Many immovable features in a room, like windows, doors, and access points, dictate where you can place your furniture. If they interfere with your desired traffic flow, try to work around them. If not, you might need to ditch some large furniture pieces that are too big for your room footprint. Nobody wants a cramped space or bruised shins.
Focal Point
Finding a focal point is one of the most important considerations when arranging your living room furniture Ottawa. A defining feature like a fireplace or expansive windows with a stunning view can be the perfect centerpiece for your seating arrangement. Asymmetrical focal points are also an excellent choice for modern spaces. Rather than opting for traditional symmetry, pair-matching sofas or chairs opposite each other give the space more interest.
Generally speaking, your focal point should be where the eye is drawn when entering the room. For example, positioning a sofa with its back to the door or window will create a natural path that draws people into the space and encourages conversation. It is important to remember that pushing all of your furniture against the walls can highlight a small room’s cramped dimensions. Try positioning your seating grouping with a large area rug in front of it to create visual openness.
Traffic Flow
When creating a furniture arrangement, it’s essential to consider how people will move through the space. This will often be determined by architectural features you can’t change, like a doorway or fireplace, but it can also include fixed fixtures such as a built-in bar or casement windows. An excellent place to start is by making a scaled floor plan of the room. This will help you test different arrangement ideas and see how they work with the space before moving any furniture around. It’s also an excellent opportunity to get rid of any items too oversized for the room – selling them at your local buy and sell can give you the money you need to invest in a more appropriately sized sofa or sectional. Ensure the arrangement doesn’t block any doorways or force people to duck or shuffle when moving through the room. It’s also a good idea to leave several inches between the back of furniture and walls as this helps rooms feel more significant.
Storage
Storage is essential in any room, even more so when you have limited floor space. Fortunately, there are plenty of options that only take up a little. For starters, consider side tables that offer a surface for drinks and books without taking up much space. Another option is to tuck a media console between sofas or chairs for all your movies and board games. Bookcases are also excellent for efficiently storing throws, crockery too pretty for the kitchen, and other decorative items. They come in all shapes and sizes, too, so you’ll find the right fit for your living room. And remember to add some simple hooks to your walls or under furniture for hanging things like hats and scarves.
Seating
There are many ways to create a comfortable seating arrangement for guests and family members. One excellent option is having two chairs directly across the sofa for conversation. This layout is perfect for rooms where enjoying the view is a priority or when you have limited space because it fully uses your room’s dimensions. Another way to maximize your seating options is to avoid a symmetrical look and randomly dot chairs around the room. This layout may work better in the broader space, where you can place your sofa lengthways with a coffee table in front and then add mismatching chairs to areas opposite, at angles, or even on corners. If you don’t have a lot of additional seating, consider using a large area rug to anchor the central seating arrangement. This helps unify the space and gives guests a peaceful place to set their drinks down.