Living room layout ideas: 9 fun ways to switch it up

Looking for living room layout ideas can be exciting. Whether you have a small space or a larger floor plan, getting into a decorating mindset is a chance to express your creativity and take this all-important room to next-level status.

The living area is one of the most frequented rooms in any home. It’s usually where you entertain friends and family, and where you relax after a long day. Regardless of how much space you have (or don’t have), you want this area to really feel like home.

Whether you’re buying new furniture and accents or repurposing what you have for a mini makeover, use this guide for living room layout ideas that will help you create a space you’ll love living in.

How to plan your living room layout

When considering living room layout ideas for your home, first consider your floor plan. The size of your space and flow of foot traffic matter. If you forget these elements, you may disrupt the natural walking spaces in your living area.

Think about how often you entertain and what design ideas fit with your home’s style. If your living area shares space with a home office, playroom, or dining area, you also want to consider an efficient multi-use design.

Modern interior design is all about practicality, and there’s nothing wrong with multi-use spaces. Once you’ve settled on a layout, you can tweak conjoined spaces for better functionality.

Conversation area room arrangement

If your living room is the main area where you gather with friends and family, arrange the furniture for a people-centric experience. Conversation focused living rooms are also great for game nights.

1. Casual conversation area

A layout that encourages and enhances conversation starts with great seating. In the Glenn living room set featured above, the sofa, loveseat, and chair offer plenty of options to get comfy. You could achieve the same effect with a small sofa or loveseat and one or two accent chairs to save space.

A conversation space feels cozy and directs the focal point to the center of the room instead of towards a television. Side tables and a coffee table in the center provide convenient places to set drinks, snacks, and other personal effects.

2. Formal conversation and entertaining furniture layout

A formal entertaining living room uses classic, person-oriented styling. Similar to the casual conversation seating arrangement, the image above features the large Princeton sofa and loveseat with a matching accent chair.

Everything is centered around a large coffee table, and the side table provides additional spaces for books, drinks, lamps, and more. Formal entertaining usually demands extra seating to make room for guests.

Media-focused living room layout ideas

Many households use the living room for media entertainment first and foremost. With so many high-tech televisions, game consoles, and virtual reality experiences, who wouldn’t want to take advantage of that? Media-focused living room layouts orient the seating to face the main screen in the room so that no one gets a neck ache trying to see the screen.

3. Television-oriented lounging area

There’s no shame in setting up your lounging area to focus on the television. These rooms often double as conversation areas and home theaters. The layout above features Coaster’s Arden 2-piece sectional sofa with a compact chaise-like design that’s perfect for this setup.

If your living space is larger, you can opt for a bigger sectional sofa or expand the seating area with comfy chairs. Try adding a coffee table, side tables, and a floor lamp to complete the look.

4. Home theater room arrangement

Instead of orienting your living room towards the television, you might want to go for a full-on home theater feel. The Pavillion Home Theater three-seat recliner sofa is ideal for movie night. To make the room feel even more like a theater, you might add a second two- or three-seated theater-style sofa.

Most home theater seating options include cupholders, but many people still opt for side tables or a coffee table to better accommodate guests. A home theater seating arrangement also works well for gamers who want comfy seating for a cinematic-style game experience.

Multi-use living room design ideas

Your living room can wear many hats. For many households, a multi-use living room design is most practical. Place your furniture in a way that allows you to watch your favorite streaming service and have a good conversation, with room to spare for a reading or play area.

5. Home library living room

If you love to read and have a sizable collection of books, display them! Adding bookcases to your living room gives it character. The handsome Bower bookcase doubles as a storage unit with four drawers. Complete the look with a cozy accent chair, side table, and floor lamp.

Most living room furniture layouts have space to sneak in a home library or reading nook on one side or corner of the room. In the center of the room, you might feature a couch, loveseat, accent chair, coffee table, or storage options. Consider additional shelving to accommodate even more books for a full library effect.

6. Playroom-living room combo

Adding a playroom area to the side of your family room can make it easier to relax as a family. You’ll want to pick youth-size furniture and make the room accessible for the little ones. The Rory 5-piece dining set is a colorful and kid-sized option that makes a perfect staging area for tea parties and make-believe.

Other ideas might include a vinyl floor mat with bookshelves and pillows. If you’re unsure where to place the playroom set up, try making space behind the couch or to the side of the room’s focal point.

7. Living room-dining room combo

If your dining room shares open space with the family room and space is limited, try an eye-catching small round dining table like the Natural Teak Asbury Dining Table featured above. When placed to the back of the shared open space, a table like this helps define the dining area without intruding on the living room.

Consider a dining table with a leaf insert if you need to entertain large groups of people. The leaf will allow you to accommodate more guests when necessary while keeping the table smaller for day-to-day living.

Small living room options

Small spaces can feel limiting, but you can still have a living room you love with the right furniture layout. It’s all about making the most of the square footage you have. These options often rely on compact seating options and smaller tables.

8. Small space sleeper sofa layout

If you’re in an apartment or smaller home with limited space, a single sleeper sofa can work well in your living room. For example, the compact Caufield Biscuit-Tufted Sofa Bed would work incredibly well when you have family or friends over for the night. Add a side table and coffee table to create a complete layout without demanding extra room.

For more seating options, consider one or two compact accent chairs, an ottoman, or even a pillow pile, depending on the room you have to work with.

9. Simple small living room furniture arrangement

A sofa and loveseat can create a simple yet functional small living room almost anywhere. Measure carefully and pick compact options for the best results. With the Meagan Pillow Top Arms Living Room Set you could omit the accent chair and move the loveseat and sofa as needed for your floor plan.

Add a small coffee table and side table to make the space comfortable for guests. If you don’t have space for a sofa and loveseat, try replacing one of them with an accent chair. This space-saving hack works well for awkwardly-shaped living rooms too.

Essential furniture pieces for your living room arrangement

Keep the essentials in mind when working on your living room design and buying new home decor items. Arrange your furniture pieces around the natural flow of foot traffic through the room to keep walkways open.

Below, we’ve highlighted key items to consider for your living room layout ideas. With this info, you should be ready to put together your dream living room.

Seating

Seating is the primary requirement for a comfy living area. Any combination of a loveseat, sofa, accent chairs, or even a chaise lounge chair will work. Measure your space and think about how much seating you’ll require. Pick only what you need to avoid cluttering your family room.

Occasional tables

Coffee tables, side tables, end tables, console tables, and sofa tables are critical for a functional living room. Coffee tables are typically placed in the center of your seating arrangement. Side and end tables go next to your seats, and console tables and sofa tables typically go behind the sofa. You don’t need all of them, but a few solid table options will bring your design together.

Entertainment

With a comfy seating arrangement and well-placed tables, you’re ready to think about entertainment. For most families, the living room is synonymous with the media room (aka the place where you binge Netflix). If this sounds like your household, pick a TV stand or entertainment center that fits your media style.

Storage

Cabinets and chests offer extra storage for your living room. You might use a chest in a living room-playroom combo to keep toys out of sight or an accent cabinet to hold your media collection. Storage options can usually be placed behind the sofa or against an exposed wall for efficiency’s sake.

Area rugs

If your living room features hard floors, area rugs are also essential. Most living room area rugs go in the center of or underneath your seating arrangement. You might place a smaller option under the coffee table, a medium option under the furniture’s front feet, or a larger rug under all four feet of the furniture. Rugs help define your space, so consider a separate rug for each zone if you have a multi-use living area.

Create a living room you love living in

Playing with living room layout ideas is work but it can be so much fun. Whether you’re doing a living room makeover for an existing space or you just moved into a new home, planning is essential. Save your favorite furniture pieces, measure your room carefully, and explore different arrangement options before you buy.

Take your time as you browse the wide selection of living room pieces from Coaster Furniture, and don’t be afraid to mix it up to get the look you want.

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