The living room is one of the most frequently used rooms in your home; it's the hot spot for socialising, entertainment and more. To make your living room more comfortable and inviting, we’re helping to determine the best living room layouts for you to try for yourself at home.

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Before You Start...

Traffic Flow: Understand how you want people to move around the room. If possible, avoid creating walkways in front of the focal point in the space. Try to leave at least three feet of space in high-traffic areas, so that people do not bump into furniture.

Focal Point: You should have one main focal point in your living room. Some examples of focal points include wall art, a fireplace or a TV. Create a focal point if your living room is lacking one, but don’t try to compete with existing features. Then, arrange your furniture in a U-shape around that focal point to draw attention to it.

Conversation Areas: The way you position your furniture will determine how people interact with each other and use your living room space. Place chairs in groups of two at a minimum, or set an accent chair next to a sofa or sectional for an inviting and friendly seating area. You want it to be easy for your guests to have conversations with each other or watch a movie together.

Living Room Layouts

Layout 1:

In the first living room layout the sofa is positioned to face the focal point, which in this example is a built-in entertainment centre. Two accent chairs are paired with two end tables, and a coffee table rests in the middle of the grouping to create a U-shaped conversation area. Placing two table lamps on each end table provides ample lighting for the furniture layout.

Tip: If you have doorways on opposite ends of the room, then simply move the sofa back against the wall and push the chairs and coffee table back to meet it. This will allow for a walkway between the coffee table and focal point.

Layout 2:

This floor plan is ideal for a large living area or one that requires lots of seating. Featuring not one but two sofas, one faces the other with a coffee table situated in the middle. A pair of accent chairs completes the U-shaped layout. The chairs are facing the focal point, a wall that holds both a TV and a fireplace. Two floor lamps are placed next to the chairs to help provide light to the space.

Layout 3:

This room layout differs from the first two as it features a sectional sofa. Sectional sofas provide lots of seating and are a popular choice for family rooms. Here, the chaise portion of the sectional and an accent chair round out the U-shaped conversation area. Remember, an accent rug can always be used beneath furniture to unite a seating arrangement, as shown in this example.

Small Living Room Layout Solutions

If you have a small living room, try some of our favourite tips and tricks to maximise the area:

• Consider the scale of your furniture. A smaller piece, like a loveseat instead of a sofa, will fit the room better and make the space feel larger.
• Don’t feel obligated to push all your furniture against the walls. Change up your furniture placement: position your seating and coffee table in the centre of the room and tie them together with a rug, creating a close-knit conversation area.
• Embrace a small living room’s natural focal points to avoid overcrowding the space. Accentuate a window with eye catching curtains or place your furniture around a beautiful fireplace.
• Try multi-functional pieces such as storage benches that hide clutter and act as additional seating for entertaining.
• Embrace your small space. Make it cosy with rich colours and layered drapery to create a comfortable retreat from the everyday.

The Finishing Touches

No living room is complete without the addition of well-placed, unique items that reflect your personality and pull the look together.

Area Rugs: Area rugs connect and ground a room layout. Be sure to select a size that is big enough to go under the front feet of the surrounding furniture pieces. For more tips on this, take a look at our guide, How to Choose the Right Rug Sizes.

Accent Pillows: Accent or decorative pillows pull together your selected colour scheme. Try finding a pattern with the colours of your sofa, area rug and curtains in addition to one other pop of colour. This will add vibrancy and interest to the room.

Curtains & Drapes: Curtains, drapes and blinds not only provide privacy, but also create a sense of warmth in a living room. Read our guide, Curtains or Drapes? Which is Right for You? to find your perfect fit.

Tip: Was this article helpful? Then you might also want to read:

• 12 Transitional Living Room Ideas
• Modernise Your Living Room in Just 11 Simple Steps
• 5 Ways to Transform Your Living Room Into a Homely & Inviting Space