Decorating an L-Shaped Living Room

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Decorating an L-Shaped Living Room

I've looked at dozens of decorating sites and can't find anyone else with a similar problem.

I have an L-shaped living room; not a living room/dining room combo.

The house is older, and a kitchen/dining area was added on later so what was originally the dining room area is now part of the living room.

The vertical portion of the "L" is the old dining area. I had built-in floor to ceiling bookshelves installed at the top of the "L", and that really helped to visually pull the long hall more toward the bulk of the living room.

Unfortunately though, I can't find any furniture arrangement that can make the rest of that area look like anything other than a place you just walk through to get to the new dining room.

I'd really like it to have it seem more like one room rather than a room with a weird little off-shoot.

An additional concern, there are no less than 5 doors off the living room, and one is a set of double doors.

It is also a fairly small room.

I'd love to hire a professional to solve this for me, but that kind of cost isn't really in my budget.

Thanks to anyone with ideas.....

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Decorating an L-Shaped Living Room

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May 14, 2009
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L-shaped challenge...!
by: Charlotte

Hi

An L-shaped room is a complicated challenge, and does lend itself very well to 2 separate areas, which is why it can be so hard to combine the 2 into one.

It sounds like you have made a good start with the bookcases - good idea!

There are things you can do, though, to make it appear more like a 'whole':

- Use one color scheme throughout - make sure you have a single color, or color theme, that runs throughout both parts of the L

- Use a single flooring

- Use repeated 'motifs' - such as a series of pictures, or accessories, vases, cushions etc in both parts - and make sure that you can see each from the other part

- If the ex-dining-room part of the L is wide enough to allow furniture you have an advantage. Try to put something in this part of the room that makes you want to stop and linger...

...if you have the space, a small seating area, like a 'snug' or reading corner would work well, alternatives might be a table, side board, arrangement of plants etc... whatever you have the space for.

- In both parts of the room, try not to push furniture up against the wall. Bringing it out into the room a little, and especially arranging it on a diagonal axis can help to bring the 2 spaces together (and should also help to solve the problem of the many doors!)

- Whilst not causing an obstruction, arranging the furniture so that there is no clear 'walk through' can also help to stop this area feeling like that

- Try to use the same (or similar) furniture throughout. Using throws, cushions and even painting furniture, if necessary, can mean you don't need to buy all new.

I hope that has given you a few ideas. I hope there is something that you may be able to use in your room

Best wishes, and wishing you very good luck with your L-shaped decorating challenge

Charlotte :o)

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May 14, 2009
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Submitted by: Charlotte

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Hi An L-shaped room is a complicated challenge, and does lend itself very well to 2 separate areas, which is why it can be so hard to combine the 2 into one. It sounds like you have made a good start with the bookcases - good idea! There are things you can do, though, to make it appear more like a 'whole': - Use one color scheme throughout - make sure you have a single color, or color theme, that runs throughout both parts of the L - Use a single flooring - Use repeated 'motifs' - such as a series of pictures, or accessories, vases, cushions etc in both parts - and make sure that you can see each from the other part - If the ex-dining-room part of the L is wide enough to allow furniture you have an advantage. Try to put something in this part of the room that makes you want to stop and linger... ...if you have the space, a small seating area, like a 'snug' or reading corner would work well, alternatives might be a table, side board, arrangement of plants etc... whatever you have the space for. - In both parts of the room, try not to push furniture up against the wall. Bringing it out into the room a little, and especially arranging it on a diagonal axis can help to bring the 2 spaces together (and should also help to solve the problem of the many doors!) - Whilst not causing an obstruction, arranging the furniture so that there is no clear 'walk through' can also help to stop this area feeling like that - Try to use the same (or similar) furniture throughout. Using throws, cushions and even painting furniture, if necessary, can mean you don't need to buy all new. I hope that has given you a few ideas. I hope there is something that you may be able to use in your room Best wishes, and wishing you very good luck with your L-shaped decorating challenge Charlotte :o)

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May 16, 2009
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Some Real Hope
by: Jill - Northern California

Thank you so much for the list of ideas. I started moving furniture away from the walls the very first night after I read it.

I couldn't imagine how that would help in so small a room - it seemed like it would only make the room feel even smaller - but was willing to try anything.

I can't tell you how happy I am to have been So Completely Wrong!

I've lived with the new arrangement for a few days now, and even with the old furniture (which really needs to be replaced), it works from every angle.

For the first time in a very long time, I'm looking forward to furniture shopping. I have real hope that I can finally have a room that makes me happy instead of rather embarrassed, and I can't wait to try out more of your suggestions to help bring it all together.

My next challenge is a design style that I've been calling, "If you were British and lived in Bora Bora somewhere around 1910."

If it ever takes off as a new style, I'll probably have to shorten the name somewhat, but until then it's pretty descriptive. :)

Thank you again. I can't tell you how much you've helped!

If there is a way to add pictures on this site, I'll be thrilled to show before & afters as the design moves along.

May 17, 2009
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Happy to help :o)
by: Charlotte

Hi Jill

I'm so happy that I was able to help - and that you are pleased with the results of your room makeover.

I'm always happy to see any photos of room makeovers - before, during and after! And visitors to the site love to see them all too... the more the merrier!

You can add them here. (The 'Upload a photo' is towards the bottom of the form, click on the little blue question mark when you get there for further instructions about uploading a photo)

This is currently one photo per submission, but you can make as many submissions as you like if you have photos of different rooms, or photos of a process, before, during and after etc...

Or just let me know on your first submission that you have a series of photos you want to submit. I'll be in contact and you can email them to me to add to your pages.

I'm very interested to see your "If you were British and lived in Bora Bora somewhere around 1910" style - and look forward to seeing it in due course.

Thanks very much for letting me know how you got on.

Hope to see your photos soon

Charlotte

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Decorating an L-Shaped Living Room

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Decorating an L-Shaped Living Room