Which room is the central one? Of course the living room! By the way this room is decorated, you can learn a lot about the character and social status of its owner. Therefore, the layout of the living room is an extremely crucial step, because it is necessary to think over many nuances. In this article, we will share with you some interesting design tricks and show you how to decorate your living room.
First, let's define the center of the room.
Planning should begin by defining its center. This refers to the place around which the rest of the furniture will be located. Designers recommend abandoning the standard placement of furniture around the perimeter, as this destroys space. A better solution would be to place the sofa and armchairs around the semantic center. It can be a TV or fireplace.
By tradition, a set of furniture for the living room consists of a sofa, several armchairs and a coffee table where you can put refreshments during gatherings with friends. Today, transforming tables are very popular, which, if necessary, can be expanded and used as writing or dining tables.
Living room design basics
Of course, the layout of the living room will directly depend on the room.
For example, for an elongated room ideal option the arrangement of furniture will be zoning. So, one part of the space can be set aside for a recreation area - to occupy a TV and upholstered furniture, and the other can be decorated to the taste of the owners.
The living room layout options are very diverse. For example, you can arrange a study, where a table and chairs will be located, or hang a small shelf on the wall. Another option is to make a small dining room in the second part of the living room with a dining table and several chairs.
A square living room, the layout of which can bring more trouble, can be designed like islands: so it will visually seem more elongated and spacious.
Living room furniture set
The Soviet era gave us an invention called a furniture wall. Not surprisingly, many consider this furniture a relic of the past. However, many designers still recommend not to give up on it. The layout of the living room can be much more functional, while not having any special spatial costs. Modern design will help you choose a furniture wall that will fit into any interior.
For those who are definitely against bulky furniture, a variety of modules are perfect, which, if desired, can be combined as you like.
Previously, a TV bedside table was one of the main attributes of any hall. However, modern technologies have advanced far ahead, which cannot be ignored. For example, the layout of the living room will only benefit if you decide to hang the TV on the wall, because this will significantly save space.
Living room in Khrushchev
The living room in Khrushchev has an area of about 18 sq. m. It is necessary to place both a hall and a bedroom in it. One of the few options to increase the space is to connect the main room to the balcony. A good option is a living room with a kitchen, that is, the owners will have to make a studio apartment.
In this living room, designers strongly advise against using bulky armchairs and sofas. They believe that the owners of such apartments are better off paying attention to soft miniature models. To save space, you can position the sofa near the window. The transforming sofa is one of better solutions for such a room, since during the day it will serve as a neat seat, and at night as a spacious bed. 
The interior can be made in any style. However, designers still recommend people who care about the layout of a small living room to stay at scandinavian style or minimalism. This will make the room visually more spacious, more fun and more joyful, because cheerful decor will contribute to this, pastel shades and light walls.
What is important in an interior with an area of 20 m2?
The layout of the living room is 20 sq. m also obeys some rules. Regardless of the style that you choose to decorate the room, it is better not to overuse pieces of furniture: this will not lead to anything good.
The accent in the interior of a living room of this size is best done on decoration: a kaleidoscope of colors and bold experiments are welcome! It is perfectly acceptable to use here contrasting colors as well as create a play of different tones.
Before starting repairs in a living room with such an area, do not forget to think carefully about the lighting, because it will help to achieve originality in design, and also give the interior austerity or softness, freedom or accuracy. Use natural and artificial lighting and remember to combine them.
Living room decoration in a private house
A private home is a great opportunity to bring all your design ideas... The layout of the living room in the house will not be a particularly difficult task: the room can be decorated in any style, neither furniture nor square meters will interfere with you.
The living room of a private house is not only a resting place for all family members, but also a space for meeting friends, neighbors and other relatives. This means that the design of this room should be beautiful, cozy and, most importantly, relaxing.
What is the layout of a large living room? When designing it, you must adhere to the following rule: the coefficient of the occupied area of the room in relation to the free space should be equal to one. So all interior items in the room will look harmonious. 
In addition, there must be a semantic center in a large room. With this role, for example, a fireplace, home theater or TV will perfectly cope.
The interior of a large living room is simply unthinkable without a large soft sofa and several armchairs for him. Furniture should be selected based on the overall style, however, leave space for personal preferences.
Living room with kitchen: how to combine correctly?
Your home will have a very spacious dining room if you combine the living room and kitchen. The idea of demolishing partitions and such a combination comes to minds of owners of two- and three-room apartments more and more often. And I must say, they perfectly manage to combine the two zones into a single space. It is much more convenient to work in such a kitchen, and this makes the room seem much wider, more interesting and more modern. It also makes it much easier to have loud parties or get-togethers with friends.
You can demolish the entire wall or leave some part of it, however, the general zoning of the apartment will remain, no matter what, since these two rooms - the living room and the kitchen - have completely different functionality. In addition, low screens, arches, partitions and columns can be used as an additional decor for dividing into zones. 
Zoning can also be done with the help of lighting: it should be bright in the kitchen, and for the living room it is better to choose lamps with dim light.
You can also play with curtains. For example, there will be blinds on the kitchen windows, but in the living room there will be traditional floor-length curtains. In addition, the level difference on the floor looks interesting. Sometimes, for each zone, its own linoleum is used, the color of which is contrasting with respect to the neighboring zone.
Is it possible to combine a bedroom and a living room?
This question is most relevant for those who live in studio apartments in one-room apartments or in "kopeck pieces" together with the child. Since there is practically no free space, one room will have to combine a lot of functionality. 
If a small living room resembles a square in shape, then a sofa bed will be the best way out of the position for organizing a place to sleep. If the living room has a large area, then you can easily organize two zones, dividing them with a screen or partition: one will have a double bed, and the other will have armchairs and a sofa for relaxation.
Remember that the sleeping area should be located as far from the entrance as possible. Preferably by the window. As we have already said, a sleeping place can be hidden from prying eyes with the help of a rack, curtain, partition, screen, cabinet or a sliding door.
Let's talk about modern style
The modern style is a mix of minimalism, hi-tech and modern styles. Below we will tell you more about them.
The modern style, including all their features, is a special interior that harmoniously combines simple decor, functional, but at the same time laconic furniture, contrasting colors. In addition, it allows for the presence of stylized patterns and ornaments, as well as elementary geometric shapes. 
Living room in classic style
The style, popular at all times, is, of course, made in this spirit, it always looks luxurious and rich. She will skillfully emphasize the exquisite taste of her owners.
For interior in classic style the living room is the ideal room. It has as much free space and light as possible. This style involves the use of beautiful ornate patterns and clear geometric shapes.
High-tech style in the interior of the living room
High-tech involves the creation of a strictly organized interior, in which each thing will be in its place. In addition, all objects in it are located in a special geometry. The layout of the high-tech living room does not imply the presence of waves, bends and variegated colors: everything here is monochrome and strict.
The living room is decorated with natural or synthetic high-tech materials. The first are foil, ceramic tile, porcelain stoneware, wood and frosted glass, and the second - plastic.
There is always enough light in a high-tech living room. Availability with LEDs or halogen lamps would be appropriate. Local lighting should be thought out very carefully, since it is most convenient to zone the space with its help.
Art Nouveau interior
All technological innovations in the interior of one room help to embody modernity. Typically, the center of a room in this style is an audio setup or a large TV. The shape and color in such an interior is of particular importance.
Modern goes well with other styles. For example, decorative inserts from other directions will look interesting and organic. But, probably, the main advantage of this style is that the room will be simple and unpretentious to clean.
The living room is the "face" of the house and the most versatile room. Here we receive guests, relax in the evenings and get together with the whole family. That is why, when creating its interior, it is important to remember about the harmony of style and comfort.
An elite living room is most often a "presentation area". After all, there are other rooms for relaxation, and this one is designed to make the best impression. She should talk about the discerning taste of the owners and their high social status. When working with a designer, discussing the interior of an elite living room should be one of the main issues.
All priority points regarding the design can be divided into 3 parts:
- living room layout in the house
- style
- status indicators.
In this issue we will talk about what the layout of the living room should be.
If it seems to you that this is an obvious thing, do not rush to move on to other topics: what you learn about here is sometimes unfamiliar even to professional designers. There are rules of the genre, according to which the entire civilized world works, in one way or another associated with the creation of elite interiors. It is these techniques that we will describe here.
Sizes and proportions in luxury living room design?
Unlike the living room in an ordinary apartment, in the elite there are a number of rules and restrictions. If you want your main room at home to look decent, it is advisable to take them into account.
The most important rule is the size of the living room: at least 35 sq. m for an apartment and at least 50 sq. m - for a private house. The ratio of length and width is close to square (i.e. approximately equal). You can have a small or irregularly shaped bedroom, study or kitchen, but a spacious and "harmoniously folded" living room is a sacred cause. In this case, any curved partitions are allowed, adding or cutting off part of the area from the "square".
Visual impressions
"Space" is not only the size of the living room, but also the ratio of free and occupied floor areas in a ratio of at least 1: 1 (more optimally 2: 1). Those. the space for moving around the living room should be at least, but better, more than the floor area that all the furniture occupies. The optimal ratio is 2: 1 for open interiors and 3: 1 for isolated rooms. Why this is important - just below.
Another point, especially important in the case when the living room area is not too large, and the ceiling height is less than 3 m.We are talking about large windows, of which there should be at least two - for an apartment and three - for a private house, possibly on different walls ...
If the dimensions living room allow you to plan an exit to a balcony or terrace, - panoramic glazing looks especially impressive (from the floor or at a height of 40-50 cm from the floor) to the ceiling (minus the distance for placing the curtain rod). Although in the case of an apartment, it is rather a matter of choosing a developer, but for a private house "decent" window sizes can be laid down initially, when creating a project.
Furniture location and selection - where to start?
Having decided on the question of what area of the living room should be, let's talk about the location of furniture and zoning. The spaciousness, which we talked about earlier, is necessary, on the one hand, for the visual impression of solidity, on the other, for the comfort of the "luxury" level. The latter assumes 2 points:
- all the necessary furniture is correctly distributed in the living room,
- several people (owners or guests) have the ability to freely move around the room in different directions without interfering with each other.
It is for this that such optimal dimensions of the living room and the ratio of free-occupied floor space, which was discussed above, are needed.
Citizens with more modest incomes and ideas about comfort usually choose furniture for the living room, guided by the rules of "like", "whether it fits in size" and "does it fit into the allocated budget."
Among the experienced owners of respectable housing, different standards have been taken. It is clear that the issues of dimensions and prices disappear in principle. But with the question "like" not everything is as simple as it might seem at first glance.
As it has been said more than once in our articles about the elite interior, it necessarily presupposes careful thoughtfulness of all the details. That is why purchasing furniture only from the point of view of attractiveness is not the most correct approach. You almost certainly have a designer who thinks through all the details of the interior. Nevertheless, it will be useful for you to know what should be the result.
So, you need to start purchasing furniture for an elite living room interior not by browsing catalogs, websites, show rooms, but with a banal description of how you imagine:
- (a) an evening of a typical day in your living room;
- (b) an evening with the reception of guests, in the amount that is customary in your circle.
Agree, the actions of people, the routes of their movement in the living room and the use of furniture are clearly different in these situations. That is why you must consider absolute comfort in both cases.
This task is solved by choosing the optimal width of the living room and its zoning: a comfortable stay for the owners + a worthy welcome for guests. It makes sense to think about what kind of furniture will be required in each case. Moreover, if we are talking about an open plan and the optimal size of the living room kitchen should provide for the independence of each of the zones.
Zoning - a semantic center and possible local zones
Host recreation is a familiar evening tradition of relaxation, convenience, and the preferred form of relaxation, which, however, may vary according to mood or season. This pastime can be taken as the basis for the compositional center.
It is impossible to imagine relaxation and communication here without a sofa and armchairs. A home theater, for example, can become a semantic center. This is a "common area", it should be maximum in relation to other sizes and is located in the central part of the living room.
In addition, the living rooms of elite houses also provide for local zones - in accordance with how you envisioned the options for spending time in the living room.
For example, your living room (or on the border with it: if the living room is part of the "open plan") may also have a dining table, if there is no separate dining room. This is another area that will require certain furniture, free surroundings, and style décor. In this case, the optimal dimensions of the living room dining room must be chosen taking into account the area of the proposed dining area.
The next zone, which includes the interior of the living room in elite houses, is additional space for guests, for example, a pair of separate armchairs or mini sofas. This provides an opportunity for more intimate communication at a distance from noisy company, but within the same room.
If the size of the optimal living room allows, upholstered furniture in this part of the room, you can also place it around a semantic center that promotes quiet communication or privacy of home owners on weekdays, if a personal account is not provided. A fireplace, a small winter garden, a mini-library or an exhibition of collections (not paintings) do an excellent job with this role.
Another option for creating a local area for a small number of guests, which offers an elite living room design, is a home bar. Provided there is a separate dining room and living room of sufficient size, it perfectly complements the "territory of personal privacy", creating comfort no longer for a couple of guests, but with the expectation of a larger number of them.
It is best to distribute two local zones on opposite sides of the "central" one. If you have a bay window, this is the best place to locate one of the local zones.
An element that has no place in an elite living room, even if the size of a living room in a private house allows, is voluminous storage systems (cabinets and shelves), unless collectibles are placed in them.
Decor in an elite living room
except correct placement furniture, living room in luxury homes should always have a "decorative center". These are not paintings, mirrors or other small decorations. We are talking about a large object or composition that attracts and retains attention. Unlike small decorations, which can be easily replaced at will, this decorative center is constantly present and must be taken into account when creating the layout of an elite living room.
It does not carry a functional load, but serves only for decoration, it is the most spectacular object in the room, and sometimes in the entire interior. Its scale must be taken into account when choosing optimal size living room in a private house.
The role of a decorative accent can be coped with:
- complex architectural composition, for example, created according to the principle of a classical rotunda,
- a large stained-glass window, an author's painting or a very effective niche with exotic flowers,
- aquarium or mini waterfall,
- a voluminous collection of unusual items,
- large rare painting or sculpture,
- particularly impressive finishes that frame functional objects (such as a fireplace or home theater).
The presence of a decorative center in your living room is a clear indicator that the interior was created according to all the rules of the elite genre and that the optimal living room area was chosen. And if it also makes an indelible impression on the guests of the house, this is a guarantee that, among other interiors of a similar level, yours will be perceived as special and unique.
The layout of the living room will depend primarily on the size of the room.... Usually, the largest room in the apartment is allocated for the living room, but even the largest room in a small apartment will have a modest area. Therefore, the living rooms can be conditionally divided into two types: small (up to 24 sq. M.) And large (over 24 sq. M.).
How will the layout of a small and a large living room differ? When planning an interior small living room the main task is to place everything you need in the room, while not cluttering it. If the living room has large area you need to take care of: without splitting into functional areas v big room may be uncomfortable.
Usually the center of the living room is the TV or home theater, and often the layout of the living room is built around it. The sofa and armchairs are located in front of the TV, and then, according to the leftover principle, they find places for all the rest of the furniture. What to remember when planning a living room interior with a TV?
- the TV should be located so that it can be seen by everyone who is sitting on the sofa and in armchairs;
- the size of the TV screen should correspond to the distance from the TV to the sofa and armchairs (or vice versa: the distance should correspond to the size of the screen).
It is important to pay attention to the relative position of the armchairs and the sofa: If you do not plan to spend evenings with household and guests in silence, the furniture should be located close enough to each other so that it is convenient for you to communicate. Most often, the sofa is placed in front of the TV, and the armchairs are placed on the sides of the sofa. The combination of a sofa and armchairs can be replaced with an upholstered corner.
If you have a home theater system with multichannel sound instead of a TV, the layout of the living room should take into account the correct location of the acoustic equipment... Usually, the optimal speaker placement is indicated in the instructions for the sound system, so first you need to purchase the system, and only then think about the layout of the living room.
Also the layout of the living room should provide for storage space: usually the living room plays the role of a library, and stocks of "ceremonial" services are usually kept in it. So be sure to think about where and how the shelves and cabinets will be located.
A familiar option for everyone is the notorious "wall". There is no need to immediately discount it: no matter how banal this solution may seem, it has not become so popular for nothing. "Wall" allows you to ensure maximum functionality of the interior: fit everything you need, while significantly saving space.
In addition, now the assortment of modular furniture is striking in its variety, so you can choose a furniture "wall" that will not seem like "greetings from the USSR" and will perfectly fit into any interior style. If you do not want to flaunt your "wealth", choose "Walls" with opaque doors... To place books, you can use a rack, preferably closed so that dust does not collect on the books.
Sometimes the problem of lack of space in the living room is solved by combining it with another room, most often with a kitchen. This solution has both advantages and disadvantages. In this case, the layout of the living room rarely does without zoning: even if they are not separated by furniture, Decoration Materials for two functional areas, different ones are usually used, not only for aesthetic, but also for purely practical reasons.
Also when planning the interior of the living room, do not forget about lighting... If the living room is divided into functional areas, one central ceiling light will not be enough. It is desirable that each zone has its own light source - a sconce, a floor lamp, etc. But even if the living room is a single space, it is better to provide several light sources or choose a ceiling lamp with the ability to dim the light in order to vary the intimacy of the atmosphere in the living room.
So, when planning, first of all, you need to remember that the room should be comfortable so that you really want to spend your evenings in it.
Surely you know that his living room says a lot about a person. For example, if you have a lot of books, then most of all this may indicate that you like to read, and if there are a lot of sofas and armchairs in the living room, then this may indicate a large number of people in your family.
Small living room area
Usually living rooms have no more than 24 m2, but for many this figure is even less. It is precisely because of its small size that it is quite difficult to lay out the living room and choose a style. Before placing objects in the living room, you need to consider your favorite activities that you will do there.
For example, if you are dancing, it is best if you do not put chairs and sofas there, as they will take up a lot of space.
Want to put a computer in your living room? So make a separate place for it. If you have children, if you wish, give them a separate corner where you will lay a soft rug.
If you are a fan of being a little bit alone, then it is better not to put large sofas in the living room.
Instead, you can choose two or more small chairs. You can also add some rugs or a wardrobe to your living room layout. 
Large living area
In the layout of a living room in a private house with a large area, there is always where the designer's fantasies unfold, since a lot of space allows you to create an interior in almost any style.
But do not forget about functionality when creating an interior; if you get carried away, you can make a living room good for one, and completely inappropriate for another. For example, a loft-style interior.
When the furniture is placed as far apart as possible, which gives some freedom, a lot of room for maneuvers.
It is great to have parties in such a living room, but it is very inconvenient to just sit and talk quietly with guests, since the sofas and armchairs are far from each other, and shouting to be heard in a quiet conversation is unacceptable.
Of course, such an interior option may be the direct desire of the owner of the house.
When decorating the interior of the living room in the style of minimalism, you need to understand that there is not enough space, and you need to use small furniture, which will not be able to fully fulfill its role.
For example, you can sit on a small sofa and read a book, but sleeping on it will be extremely uncomfortable. That's why good decision divide the living room into zones with specific goals.
Separate one piece of the living room with a corner sofa or armchairs for receiving guests. And in the other part, there is a small studio or mini bar. If you need to combine the living room with the kitchen, do not forget about the extractor hood above the stove.
In dividing the living room into zones, different color coloring of the floor, various partitions, curtains will also help.
Living room with TV
Electronics occupies a large place in human life. Every house has at least some kind of electronic gizmo. If you are a fan of watching movies with your big family, then you just need to put a large sofa in front of the TV for spending time together.
For the right choice TV set you need:
Know the size of the TV you want. If it is very large, then it will simply not be appropriate for your small living room. The choice of a small TV is also inappropriate, since it will be very difficult to see something on it from the sofa.
Choosing comfortable furniture is also not very difficult. The main thing to understand is that a wide sofa with a high back is great for watching TV.
Calculate how to lay out the living room with other objects. The focus of attention should be one thing - either a fireplace, where you arrange family evenings near it, or a TV, where you all watch a movie together.
There are many examples of planning in the living room, but it should be remembered that you can be unique, since it is because of this that new options are created.
Living room layout photo
When planning, as in your own home, you should rely on your own preferences. Designers do not advise focusing only on fashion, since trends are rapidly changing, and you will be in this room after renovation for at least the next few years. Therefore, the living room should be planned in such a way that you and your family members are as comfortable as possible in it.
There are no specific rules in the design of the living room, everything is very individual. However, some points are still worth highlighting:
- it is better to arrange large-sized furniture diagonally, especially if the room is small;
- in an ergonomic living room, 50% of the space should remain free so that the room does not look cluttered with furniture;
- for spacious rooms, do not neglect the principles.
There are more original options the layout of the studio living room, which is combined with another room, for example, a dining room, kitchen or even a bedroom.
Kitchen-living room layout
For a living room combined with a kitchen, it is better to choose more practical finishing materials, since food will be prepared in this room. For example, instead of the usual laminate, you can use porcelain stoneware "like parquet" or "like wood" - outwardly, it is no different from these materials, but it has a much greater wear resistance and ease of cleaning.
Living room-bedroom layout
This option is not uncommon for small apartments... To successfully combine the living room with the bedroom, use zoning. Let these two parts of the room be separated not only geographically, but also with the help of lighting and decoration. They can even be made slightly different in style (for example, English style and Provence). Sleeping place ideally, it should be fenced off with a partition, screen, rack or be in a niche.
Living-dining room layout
The layout of a living room with a fireplace is one of the most successful solutions in a private house. In this case, you get a large and, importantly, a cozy room for the rest of the whole family. A dining set or a straight classic sofa will help to separate one part of the room from another.