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Thread: Living Room Adding a Chair and Ottoman - Is this too much furniture?

  1. #1
    goldem Guest

    Default Living Room Adding a Chair and Ottoman - Is this too much furniture?

    I've been redocorating through house, and I feel like I'm in the home stretch (whew!).

    I am at the point of furniture replacement (which will be followed by carpet replacement and quite possibly repainting based on the furniture appearance). The thing I'd like to do is replace the old, beat up coffee table with a shared ottoman and put in a 2038NB Austin tilt-back in place of the brown recliner (which is also old and beat up) to sit alongside the other recliner which should be available soon.

    My concern is this is effectively the only sitting room in the home. I'd think two chairs (one recliner and the Austin) and a sofa would be about right. This is the largest room in the house, but it is not a huge home by any means. It feels like there is sufficient space to move around with placeholder furniture currently there, but as I've been reading Duane's advice on other discussions the common theme seems to be "less is more" and I try to follow experienced advice.

    My question is, based on the floor plan, is this too much furniture for the space? It seems fine when I look at it, but then again when you've been looking at something for so long you don't always picture it any other way.

    Any thoughts are appreciated and thanks!

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  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Living Room Adding a Chair and Ottoman - Is this too much furniture?

    Is that a scale drawing? If so, what is the overall room size?
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  3. #3
    goldem Guest

    Default Re: Living Room Adding a Chair and Ottoman - Is this too much furniture?

    Yup, the drawing is to scale. The overall room size is 17' 4" x 11' 3".

    The sofa and BY Wisner basically need to be in the room as there honestly isn't anywhere else for them to be. In case it matters, there is no television in the room (which is why I was thinking the arrangement for seating might work as it allows for the center of the seating to be the focal point rather than having to focus on a wall).

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Living Room Adding a Chair and Ottoman - Is this too much furniture?

    I would do a different layout based on that drawing, either:

    1). Sofa goes to the long wall, one chair in the lower right corner, the other where the right side of the sofa is shown in the drawing,

    Or

    2) a Sectional to the long wall, the an "L" to the bottom wall. Nice cocktail ottoman the one chair with its back to the door.

    I'd have to see actual room photos to confirm my design theories, however.
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  5. #5
    goldem Guest

    Default Re: Living Room Adding a Chair and Ottoman - Is this too much furniture?

    Thanks for the advice Duane. I've tried seeing how things look with the sofa along the long wall, but it looks to me like things might be cramped between the ottoman, sofa and opposite chair (below). Does that seem correct?

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    I've also put pictures below with paper placeholders of the room (leaving the sofa and bookcase in place) showing the original placement for some reference.

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  6. #6
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Living Room Adding a Chair and Ottoman - Is this too much furniture?

    You have one too many chairs in the second layout, with the sofa the wall - just one chair.

    I'd go with a small L-shaped sectional and then one single chair by the door. The more I look at it, the more I like the sectional layout.
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  7. #7
    goldem Guest

    Default Re: Living Room Adding a Chair and Ottoman - Is this too much furniture?

    Thanks again Duane. Sorry, I misinterpreted the first option you wrote.

    The sectional approach isn't something I'm personally crazy about in this scenario (that furniture build has never been something I've enjoyed), though I can see why you'd say the idea appeals since it does balance the room well. The problem is I'm pretty fond of the sofa, and moving it somewhere else isn't an option in the home.

    It sounds like the answer is (as much as I'd like to get an Austin in place), "yes, the sofa and two chairs is too much furniture for the room".

  8. #8
    goldem Guest

    Default Re: Living Room Adding a Chair and Ottoman - Is this too much furniture?

    After contemplating Duane's advice about placement, I have to say another big thanks to the Fearless Leader. By placing the sofa along the South wall and having the chair in the Northeast area, I will have far more usable space while still having room for the chair to fully recline. This is a huge improvement when compared to putting the recliner against a wall/corner where empty space needs to sit behind it to allow for a full recline.

    Thanks again Duane!

  9. #9
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Living Room Adding a Chair and Ottoman - Is this too much furniture?

    Glad to help!
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  10. #10
    goldem Guest

    Default Re: Living Room Adding a Chair and Ottoman - Is this too much furniture?

    So after the new recliner arrived and things have been rearranged based on Duane's much appreciated recommendations, I found myself just seeing a big hole where the open space from the second chair was. So, I'm back to looking at the second chair in the room but with what feels like a lot more space available.

    My problem was that having the ottoman/chair on the west side of the room just made things difficult to maneuver while the east side felt distant in attempt to give some extra room. With a quick switch of recliner and ottoman/chair, things suddenly looked much better to me. It feels like the second chair/ottoman leaves plenty of room to move around the room and still feel open (pics below).

    At this point, I feel like I'd really like to see a piece in blue leather in the room. Colors between the three won't match, but I would think (and I could be terribly wrong here) window treatments/pillows could help with that, along with (if needed) a small ottoman to replace the dark wood coffee table near the sofa (possibly in a mixed fabric pattern). Also, if I understand correctly, mixing different colors and pieces can help to add some life to the room.

    My thoughts so far have been:

    • I'm still very heavily considering the Austin tilt high-back with an ottoman and it's currently the front-runner. The two chairs would be more traditional styles in a bustle back with the sofa sitting opposite in the tight rolled back.
    • However, the more I look at a chair such as the Journal, I can also see that mixing with the style of the sofa (as the sofa is VERY similar in style of the Journal line).
    • I've considered a second recliner instead of an ottoman/chair combo, but I think I'd like the comfort and utility offered by the ottoman.
    • I've read the Journal sits alright for taller people (thought it's only 36" in height), and I'm thinking the ottoman will help to encourage the lower seating position to allow for the head to rest on the rolled back. I'm taking that on based entirely on theory as the only H&M dealer in the area with pieces doesn't carry the Journal.
    • The Journal seems like it is a more refined piece and would show off the quality of the H&M leather more than the Austin. Maybe I'm underestimating how a properly done-up Austin can look in person but the cushion has always struck me more like a haphazardly tossed pillow which doesn't fit as well rather than a fitted cushion when sitting on the squared away seat base.


    Really, what I'm asking here is are my thoughts valid, or am I going to look at this 6-8 weeks after ordering and say "what the heck was I thinking"?


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