Whether you have a small living room or a large open plan layout, you can find inspiration from our practical living room layout ideas.
The living room is the heart of your home and how you layout it plays a crucial role in setting the tone for your entire living space. That’s why our living room layout ideas are here to help you create a lounge area that balances aesthetics with functionality.
Whether you're looking to maximise space in a cosy apartment or create an inviting atmosphere in a spacious home, our living room design ideas are sure to inspire you. With practical tips on furniture arrangement, colour schemes, as well as lighting, you can work out a living room layout for your home in no time.
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1. Learn how colours impact your living room layout
Colour plays a crucial role in lounge design ideas by influencing the perception of space and setting the mood of the room. Lighter hues like soft pastels or neutrals create an airy, spacious feel that make smaller rooms appear larger. Darker tones on the other hand, make large spaces feel more intimate. As for the ambience of the room, colours with warm undertones add a cosy vibe while cool colours make the room feel calm and relaxed. A playful pink living room and soothing grey living room are perfect examples.
Good flow in a layout means traffic moves through the space with ease. In homes where the living room and dining room share the same space, use similar style elements across the two areas for a cohesive look that flows together. For example, if you have a neutral living room with wooden furniture, then the dining room should also have neutral colours and wooden furniture or furniture with wooden accents.
The spacing between furniture can affect the flow of your room too. You wouldn’t want to keep bumping into the coffee table to get to the sofa. A good rule of thumb is to have 3 feet of space between each piece of furniture to make moving through the room feel effortless.
Living room layout ideas like this one here is particularly important for open plan layouts. Creating zones in an open plan home is the key to creating a cosy atmosphere, and a corner sofa is a great way to do this. Its structural shape naturally draws a line to separate the lounge area from the kitchen. Plus it frees up floor space and seats more people than your average sofa.
Rugs and lighting are also fantastic ways to define different zones. A rug anchors the living room and is a chance to inject personality to your home, whether it’s soft pastels, geometric prints or vibrant patterns. Likewise, statement light fixtures such as striking pendant lights or designer floor lamps are perfect for zoning too.
A focal point is the main element of a room that draws attention and anchors the space. Some focal point examples in the living room include a cosy fireplace, a striking piece of art, or large windows overlooking a beautiful view. In many homes, it might be the TV. What’s important is that the focal point should be something you enjoy looking at as it plays a prime role in helping you plan your layout and furniture arrangement. Building your living room around a focal point will give the room a natural sense of comfort and flow.
If your living room lacks a focal point, a feature wall is what you need. There are many ways to create a feature wall, you can paint the wall with a bold colour, craft a gallery wall, or use decorative wall panels. Even then, wall panels come in a variety of options. You can choose from picture frame moulding to curved ribbed panels to wood slat panels. For something truly unique, combine wood slat panels with floating wall shelves. The result is a feature wall that’s stylish, attention-grabbing, and functional all at the same time.
Getting the lighting right is essential to setting the tone and ambience of your space. Lighting plays a big role in highlighting different zones in the living room, so it’s important to make sure that it’s functional just as it is decorative. Here are several types of lighting fixtures to consider:
Task lighting – sets up the space for everyday activities
Bias lighting – helps avoid the glare of the TV screen and decreases eye strain
Accent lighting – highlights key areas of the space such as artwork
Ambient lighting – fills in the gap and sets the mood of the space
If possible, always take advantage of any natural light that comes into your living room as it will make your space feel more airy, bright, and inviting. An instant way to do this is to hang a mirror on the wall across a window to reflect the light streaming in. Sheer curtains and a glass coffee table will also do the trick to let in more light and make the room feel more spacious.
If you have a small living room, why not use a light colour scheme for the walls to make your room appear larger than it seems? A white living room may be the obvious choice but you can also consider other soft colours like sky blue, lilac, or sage green. A pastel blue living room will not only make your space feel bigger but brings a calm and relaxing vibe too.
Another tip to maximise your space is to invest in double duty furniture that function as smart storage solutions. Use an ottoman or a coffee table with a shelf to store items while adding a stylish decorative accent to your living room.
Have you ever felt a sense of calm when looking at furniture arrangement? The harmonious feeling could possibly be a result of your brain picking up on the symmetry and order that a well-balanced living room exudes. Pair matching sofas and armchairs to face each other with a coffee table in the centre or arrange the furniture in a U-shape to face the focal point. This will create a simple yet striking effect on your living room layout and it works particularly well for classic interiors.
9. Ensure your living room design has right proportions
Proportion refers to the size of two objects in relation to each other in a room. The tip here is to remember that large living rooms can handle larger furniture while it’s better to keep your furniture more compact if you have a small living room layout.
Walk through your space and notice if any furniture feels out of proportion with everything else. If you feel the large hanging lights make your room feel smaller or the coffee table looks too big next to the sofa, it’s a sign that it doesn’t suit your space. Try removing those pieces and see if your room feels more proportioned without them.
Sometimes a sofa just looks awkward when it’s arranged against the wall, especially in a long and narrow living room. If that’s the case, ‘floating’ your furniture might be the best way forward. Placing your sofa in the centre of the room to face the focal point creates a special area of its own and may feel more cosy and intimate.
A floating sofa will naturally form ‘lanes’ for walking through your space, since it functions as the key piece of furniture in the living room. This also frees up the walls, so feel free to hang artwork or photographs to dress up those bare surfaces. If you’re in need of extra storage, build wall shelves to keep things organised.
FAQs
— How do you arrange a living room nicely?
You can arrange a living room nicely by identifying the focal point of the room and arranging your furniture around it. Make sure to keep your living room layout balanced and allow ample space between furniture for a good flow.
— How do you work out a living room layout?
To work out a living room layout, first measure your space and furniture dimensions. Then sketch out a simple floor plan and experiment with different furniture arrangements until you’re happy with the layout.
— How much seating do I need in my living room?
2 seater sofas are a popular choice for smaller homes, while the go-to option for many is a 3 seater sofa or an L-shaped sofa. Choose a size that comfortably fits your living room and if space permits, add an accent chair or two for extra seating.
— Where is the best place to put a sofa in the living room?
The best place to put a sofa in the living room is facing a focal point. That could be your fireplace, TV, or windows with a stunning view outside.
— Can you put a sofa in front of windows?
Absolutely! Putting a sofa in front of windows can create a cosy seating area with plenty of natural light.
— Which direction should a sofa be placed?
A sofa should be placed in a direction that’s facing the focal point or against a wall to optimise space. Avoid putting your sofa in places that would block natural pathways.
— Which type of sofa is best for living room?
This depends on the layout and size of your living room. If you have a small living room layout, a compact 2 seater sofa is ideal. For open plan living rooms, a corner sofa will help zone the different areas.
— What colour sofa is timeless?
Neutral colours like white, black, and grey are timeless colours for a sofa. They complement a wide range of interior styles and serve as a nice backdrop for accent colours.
With these useful living room layout ideas, you can now make the most of your space and design a living room that fits your lifestyle. Interested to read more inspiration articles like this? Check out our modern living room ideas and cosy living room ideas.
