Calling all Decorating Divas: Open floor plan - need some advice

[Anonymous]

Okay, so I know some of you are really great at interior design and home decorating. I'm not, and I need your help.

We recently bought a townhome with an open floor plan on the first floor. We have a dining area, living room area, and "den" area, all open and adjoining. I've got a plan for the living and dining rooms, but the "study" or "den" area is going to used for relaxation and TV viewing. How do I position a couch so it doesn't block the flow to the living room? Would 4 upolstered chairs work better in such a space? Any other suggestions are most welcome. TIA.

[Anonymous]

I can't picture your layout.

[Anonymous]

Me neither.

[Anonymous]

What are the dimensions? Where is the kitchen in relation to everything else? How many doors/entry points? Fireplace? Stairs? Ceiling lights?

I have found that when faced with the dreaded open floor plan, floating the couch to create different room spaces works best. If you are doing two separate couched areas, angle the smaller couch or loveseat into the corner facing the TV stand and flank with 2 smaller chairs, like a parsons chair. Put some sort of table or cabinet behind the angled couch.

[Anonymous]

This is OP again. Sorry, I see your point. Basically, there's a long wall on one side of the room with the TV on the wall, and opposite the TV is the entryway (no door) marking the transition between the living room and the TV room. I worry that if I put a couch opposite the TV it will block the entry between the rooms and look dumb to stare at the back of the couch from the living room side.

Does that help with layout? I'm sorry I'm not better at describing this. My spatial skills are pretty poor.

[Anonymous]

You should consult with a designer.

[Anonymous]

I understand. Putting a sofa there won't look dumb at all. You can put a console table behind it with a lamp and some framed photos to bring the eye in from the living room. I would put a big tufted round ottoman in front of the sofa and then two chairs under the tv, so that the chairs can be moved to the side slightly to view the tv if you ever need the extra seating for a game watch party or the like.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the PP - you could always put a long console table behind the sofa to make it look more "finished" than just staring at the back of the sofa. I've seen that done.

Our first-floor plan is open too. YOu walk from the living room through the eat-in kitchen to the rear family room. The TV is on a side wall and we have the couch perpendicular to the doorway in the middle of the room, and the dining room table is on the other side of the room. It's how the previous owners had it, and it works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand. Putting a sofa there won't look dumb at all. You can put a console table behind it with a lamp and some framed photos to bring the eye in from the living room. I would put a big tufted round ottoman in front of the sofa and then two chairs under the tv, so that the chairs can be moved to the side slightly to view the tv if you ever need the extra seating for a game watch party or the like.

I love that idea, thanks! NP here and we also have an open floor plan, but just one big living room, no family room or dining area. I think having a table behind the sofa, which faces the TV would allow to create additional sitting area behind the sofa or a dining area. we were actually looking for a sort of a round sofa that we would be put in the middle of the room and would sort of face both ways because we wanted to create a TV watching area, but also have the gathering area that is not centered around the TV. Our room is big and we wanted the TV watching sofa to be closer to TV, which would put in in the middle of the room.