Seattle Architects

The living room is the social gathering space in your home and the design should encourage conversation, create a relaxing atmosphere, and function well for both social occasions and family down-time.  Typical living rooms are square or rectangular in shape and vary in size. The following design guidelines apply to all room shapes/sizes to create the perfect living room space! Measure, measure, measure! Write down the dimensions of your room and bring them with you while furniture shopping. If you have your eye on a furniture item you can use string, tape, cardboard, etc. to “mock up” how it will fit and feel in your space. Select furniture that fits the scale of your living room and that work well together. A sectional sofa would overpower a small living room, but is great to break up a large space. Keep the overall scale of your furniture pieces proportionate to one another such as multiple small-scale chairs or a few large items. Similarly scaled pieces create a calming atmosphere. Arrange furniture to promote conversation and invite guests into the space. Furniture pieces should be facing each other as opposed to a media center. Love movie nights? Choose smaller, moveable pieces to allow for re-arranging based on what you’re hosting. To create an inviting space, arrange furniture that allows you to walk directly into the space. It’s best to avoid having the back of a sofa or chair facing the room entry. Built-Ins are a fantastic addition to a living room. They create visual interest and can help keep your space organized. Some great examples of built-ins are a bay window seat or shelving and cabinets around a fireplace. Last, but not least: Lighting! Since our living rooms are used for several purposes it is important to have adjustable lighting levels. An affordable way to add this to an existing space is with dimmable floor/table lamps. If you’re building new, add dimmers to the ceiling lights. Dimmers help to create that great “warm” evening lighting! Try to avoid direct fluorescent light as much as possible. They are cooler in color and can make spaces feel cold and unwelcoming (think big box supermarkets!). LEDs are a great alternative as well as a simple change in lampshades to something with a tan/brown/orange hue to it. This will diffuse the light and give your space the warm glow without sacrificing energy efficiency! Now that your living room is perfectly scaled, arranged, and lit; create a character in your living room that reflects your personality. Use area rugs, pillow, lamps, books/shelves, photographs, and art to bring it to life and make it your own! By Lisa Kramer, Interior and Architectural Designer at H2D Architecture + Design