Design Taking Shape
Creating triangles of space can make a living room more livable.
 

 

Question: I moved into a house that has an odd shaped living room. I planned to buy furniture but don’t know what to look for. Right now we have split our sectional sofa, but it looks kind of weird. There isn’t a real conversation area, but for parties we need it fairly open because we don’t have a family room.

Existing furniture includes a piano, a large sectional sofa, two end tables and a separate TV-VCR, stereo and speaker components.
Rita Metras, Webster

Answer: The existing arrangement, with all your furniture lined up against the walls, all around the perimeter, is what Linda Litchfield calls “spin art.”

Spin- Art- just to let me gratuitously relive my ‘70s childhood- had to be the ultimate toy- nightmare of parents, You’d spin your paper around on this turntable. Then you’d squirt ink or paint in the center. Centrifugal force would streak the paint outward- onto carpets, blouses and pets.
 

Groovy toy. Less-than-ideal way to set up your furniture.  I should know; that’s my strategy.

“I always emphasize the importance of correct furniture placement,” says Litchfield, who describes herself as an interior redesigner, one who improves what you  have by rearranging it, as opposed to one who suggests new pieces.

The room’s shape does present problems, admits Litchfield, who owns a Pittsford interior redesigning  business called Room Renaissance.

To overcome this, she says, find the focal point. In this case, you’ve got duel focal points- the fireplace and the TV. Litchfield’s proposed solution addresses both these focal points, giving your room a more pulled- together look.

The second step, says Litchfield, is to create a conversation triangle and lighting triangle: “Since the triangle is one of the most pleasing shapes to the human eye, a room that incorporates these elements is also pleasing,” The existing pieces are “good fundamentals” for building an attractive room, says Litchfield. But she suggests consolidating the entertainment pieces before buying new furniture.

layout“This will be a great space saver and will allow for more versatility in furniture arrangement,” she explains. The entertainment center should be placed slightly off center on the wall, so its center is directly opposite the center of the sectional piece facing it. She recommends a medium- height screen, about 60 inches.

Your current arrangement Litchfield adds, isn’t conversation- friendly. Moving part of the sectional into the middle of the room and adding an upholstered chair by the fireplace would create a cozy conversational triangle. If your sectional is somewhat smaller than shown, you can move the back section out from the wall about a foot so the entire piece “floats” in the center of the room. But be sure to leave enough  of a walkway between the sectional and the entertainment cabinet.

She suggests defining this floating furniture by placing it on an area rug, one no smaller than 4 feet by 6 feet. The rug should be big enough to fill the rectangular space created by the sectional, she advises. A sofa table behind the sectional closest to the piano can accommodate a lamp. You can also stow slide-in  benches under it for extra seating while you’re entertaining. Place a table and lamp at the end of the sectional nearest the fireplace, and then add another lamp to the right of the chair. This will give you uniform lighting around the space. Also consider adding a square or round coffee table to break up the rectangular shapes.

Even though the center of the room is no longer empty, says Litchfield, guest will gravitate to the conversation area near the fireplace; it can certainly accommodate several more people.

“As an interior redesigner, I like to ‘shop’ the home for furniture that can be used in the Problem room” says Litchfield. “Perhaps you already have a chair and/or table that could be used”

The niche across from the fireplace seems custom-made for the piano, so Litchfield recommends keeping it there. To soften that end of the room, place a large plant along the angled wall.

Walls in this area could feature a variety of art pieces to add interest and color. “The long wall behind the sectional is ideal for an art collection. This could be a variety of small pieces or a couple larger pieces.”
 

  
 

The key, she says, is to fill about two-thirds of the space above the sectional with these pieces. “It’s not necessary to have all pieces match,” she explains, “as long as they’re somehow related in theme or subject.” One of the most common decorating errors, she notes, is hanging wall art too high: You want it to relate to the furniture below, so it should be no more than 9 to 12 inches above the back of the sectional.

“Another way to look at it is that the center of the grouping should be about 54 inches above the floor,” says Litchfield. This will ensure your ability to enjoy your artwork while seated in the room.”

Maybe you can hang up some of your spin art.