How to Arrange Furniture in a Long Living Room
A long and narrow living room can seem challenging to design, especially if you have never had one. It can seem tricky to make a narrow space appear more expansive and keep the cozy feel most people want in a living room.
Long, narrow rooms don’t have to present a design challenge. You can reinvent your layout to open up the space and use the room to its full potential. Creating a comfortable, stylish space is easy with the right living room furniture sets and planning out your area. It just might become your new favourite room.
Combine these layout ideas with some visual tricks, and you can make sure your room has a natural flow while remaining functional. Follow this guide on how to arrange furniture in a long living room:
1. Create living room zones.
Creating more than one seating zone is a great way to use the space in a long, narrow room. Instead of looking at the room as one space, you can set up two (or more!) separate areas. The primary consideration when designing your zones will be where the fixed items in the room are.
First, take note of the existing windows and doors. Consider the location of switches and outlets and work around them. You can keep it simple with two seating areas or get creative and use some space for an alternative purpose, like a homework zone or a breakfast nook.
Separate area rugs will help to define the different zones. The bigger you can go with the carpets, the better. If you can get the legs of the furniture in the grouping on the rug, it will tie the space together. If daring, you can use different colour schemes to differentiate the areas. Using different textures and shapes is also a great way to see the area as more than one space.
2. Arrange furniture in the middle.
There is no need to push all your furniture up against every wall. Letting your furniture float away from the walls will help you create a more cohesive and cozy space. Create an intimate space for conversation by arranging seating around a coffee table with a beautiful rug underneath to tie the furniture together. Console tables are a great way to liven up the back of a couch, make a room look put together, and provide a place to put a drink down.
3. Design the living room vertically.
Utilizing vertical space in a room allows you to take advantage of every bit of space available to you. There are many ways to draw the eye upward. Built-in storage removes clutter, perhaps the narrow room’s biggest adversary. Keeping the shelves slim is ideal for maximizing the room’s width while providing ample storage space.
Tall floor lamps or table lamps can help add vertical interest. Focal design points on the walls, like paintings or other art pieces, are also a great way to distract from the room’s shape. Going big with your art is a great idea in a narrow room. A large painting or wall sculpture can make a statement.
4. Think outside the box.
Don’t shy away from using a mixture of different furniture. Instead of just a couch and coffee table, use several smaller pieces. Arranging these pieces with intention can help a narrow room seem more spacious. Refrain from setting up your long pieces of furniture like the couch and coffee table lengthwise in the room. Instead, arrange them across the width of the space.
Don’t be afraid to use the corners of the room; they can be a great place to add a decorative storage basket or even a sculpture to add interest.
Sleekly designed couches, chairs, and glass-topped coffee tables can go a long way in giving the room an airy feel. Be sure to leave walkways open; too much furniture will work against you and give the impression of an even smaller space. A good guideline is that the more floor you can see, the bigger a room will feel.
5. Use living room lighting.
Lighting might be the most crucial aspect when designing your living room. A large pendant or chandelier-style light can add a great focal point. Add lamps into each zone or furniture grouping, giving each one ample lighting.
Light, flowing window coverings are recommended. Sheer curtains or white blinds are always a great choice, as they allow you to make the most out of the natural light.
6. Arrange the living room mirrors.
Mirrors are possibly the most helpful tool you can use to change how a room feels. Careful placement of a large mirror will reflect both natural and artificial light. This will, in turn, make the room appear larger. A mirror instantly adds depth to any space and is also a fantastic design element, adding character to any room.