Many homeowners want to make their living room the gathering place and focal point of the home. Furniture placement, comfy options, and creating cohesion with other decor elements all need to work together to create a conversational feel. The biggest pieces in a living room will contribute the most to creating that conversational gathering space you dream of. Here are some professional tips on how to create a comfortable and conversational living room in any sized home.
Distance Is Key
While you want your pieces of seated furniture to be close enough together to have a productive conversation, you don’t want people to feel cramped or unable to access certain places when others are seated in the room. This can create a sense of claustrophobia and potentially slow or dampen the conversation. Having a clear walking space around every piece of furniture will make everyone feel more comfortable and ensure that couches, ottomans, and chairs are accessible to everyone.
Float Your Furniture
Another option that homeowners may not consider is floating the furniture. This refers to putting the furniture towards the center of the room, rather than up against windows or walls. Putting items toward the center of the room allows for more walking space behind a couch or armchair, but also makes a more cozy talking area, where pieces are close enough together to be able to hear each other. This technique can also help your living feel much larger, encouraging more people to gather or spend time in a living room that doesn’t feel cramped.
Consider Two Facing Sofas
In large living rooms, having multiple seating options is necessary if you want to gather a large group of people. Having two sofas that face each other or a large sectional will ensure you can see everyone’s faces and clearly hear the conversation. This layout combines comfort and sophistication that encourages people to talk to each other. Place a coffee table in between to provide a place for people to put down their phones or set their drink while chatting.
Include Comfy Accent Chairs
One of the biggest things to consider is the comfort of your seating options. If someone isn’t comfortable sitting in a living room or around a table, they will be less likely to stick around and want to chat. Sitting on a hard chair causes back and leg pain, which will cause people to get up and walk around, stand or sit elsewhere, or leave the room entirely.
Adding accent chairs is a great way to add more personality to the space, but finding options that aren’t too modern and uncomfortable is better if you want a conversational living room. Chairs with harsh angles or no padding will not help you create a place people want to gather.
Create A Circle Of Armchairs
Another popular seating setup is to have 4 or 5 armchairs in a circle around your coffee table or a semicircle around a fireplace or TV. This not only makes the room have a focal point needed for a cohesive design, but also allows everyone to be seen during a conversation. Armchairs with plenty of padding or even recliners are a great way to make sure everyone is comfortable for a big watch party or talkative family gathering. Consider plush materials or options that offer enough back support, without feeling stiff. A comfortable living room is a conversational living room.
Furniture Options From Sugar House Furniture
Our furniture is built to last a lifetime, while also providing the comfort, aesthetics, and modern design you desire. Pieces from Sugar House Furniture can help you create a conversational living room, furnish a cozy bedroom, upgrade your dining area, and so much more. We understand that furniture is an investment, so it is important to find the pieces that speak to you. Combining style and function is important to our builders, especially when we know you will be using these pieces and passing them on to future generations.
Serving the Salt Lake Valley and surrounding areas, Sugar House Furniture has options for different home styles and sizes. While mission style furniture may not immediately strike you as modern, we have a wide variety of styles and wood colors to choose from. We promise you can find a piece that meets your personal style in our catalog. If you are ready to upgrade your home with quality craftsmanship and durable furniture, visit our showroom to get started.
