or how much to have, etc. Given that the “open concept” layout is pretty popular and most people opt to have the kitchen – dining area – living room open together, many people have this struggle. It can be challenging to know what layout is best for your specific space. I have found that if you follow a few simple guidelines you will be on the right track and feel confident with your layout.

Define Your Spaces

This is key. The best way to define a space (lounging, dining, reading, etc.) within a large area is to use a rug to anchor the space. Within this anchor you can easily create nooks and a focal point. Typically this will be a fireplace or a piece of artwork in the room. This rustic space is perfect – a large rug defines the seating area and helps the floating furniture not feel lost.

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Create Multiple Seating Areas

A common misconception is that you can only have one main area for seating. Well, that’s simply not true! In fact, in an oversized living room, it is ideal to create two or more seating areas. this helps break up the room and create a space within a space.

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Get the Right Scale Furniture

One of the most common design mistakes I see is people using the incorrect scale of furniture and wall decor within a space. Most people use rugs, sofas and art that are too small. If you need assistance, here are a few helpful links: rug size & scale placement guide, design cheat sheet guide and this fun post on 1 room, 12 furniture arrangements.

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Keep a Cohesive Color Palette

This should be an obvious one, but surprisingly it’s not. I think it is always a good idea to stick with a similar color scheme in the general living space in any home. For example, if you create a large space out of neutrals (gray, ivory, cream, blue) then everything will flow easier and feel like one cohesive spaces versus feeling choppy.

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Hopefully this makes you feel more confident when designing your large living room space.

Don’t forget, you can always contact me if you want design help!