Extremely Difficult Family Room Layout - Help Please

Help with furniture layout please. My family room is a very difficult room. This room requires comprimise, and I have yet to find a furniture arrangement that makes hubby happy. I have consulted five designers, and have yet to strike a comfortable solution. Two years ago I furnished the room with two Hancock & Moore Sadler chairs, two Jessica Charles swivel chairs, a coffee table, and two other tables. My latest idea is for a sectional sofa.

Ideas would be appreciated. I have attached measurements of the family room.

Just wondering if there is a TV to consider in this room? I had a similar "problem" room in the home that we lived in the longest. I had several arrangements over the years but the best and the one we stuck with was this: If you are looking at the fireplace, place a sofa perpendicular to the fireplace wall, to the left of the fireplace. Pull it out from the wall if possible. On the left end of the sofa, place a skirted table or an end table with a lamp. (I didn't cover the windows so I wanted to use fabric somewhere so I used a skirted table.) You may have room on the wall behind the sofa for bookshelves or perhaps a console table. I had a family hunt board along that wall with a table lamp on one end. I displayed family photos on top of the piece. I had room for an extra dining room chair to sit on either side of the hunt board. They were handy for when we had extra guests. Across from the sofa, place your two recliners. In between the recliners place a very small chest with another table lamp. I used an oriental rug in the middle to tie the furniture grouping together. The coffee table goes in front of the sofa. Place a small ottoman in front of the chest. The ottoman was good to pull up to the fireplace sometimes to warm up or for extra seating. It looks just great in front of a small chest. This made a beautiful room view as you walk into the room from the foyer. The furniture arrangement is not in the way of any traffic pattern. It made for a welcoming room.

That IS a tough room to lay out. You have two things working against you in that room - 1) Room Size : small limits your choices 2) Entrances : You have three wide egress points into that room which means in most cases one or more will be obstructed in some manner. Can you take some digital photos of the room and post them here? I'd like to see the actual room from two or three angles.

What might be interesting and unusual would be two small sectionals consisting of a loveseat/90 degree corner/chair. Float both in the room with the arm ends of the loveseat sections next to the fireplace. This would make the room cozy an great for conversation/fireplace but won't work well if there is a TV in the room we have to work with.

Valencia,

If you find yourself completely stuck you might try looking at Simplicity Sofas. The company makes sectional groupings specifically designed for small or unusually shaped rooms. Each seat is an individual module which gives you tremendous flexibility of design.

Each piece of Simplicity Sofas furniture is custom made. There are many options available including 150 in-stock fabrics (and 20+ top grain leathers warehoused locally), spring-down cushions, slipcovers and an air bed system option.

Quality-wise Simplicity Sofas is more in the Flexsteel, Lazyboy range than it is in H&M, but all of their furniture is designed to fit into spaces where nothing else will fit.

I have attached a photo of one of the sectional configurations.


Jeff Frank
Simplicity Sofas

Thanks so much for all of the replies regarding my challenging family room. I'll snap a few pictures and post them. We are getting ready to paint.

Best regards.

Please look at the pictures of my "Extremely Difficult Family Room Layout" to supplement the floor plan. I'd like to get the furniture arrangement setttled before I replace the flooring.

Many thanks,
Valencia

That is small. Depends on what the primary purpose is for this room? Do you want it for maximum TV viewing, or set it up for the best look in the room? I definitely don't like the layout as it is now, it looks like a High Point Market Showroom for Chairs. My inclination right off is to use a pair of small apartment size sofas or loveseats, 90 degrees to the fireplace and facing one another. Something like this with some curves to soften all the right angles in the room with an upholstered ottoman in the middle to rest your feet on when watching TV from the one facing it:

http://www.hancockandmoore.com/produ...?productid=934

I think a sectional would form a barrier you would always have to walk around, not a big fan of that myself.

The Large Flat Panel TV is playing havoc with the decorating in that room.

Excellent points. Unfortunately, I believe I was "sold" furniture despite having the room layout with me at the time of purchase. There are too many furniture pieces in this room; it is not inviting. In addition, my husband finds the leather chairs uncomfortable; as shown by the leather chair which has the flattend cushion at the edge. He does not sit straight up, he has more of a slouch posture when he sits in a chair. I am certain H&M can help me out with a replacement.

My husband had to have the tv. I agree it makes this room more difficult that it already is. If we must have a tv in this room, where should it be placed?

I appreciate your idea about the two small sofas. That would add continuity to the room and leave space to maneuver in the room without being trapped by the configuration of a sectional sofa. I also like your reccomendation to have an upholstered ottoman. It could be multifunction.

Many thanks.

Your room is challenging but I love that you have a small den off of your kitchen. IMO we've lost more than we've gained with our great room concepts. It's great you can see the TV from the kitchen.

You didn't say how many people will be viewing the TV at the same time. It looks like there is no where else for a TV that size except over the mantel which IMO rarely looks well. Plus, the TV's are always too high to view comfortably in such a small room.

There are at least two solutions. If only two people need to view the TV at one time, then replace the fabric upholstered chairs with a small sofa or love seat...whichever fits the space you have. I really liked the sofa Duane suggested. Another that might work is the Member Apartment sized sofa. You could then replace one of the other chairs with a chair and ottoman if space permits (maybe push the chair back further) or another recliner that would be a better fit for your husband. Perhaps the other chair could remain.

Place a small narrow chest with drawers between the two leather chairs. They are a little hard to find. Sometimes a small bedside stand works and often you can pick up something used at an antique mall. The table you have between the two chairs now is too tall and looks a little "leggy" for some reason to me.

The cocktail table is too tall, like the round shape but needs to be lower.

The room needs to be balanced somehow because of the TV. It can be done. There isn't room for any more furniture but you can do it with paintings. Place a large horizontal oil painting (medium to darker colors) over the mantel and a complimentary vertical one (medium to darker colors) on the wall which is to the left and perpendicular to the TV. That painting will be very tall and more narrow since you have to place it between the two electrical plates.

Place small lamps on either side of the oil painting over the mantel. Place a floor lamp to the left of the sofa.

That should do if you go with the sofa idea. The room with the sofa would be more pleasing esthetically and provide more flexible seating as well.

If you have to seat more than two for TV viewing, then replace all 4 chairs with the same chair. Of course they would be swivel/recliners. Maybe something lighter weight looking would work best like with a lighter colored leather. I've seen several rooms with 4 chairs and a coffee table in the middle. It works best when all four chairs are the same.

If you go with the four chairs, the oil paintings would still work in the same location and sizes. You would omit the floor lamp. The coffee table would need to be large enough to service all four chairs.

Place a horizontal, patterned rug under the entire seating group to totally anchor the room. An Oriental would look great if you like that style. It would add texture.

You won't need any window treatments unless you need them for light control for TV viewing. If so, use something very minimal light rattan roll ups or woven wood, or wooden blinds.

I toyed with the idea of ornately framed mirrors instead of the paintings. Mirrors really help in a small room....was not sure of the view that the vertical window would be reflecting. They might be an option.

Place low book shelves under the TV and fill them in completely with books. That will help to anchor the TV visually.

The two sofas would look great as well but two chair and a sofa would give more seating options.