The 9 Furniture Layout Mistakes Most Likely to Ruin Your Living Room
Avoid these 9 living room layout mistakes to ensure your living room feels and functions just right.
Ever feel like you’re putting a puzzle together when coming up with living room layout ideas? It’s important to get it right so that you have a comfortable room, stylish room that functions well for you and your guests.
Every room has its quirks so it’s easy to make mistakes that can throw off the whole look. Do your best to avoid these 9 layout mistakes!
Pushing All Furniture Against the Walls
Logically, it might seem like this would make the room feel larger and more spacious, but in reality it usually has the opposite effect.
This AI generated image of a living room, with all of the furniture lined up against the walls, is a good example.
It’s an attractive room, but the furniture layout is not inviting all. In fact, it’s kind of a turn-off. It would be very difficult to have a conversation with others because the furniture is so spread out.
Instead of creating a spacious, welcoming feeling, you’ll likely wind up with room that feels cold and sparse.
Try floating your sofa and chairs away from the walls and anchor them with a rug.
Ignoring Traffic Flow
How do people need to move through the room? When coming up with ideas for your living room layout, you’ll want to make sure there’s a clear path from one point to the other(s).
No one enjoys squeezing through narrow spaces or banging their shins.
The traffic flow in this room would fare much better if the chairs were pulled back a little from the sofa. It would be a tight squeeze to get from the middle of the room to the French doors.
Avoid placing large pieces of furniture in such a way that they block natural walkways.
Overlooking the Focal Point
Every room needs a focal point, whether it’s a fireplace, a large window, or a piece of art.
Identify the one in your living room, then arrange your furniture to highlight it. If the furniture is arranged in a way that ignores the focal point, the room can feel unbalanced and awkward.
Sometimes there can be more than one focal point in a room, so pay the most attention to the one that you want to draw the eye to.
Choosing the Wrong Size Rug
This is an all too common mistake that many of us make. It’s tempting to go smaller on rug size to save money, but if it’s too small, you’ll regret the purchase in the long run.
Having the wrong size rug can make a room look disjointed and usually sticks out like a sore thumb.
The most ideal living room layout is where at least the front legs of the larger pieces rest on the rug.
Poor Lighting Plan
In case you haven’t noticed, lighting can make or break a room’s atmosphere.
A single overhead light usually creates harsh shadows and leaves the corners dark.
Be sure to incorporate a mix of lighting types in your living room, including table lamps, floor lamps, and wall sconces to create a warm and inviting space.
Too Much or Too Little Furniture
There’s a fine balance between having too much or too little furniture. Too much can make a room feel cluttered and cramped, and too little, can make it feel cold and empty.
Avoid oversized pieces like large sectionals or overstuffed sofas and chairs in a small living room. Instead, opt for streamlined sofas, loveseats, and armchairs.
This room would be much more inviting and function better if at least one of the cabinets and one of the chairs was removed and the number of accessories was pared down.
A small living room is where multifunctional furniture shines. Coffee tables can double as a bench and ottomans with storage can be your best friends when there isn’t much space in a room.
When it comes to furniture size, the opposite is true for larger living rooms. You’ll want to avoid using only small-scale furniture.
Small furniture in a large room won’t make the room feel more spacious – it will make it feel cold, sparse, and disconnected.
Instead, use larger pieces like a substantial sofa, a couple of armchairs, and a sizeable coffee table. Add a few statement pieces, such as a grand bookshelf or a substantial sideboard to help balance the room and make it feel inviting.
Not Balancing the Visual Weight of Furniture
For a room that doesn’t feel off-kilter, be careful with balancing the placement of it within the room.
Visual weight basically refers to how heavy or light a piece of furniture appears based on its size, color, and design.
To create balance, distribute furniture evenly throughout the space.
If you have a bulky sofa on one side of the room, don’t fill the rest of the room with delicate or dainty furniture. Instead, use chairs, tables, etcetera that have the same visual size as the sofa.
Don’t forget to consider the height of your furniture as well. A tall bookshelf on one side of the room can be balanced with a tall plant or floor lamp on the opposite side.
Not Considering Functionality
Having a lovely room is all well and good, but all that beauty is wasted if the room doesn’t function well.
Think about how you use the room on a daily basis. If you love watching TV, make sure the seating arrangement is comfortable for that. If you enjoy entertaining, ensure there are enough seats and surfaces for guests.
And don’t ignore that traffic flow!
Neglecting Personal Style
Making sure your living room reflects your personal taste is much more important that following the latest and greatest decorating trend.
Choosing what you love will always be in style!
If you fall in love with a new trend and feel like you simply must include it in your room, do so in small doses. Switch out throw pillows or accessories instead of diving in with both feet.
We all know that trends are call trends for a reason – they don’t stand the test of time.
By avoiding these common mistakes, you can create a living room layout that is both functional and stylish. Remember, the key to a great living room is making sure it works for you and your lifestyle!
Yeah, when I see the room with too much furniture I even have the smell of old and rotting wood in my nose : – )
I always need air to breath in my rooms.
Thank you for your inspirations!
Greeting from Germany, Heike
Hi Heike. Thank you for visiting from Germany! That’s a good way to describe how a room over-filled with furniture can make you feel.