A living room with high ceilings, placement of room arrangement with fireplace and large screen tv

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A living room with high ceilings, placement of room arrangement with fireplace and large screen tv

by Mary Jane
(Pennsylvania)

I have a high ceiling living room. The space is 18ft. long by 13ft. wide.

The focal point is a fireplace with windows on each side.

It has a 13 ft. wall on one side (by fireplace) and is open on the other side to the kitchen.

The only other wall is 8ft. wide and is an open staircase wall(slanted).

I wish to furnish with a couch, loveseat, two recliners and a tall bookcase which is 15 inches deepx78 inches high by 4 1/2 feet wide.

I also have a 52 inch wide tv on a low stand.

I would like the fireplace and tv to be viewed by all the furniture except one recliner.

I also have a small round coffee table and two small end tables.

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A living room with high ceilings, placement of room arrangement with fireplace and large screen tv

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Oct 09, 2009
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Some ideas to think about...
by: Charlotte

Hello Mary Jane

You have a nice sized living room, with an open and airy feel, so should have a variety of ways to arrange your furniture.

It may seem a challenge without your full complement of walls, but I'm sure it is a challenge that will lead to better results - it is sometimes too tempting to line furniture up against the walls (I do it myself) when it would actually give a more spacious feeling towards the centre of the room.

As you wish your centres of attention to be both the fireplace and the TV, you need to decide whether to position them together, where they can be easily seen at the same time...

...or opposite each other, where people can decide, perhaps by turning slightly in their seating, which they want to concentrate on.

Your TV may work well under one of the windows (next to the fireplace), or have you considered mounting it to the wall, above the fireplace, if it is a flat screen TV? This is now a common spot for people to locate a LCD/flat screen TV.

Click here to see what Magali did with her TV above a fireplace...

If you wanted to position the TV opposite the fireplace, seating could be positioned at right angles to these 2 features, and opposite each other, where the seated could easily turn in either direction.

When planning the layout of your room, think about functionality, considering ease of movement around the room, and how people will interact socially within the room.

Seating grouped together in sociable arrangements feels friendlier and cosier, and encourages more interaction. Positioning a coffee table within the seating group makes it easy to balance drinks, food, books etc and encourages people to interact with each other around it.

A quiet spot, perhaps for reading, (you said one recliner did not need to see the TV) could easily be kept separate for a task such as reading - perhaps this could be positioned near a window so the person seated there has a pleasant view - or if used in the evenings, does this chair need to be near a light? Can a lamp be moved nearer this chair?

Continues below...

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Oct 09, 2009
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Submitted by: Charlotte

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Hello Mary Jane You have a nice sized living room, with an open and airy feel, so should have a variety of ways to arrange your furniture. It may seem a challenge without your full complement of walls, but I'm sure it is a challenge that will lead to better results - it is sometimes too tempting to line furniture up against the walls (I do it myself) when it would actually give a more spacious feeling towards the centre of the room. As you wish your centres of attention to be both the fireplace and the TV, you need to decide whether to position them together, where they can be easily seen at the same time... ...or opposite each other, where people can decide, perhaps by turning slightly in their seating, which they want to concentrate on. Your TV may work well under one of the windows (next to the fireplace), or have you considered mounting it to the wall, above the fireplace, if it is a flat screen TV? This is now a common spot for people to locate a LCD/flat screen TV. <a href="http://www.interior-design-it-yourself.com/what-i-can-do-with-this-mess.html">Click here to see what Magali did with her TV above a fireplace...</a> If you wanted to position the TV opposite the fireplace, seating could be positioned at right angles to these 2 features, and opposite each other, where the seated could easily turn in either direction. When planning the layout of your room, think about functionality, considering ease of movement around the room, and how people will interact socially within the room. Seating grouped together in sociable arrangements feels friendlier and cosier, and encourages more interaction. Positioning a coffee table within the seating group makes it easy to balance drinks, food, books etc and encourages people to interact with each other around it. A quiet spot, perhaps for reading, (you said one recliner did not need to see the TV) could easily be kept separate for a task such as reading - perhaps this could be positioned near a window so the person seated there has a pleasant view - or if used in the evenings, does this chair need to be near a light? Can a lamp be moved nearer this chair? Continues below...

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Oct 09, 2009
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continued from above...
by: Charlotte

...continues from comment above...

Consider which furniture may be seen from behind - and how attractive it is. Sofas are usually quite attractive seen from behind, and can provide a room 'partition' if required. Chairs are less attractive, while the back of the TV may be very messy.

Does your bookcase need to go up against a wall? Or could it also be used as a room 'divide'/'partition' - does it have a back? or are the shelves accessible from either side?

I hope this will give you some ideas for your room.

It often helps to draw a layout plan, and try out a few ideas first - try to lose your preconceptions of what should go where, and simply play about with the shapes - you may come up with some very interesting solutions!

Find simple instructions for drawing a layout plan, here...

More ideas about arranging furniture here...

Good luck with your living room makeover

Charlotte :o)

Oct 10, 2009
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Finally found an arrangement!
by: Anonymous

Both of my daughters changed around the living room and I'm very pleased with the results!

We have the sofa and loveseat facing each other in front of fireplace with coffee table between.

The two recliners were placed on either side of fireplace and the TV will be opposite the fireplace.

Now we are able to see the TV from all of the seating.

I am so happy with this arrangement!

Thanks for your time & comments on this issue. It was keeping me up at night but now I can finally sleep well.

Oct 12, 2009
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Thanks
by: Charlotte

Thanks Mary Jane

So glad you've got it sorted - the arrangement sounds ideal!

And glad it means you are able to get to sleep at night now too - we can't be doing with sleepless nights!

Hope you enjoy and relax in your living room

:o)

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A living room with high ceilings, placement of room arrangement with fireplace and large screen tv

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A living room with high ceilings, placement of room arrangement with fireplace and large screen tv