Top Tips for How to Choose Living Room Furniture That Elevates Your Space
Need help with how to choose living room furniture that ticks all the boxes? Our comprehensive guide cuts through the confusion to help you select pieces that blend style, comfort, and functionality.
We offer clear, actionable advice to ensure your choices elevate your space, satisfy your daily needs, and reflect your unique aesthetic – no fluff, just the essentials on how to create a cohesive and practical living space.
Key Takeaways
- Identify your living room needs first—consider seating, storage, pets, children, and entertainment centers to ensure functionality and comfort.
- Choose a living room style that reflects your personality, and don’t be afraid to mix different styles. Consider contemporary, traditional, or eclectic pieces based on your taste.
- Properly arrange your furniture by considering focal points and traffic flow, and achieve balance with placement and proportion for a harmonious space.
Identifying Your Living Room Needs
Before you start shopping for your living room, it’s crucial to identify your needs. Here are some questions to consider:
- How many people do you need to sit with?
- Do you need additional storage space?
- Do you plan to host social gatherings or use this space purely for family use?
- Do you have pets or children to consider?
Answering these questions can guide you in choosing the right furniture pieces, such as sofas, coffee tables, and side tables, and arranging them in a way that maximizes comfort and functionality.
This becomes the foundation on which you build your dream living room.
Seating Options
The primary element that anchors your living room arrangement is the seating. Some options to consider are:
- Sectional sofa: offers flexible and comfortable seating, perfect for lounging and enjoying entertainment
- Modular sofas: a practical choice for smaller spaces or homes with limited access
- Accent chairs and recliners: provide additional seating and complement the style of your sofa.
It’s not just about filling up spaces; it’s about creating a harmonious blend of furniture pieces that cater to your specific seating needs.
Storage Solutions
Storage is a key component in maintaining an organized and clutter-free living room. Built-in storage solutions like shelves, cabinets, or drawers, especially in contemporary living rooms where space is a premium, can transform alcoves into valuable storage spaces.
Creative storage solutions such as horsehair door panels can conceal speakers within living spaces, allowing for an uninterrupted aesthetic without sacrificing audio quality. Sideboards offer a clutter-swallowing interior which is ideal for organizing decorative accessories and can also become an attractive focal point.
Entertainment Centers
An entertainment center is not just a place to position your TV. It should complement the living space and accommodate the size of the TV and other media devices. Modern entertainment centers often feature a low, long profile that emphasizes simplicity and a contemporary edge.
The placement of the entertainment center can vary; it doesn’t always have to be on the same wall as a fireplace, allowing for more creative room layouts.
Selecting a Style for Your Living Room Furniture
Once you’ve identified your living room needs, the next step is to select a style that reflects your personality and taste. Here are some options to consider:
- Clean lines and minimalistic designs
- Warmth of rich wood tones and plush fabrics
- Mixing and matching different styles to create a unique and personalized space
Whatever your preference, integrating current design trends with your style can lead to a distinctive and personal living room that remains fashionable and unique.
Contemporary Furniture
Contemporary furniture is ideal for those who appreciate simplicity and minimalism. Characterized by clean lines, neutral color palettes, and an overarching theme of simplicity, contemporary living room furniture elevates your space with a modern edge.
For instance, contemporary coffee tables vary from functional Japandi tables to minimalist designs with sleek surfaces, offering both style and functionality.
Traditional Furniture
If you are a fan of timeless elegance, then traditional furniture is for you. Traditional living room furniture often features rich wood tones, ornate details, and comfortable, plush fabrics. A traditional living room typically focuses on a formal sitting area for hosting and entertaining, with comfortable sofas and coffee tables taking center stage.
Eclectic Furniture
For those who love to push the boundaries of design, eclectic furniture is the way to go. The fusion of contemporary, mid-century, traditional, and eclectic styles can result in a uniquely personalized living space.
For instance, industrial coffee tables add a rustic edge with their use of wood and metal frames, while bohemian coffee tables bring in naturalism through carved wood and handwoven textures.
The Art of Arranging Living Room Furniture
Once you’ve chosen your furniture, the next step is to arrange furniture in a way that enhances both the aesthetic appeal and functionality of your living room. Pay attention to focal points, traffic flow, and balance and proportion.
To arrange your seating area effectively, follow these tips:
- Anchor seating areas to the room’s architecture or a focal point, such as aligning an area rug with a fireplace or wall.
- Ensure clear paths for traffic flow.
- Arrange seating to facilitate conversation.
By following these guidelines, you can create a comfortable and functional seating arrangement in your awkward space in such a way that it maximizes the use of the area.
Focal Points
Focal points in a room immediately capture attention and can be an architectural feature like a prominent window, or a decorative one like a sophisticated fireplace and mantel. To enhance a focal point, furniture such as media consoles should blend with the room’s decor, while plants like the Fiddle-Leaf Fig or Bird of Paradise provide a natural eye-catching element.
Traffic Flow
Traffic flow is all about ensuring ease of movement and comfortable spacing between furniture pieces. When selecting a sofa, for example, providing at least 30 to 36 inches for pathways between pieces of furniture while also maintaining clearance from walls enhances the room’s traffic flow.
Balance and Proportion
Achieving balance and proportion is essential when arranging furniture in your living room. This involves incorporating a variety in size and shapes, positioning living room furniture away from walls, and diagonally to create dimensions and pathways.
For smaller rooms, pull furniture toward the center to enhance the feeling of space in an empty room and use symmetry to add a sense of harmony and order.
Choosing the Perfect Sofa and Armchairs
The sofa and armchairs are the heart of your living room. They not only provide a place to sit and relax but also set the tone for the rest of the room. When selecting these pieces, it’s essential to consider factors such as:
- Comfort
- Durability
- Size
- Configuration
- Design elements
Comfort and Durability
When selecting a sofa, consider not only the current style but also long-term use, as sofas are typically kept for five to ten years. Here are some factors to consider:
- Choose a good frame like hardwood, as it can significantly impact its longevity.
- The level of firmness in a sofa’s cushions should align with personal comfort preferences.
- The seat depth should accommodate specific activities such as lounging or sitting upright.
Size and Configuration
The size and depth of a sofa should align with personal comfort needs and the layout of the living room. For instance, choosing a sofa size that allows for at least 18 inches of space on either side prevents overwhelming the room and maintains ease of movement as the sofa sits in the living room.
Design Elements
The design elements of a sofa and armchairs should reflect the homeowner’s style and preferences. Whether your style is modern or vintage, it plays a pivotal role in the selection of a sofa.
Moreover, the choice of upholstery fabric is instrumental in determining both the aesthetic tone of the room and the furniture’s durability.
Picking the Right Coffee and Side Tables
Coffee and side tables are more than just a place to set your coffee cup or TV remote. They play a crucial role in balancing the look of your living room and providing functionality. When picking these tables, consider factors such as:
- Height
- Size
- Material
- Style
- Functionality
Height and Size
Coffee tables should typically:
- Be approximately the same height as the sofa cushions, usually ranging from 14 to 16 inches, or slightly lower
- Be roughly two-thirds the width of the sofa which it accompanies
- Maintain a distance of about 18 inches from the sofa to facilitate comfort and ease of use.
Material and Style
When selecting materials for coffee and side tables, it’s crucial to choose options that balance aesthetic appeal with practicality. High-quality textiles not only last longer but also enhance the look and feel of a room. The color scheme of a room is a key factor in textile selection; fabrics should harmonize with the existing palette or provide appealing contrasts.
Functionality and Storage
Functionality and storage options can enhance the practicality of coffee and side tables. Side tables can provide additional surface space in a living room, especially useful for those seated away from the central coffee table.
Investing in coffee tables, including a large coffee table, and side tables with a storage feature like a lift-up lid can help conceal clutter such as magazines and remotes.
Lighting Up Your Living Room
Lighting is like the jewelry of your living room. It not only illuminates your space but also adds personality and mood. A well-lit room can make you feel more relaxed and comfortable, while a poorly lit room can make you feel anxious and tired.
Hence, it’s important to incorporate different types of lighting: ambient, task, and accent.
Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting in a living room provides a base level of illumination, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere essential for a comfortable space. Different types of ambient lighting, such as chandeliers, pendants, and track lighting, contribute to setting the overall tone and ambiance of the living room.
Task Lighting
Task lighting is designed to offer optimal illumination for specific activities such as reading. Common fixtures used for task lighting include desk lamps and under-cabinet lighting.
For example, table lamps provided with chairs, featuring nearby chair arms, in a bay window can enhance reading experiences at night by providing targeted illumination, while floor lamps can offer a more versatile lighting option.
Accent Lighting
Accent lighting is essential in living room design, serving to:
- Highlight architectural features
- Highlight key decor elements
- Enhance overall ambiance
- Draw attention to specific areas like art displays or cozy reading corners
In contemporary living room designs, the strategic placement of accent lights can achieve these effects.
Incorporating Rugs and Textiles
Adding rugs and textiles to your living room can significantly boost its comfort and aesthetics. Rugs can serve as a foundation for the living room’s color scheme and design, offering an opportunity to introduce a cohesive pattern and color palette. Meanwhile, textiles can add texture and warmth to the space.
Let’s dive deeper into these elements.
Rug Selection
Rugs can serve multiple purposes in a living room. They can define different areas in open-concept homes, add warmth and comfort to the space, and also serve as a decorative element.
When selecting a rug, it’s important to consider its size, material, and pattern.
Textile Choices
When choosing textiles for your living room, consider factors such as your lifestyle, the purpose of the space, and the existing style of the room. The color scheme of a room is a key factor in textile selection; fabrics should harmonize with the existing palette or provide appealing contrasts.
Mixing Patterns and Colors
Mixing patterns and colors can add visual interest and create a cohesive design in your living room. This can make your living room look more dynamic and vibrant.
Adding Personality with Art and Accessories
Art and accessories can add a personal touch and character to your living room. From paintings and sculptures to throw pillows and indoor plants, these decorative elements can reflect your style and interests, making your living room truly yours.
Artwork Selection
Choosing artwork that reflects your tastes and integrates with the living room’s color scheme and style is essential. A single large piece of art or a collection can create a focal point that ties into the room’s color scheme.
Accessorizing
Accessorizing your living room is like adding the finishing touches to a painting. Whether it’s a stylish vase, a decorative tray, or a collection of vintage books, these small details can bring a room to life and reflect your style.
Indoor Plants
Indoor plants can bring a sense of life and freshness to your living room. From small succulents on side tables to larger potted plants for empty corners, a touch of green can make your living room feel more inviting and vibrant.
Why Choose Kensington Furniture for Your Living Room Needs
Choosing the right furniture for your living room can be a daunting task. But with Kensington Furniture, you get more than just furniture. You get a century’s worth of experience and expertise, a wide variety of high-quality products, and exceptional customer service.
Quality and Variety
Kensington Furniture offers an extensive selection of high-quality living room furniture. From comfortable sofas and armchairs to elegant coffee tables and side tables, Kensington Furniture provides a wide range of options to cater to various living space requirements.
Design Services
To help you create your dream living room, Kensington Furniture offers complimentary in-house design services. Collaborate with Design Consultants who provide personalized living space designs, including room concepts and precise furniture layouts.
Financing Options
Kensington Furniture understands that investing in quality furniture can be a significant expense. That’s why they offer flexible financing options, such as 0% financing for up to 60 months, to help you create the living room of your dreams without breaking the bank.
Summary
Creating a beautiful, comfortable, and functional living room involves careful planning and thoughtful choices. From identifying your living room needs to selecting the right furniture, lighting, rugs, and textiles, to adding personality with art and accessories, each decision contributes to the overall look and feel of your space. And with Kensington Furniture, you have a trusted partner to guide you every step of the way. So go ahead, and start planning your dream living room today!
Frequently Asked Questions
How to match my living room furniture?
To match your living room furniture, start by keeping your base colors neutral and choosing an anchor piece first. Keep the style coherent and play with patterns, while also understanding the scale of your furniture to create a cohesive look. Avoid overwhelming the space by using repetition and trying a theme.
How do I find the best furniture layout for my room?
To find the best furniture layout for your room, pick one focal point and arrange the furniture to highlight it. For example, in the living room, arrange seating to face a stunning fireplace, or in the bedroom, make sure the bed is the focal point with a nice headboard or a beautiful picture above it.
How do I choose the right furniture for my house?
Consider your style, functionality, proportions, and harmony, and avoid rushing while choosing furniture. Ask yourself questions, think about functionality and emotional comfort, consider storage, find your style, and prioritize quality when choosing furniture.
What furniture should be in the living room?
Your living room should have a sofa, accent chairs, a coffee table, and additional cozy items like a loveseat and side tables for comfort and style. (Date not included)
What are the things to consider when identifying my living room needs?
When identifying your living room needs, consider the seating capacity, storage requirements, and the type of entertainment center that works for you. Make sure these aspects align with your lifestyle and preferences.