Week 2 of my One Room Challenge project has me confronting the vexing topic of how to arrange furniture around a corner fireplace. This is my second living room with a corner fireplace, and they may be tricky to arrange! To be honest, I’m not sure why there is anything, sigh. Not one of my favorites.
However, they are quite common in newly built homes, so I reasoned that many other people may be experiencing the same issue. So, in this piece, I’ll show you five different furniture layouts for a living room with a corner fireplace. We’ll assume that the living area is open to the kitchen, in line with the concept that this is a modern constructed home.
1st Living Room Layout
This layout choice may be contentious because it obstructs the fireplace. If you don’t like your fireplace and simply need the seats for guests, this may work! Let us examine the advantages and disadvantages:
Like anything, this furniture layout has pros and cons:
Pros
- Excellent kitchen open flow
- The sofa provides a good view of the television.
Cons
- The view of the fireplace is awkwardly obstructed.
- Chairs have an obstructed view of the television.
- One side is visually cluttered.
Because I like my readers, I moved my huge couch around to physically mock-up each arrangement. These images will give you an idea of how the arrangement would look from the kitchen’s perspective.
As you can see, this completely obstructs the fireplace. It’s not bad, but the visual weight is thrown off somewhat. If a console is installed along the left wall, the seats may get too close together.
2nd Living Room Layout
Winner, winner, chicken feast – this is the corner fireplace design I’ll use in my living area! Why? In my instance, the sofa against this rear wall provides a great view of my garden, but let’s start with a more general list of benefits and cons:
Pros
- Excellent kitchen open flow
- The room’s aspects are all beautifully matched.
Cons
- The back wall is a little congested.
- The television viewpoint is poor.
This living room arrangement idea appeals to me much. The couch’s weight balances the apparent mass of the fireplace in the other corner, and the movement between rooms is wonderful. Do I wish the TV’s viewing angle was better? Yes, but it’s simply a secondary purpose of the space, so I’m okay with it. Let’s hope my kids can do the same.
Given the odd configuration of this space, why, again, corner fireplaces? — This furniture arrangement has made me very delighted! I believe it is the ideal option for my family’s demands as well as my own design ambitions.
3rd Living Room Layout
This living room design is ideal for viewing television from any seat in the house. Furthermore, the fireplace retains some significance in the design. So, what are the unique advantages and disadvantages?
Pros
- The fireplace looks great from every aspect
- The best TV viewing experience
Cons
- The sofa completely obstructs the flow from the kitchen
- There is only enough place for one chair.
Obviously, this isn’t the best plan for me because I like room-to-room fluidity, but how about functionally? This unconventional living room arrangement idea is a resounding success!
The back of the couch, as you can see, clearly defines this as a distinct space. Which is what many people want, so if you want to break up your open floor plan a little, this is a terrific layout choice.
4th Living Room Layout
If you want to make this your primary family TV room, just go with this plan and move on with your life. This is by far the finest option for comfortably sitting a large group for a movie night while still having a beautiful view of the fireplace.
Pros
- Seats a crowd
- A balanced view of both the T.V. and the fireplace
Cons
- Sectional is visually dominating the space
- Visual and conversational flow to the kitchen is blocked
If you’ve been following my living room design project and read my week one piece, you’ll see that one of the key aims is to improve the flow of discussion between the living area and the kitchen. As a result, I’m not going to use this layout.
We did, however, use this setup for over two years before transforming our basement into the primary T.V. viewing area. If you’re planning a remodel, I have an excellent piece about what to expect when you renovate. The sectional configuration was ideal for a family room! Just keep in mind that it’s a little locked up and difficult to navigate about.
