Small Living Space - Furnishing Ideas/Advice?

Precog

Hey, I’m hoping someone might be able to offer some advice on how to best utilise the space in this living room, the room seems small once you start looking at different furnishings and after hours of wrecking my brain I just can’t get my head around how to furnish the space. I’ve looked at different couches/sofas online but everything seems HUGE and wont even fit in such a small space, is anyone able to help me out?

Rosa_Damascena

At 15'6" x 9'9" - or thereabouts - the space is not small.

Consider exactly how you want to spend time in the space, is it largely for relaxing, entertaining, watching TV etc? Think about that function and then work around it. To maximise seating space I would recommend 4-seater sofas with slim arms rather than those with decorative bulk such as the image below, definite no L-shaped structures or cuddle chairs.


To get maximum flexibility I would probably zone it with 2 x 3-seaters facing each other on the RHS, with a view of the TV on the top wall and the garden through the window on the bottom. The "corridor" element on the LHS could be used for a separate purpose, eg study, dining, piano etc.

FreeBear

How many people living in the house ?

For just a couple, I'd go for a two seater sofa plus an armchair. Keep it minimal.

kdotdotdotdot

That's a perfectly decent size living room!  Mine is 4.1m by 3m, so almost the same if not a bit smaller.  The question is, how many people will use it often and what do you need it for? 

If it's for a family of four and has to fit sofas, tv, fire AND dining space, then yes, it's going to be cramped.  But if it's just for sofas, tv, fire, then you've got space.   

RelievedSheff

The room isn't small it's just that the doors and windows limit where you can put furniture.

tink_1983

Is it just a living  room or lounge/diner. If lounge seems lovely size :-)
We have similar lounge, and have a corner sofa, compact one from next, nice rug and the sideboard opposite with TV on wall. Perfect for us 

Precog

Rosa_Damascena said:

At 15'6" x 9'9" - or thereabouts - the space is not small.

Consider exactly how you want to spend time in the space, is it largely for relaxing, entertaining, watching TV etc? Think about that function and then work around it. To maximise seating space I would recommend 4-seater sofas with slim arms rather than those with decorative bulk such as the image below, definite no L-shaped structures or cuddle chairs.


To get maximum flexibility I would probably zone it with 2 x 3-seaters facing each other on the RHS, with a view of the TV on the top wall and the garden through the window on the bottom. The "corridor" element on the LHS could be used for a separate purpose, eg study, dining, piano etc.

I guess I expressed it poorly, due to the location of the doors / window causing a room split it limits the potential layout options as far as furniture goes, it’s probably closer to an “average” size living space in it’s entirety.

The space will be mainly used for relaxing, watching TV, reading a book etc (it will be the only room in the house with a TV). I’ll check some measurements of 4 seaters (I’d been struggling to find 2’s & 3’s that fit) but I like the idea of them not going all the way down to the floor allowing light to pass under them and create an illusion of more space. I had considered an L but it just eats up one entire end of the living space leaving no real options for the TV (or coffee table with some designs).

Thanks for the reply

Precog

FreeBear said:

How many people living in the house ?

For just a couple, I'd go for a two seater sofa plus an armchair. Keep it minimal.

The house will just be for one person, although I want to avoid it having that dormitory/student type feel to it where possible (if that makes sense).

Precog

kdotdotdotdot said:

That's a perfectly decent size living room!  Mine is 4.1m by 3m, so almost the same if not a bit smaller.  The question is, how many people will use it often and what do you need it for? 

If it's for a family of four and has to fit sofas, tv, fire AND dining space, then yes, it's going to be cramped.  But if it's just for sofas, tv, fire, then you've got space.   

I think it’s the room structure having the two doors cut almost 1/3 of the space out makes it harder to furnish and fit out, the actual dimensions probably put it closer to an “average” sized living space. There will only be one person living in the house but I would like the option to have guests and entertain to some degree (I realise it’s difficult to do in a small space). The living area itself will frequently be used for relaxing, watching TV or reading a book type stuff (it will be the only room in the house with a TV).

The space doesn’t need to accommodate a dining area and there is no fire, so it will just be for seating.

Precog

RelievedSheff said:

The room isn't small it's just that the doors and windows limit where you can put furniture.

Yeah I maybe misrepresented the topic, the room itself is probably closer to an “average” sized living space, it’s the limitations imposed by the door and window locations that make it difficult to furnish.

Precog

tink_1983 said:

Is it just a living  room or lounge/diner. If lounge seems lovely size :-)
We have similar lounge, and have a corner sofa, compact one from next, nice rug and the sideboard opposite with TV on wall. Perfect for us 

The house plan has it listed as a Living/Dining Area but personally I don’t see a need for a dining area so would just look to utilise the space as a living one. I think the problem is not so much the size but how the doors/Windows impact the possible locations furniture can be placed.

That sounds perfect, I’ll look into compact sofas as that might be a possible space saver and great solution (most sofas I’d seen just devour the entire living space and were a little overwhelming.