Contemporary Living Room Furniture Sets: Sizes and Placement

Living rooms serve different purposes for different people. In some homes, they are the main gathering area of the family while they are more like show rooms for others and are only used when there is company. Either way, there are certain issues that come up when trying to arrange furniture. Here are some tips for placing contemporary living room furniture sets in your space, based on their size.

Sofa and Chairs

These are mostly the big items so you need to make sure that they suit the space. It is important that you measure the space before you buy these pieces. You do not want the pieces to end up too big or too small so draw up a floor plan ahead of time and sketch out your room with all the appropriate measurements. If you are using sectionals like the 4 Piece Top Grain Italian Leather Sectional by EHO Studios, try positioning the sofa and chairs in different spots and see which works visually in terms of leaving space for traffic flow.

Rug

Using area rugs is great for defining seating areas, but one mistake that most people make when using them in living areas is using one that is too small. Remember that all your furniture pieces should comfortably sit on the rug. If you have limited space, at least ensure that the front legs of your large and upholstered pieces are on the rug. Small pieces like tables and side chairs should always have four legs on the rug.

Coffee Table

Coffee tables are practical pieces mostly found in the center of conversation areas. Remember that they should be slightly lower than the seat height of the chairs and couch surrounding it, with their length about one-half to two-thirds the length of the couch. You can also use smaller benches or tables like the Stone Oval Cocktail Table by Jofran to achieve the same look. People sitting around them should be able to lean over to pick up or put down a drink without the need to stand up from their set while having enough leg room between tables and seats.

Side Tables

They tend to be an afterthought but side tables are actually very important. The number that you should get depends on the amount of seating you have. Everyone has to be able to set down a drink comfortably without having to get up. If you have enough space, consider getting one on either of the couch and in between pairs of chairs. They gave to be about the same height as their arm of the couch or sofa they are positioned next to. With the additional storage space it gives, the Concept Round End Table by Allan Copley Designs is one great pick.