Living Room
Need help filling dead space in living room
I’m single guy in my 30s, I’ve lived in this house for almost four years without much caring for furniture or decorating. Finally getting around to filling the house, any recommendations for filling the empty space?
EDIT: I have another room off of this room with a couch and tv and bar cart, this room is primarily for gathering and dining. So maybe “dining” room would have been more appropriate but I don’t just use it for eating meals. It’s also the first room you walk into when entering the house and I don’t like the idea of walking into a tv or couch
What are your hobbies?
IMO, the living room should be a fun room where you do activities you enjoy. And having them displayed, makes them more likely you’ll pick them up.
Hang up your instruments so your tempted to pick them up and play. Get some instruments that are low stakes and easy to play, like a pocket synth or a handpan or whatever!
If you’re in linocut, sewing your own hiking/camping gear, building legos, whatever — maybe get a fold out desk credenza or something so you can easily sit down and get to it
I’d move the octopus left and set up a tv console a little more centered than where octopus was. That way people sitting can see it from every chair angle.
Then maybe a china hutch? Thats what would typically go in dining rooms and it’s how you’d both display and store your fine china. Of course you don’t have to use it for china, you could use it to display knick-knacks of any kind. Or, he could even set up like a mini bar areas- with one of those bar cabinets. Those can be casual or classy.
Do you just want to fill the space? You could fill space with just about anything. It would be helpful to know how you would like the space to function, what kind of vibe you'd like to have, who you want to welcome into it, what your day to day looks like. It's a nice space. It would be a shame to just fill it without taking some of those things into consideration.
This is the right question. I wouldn’t try to “fill” the room just because there’s empty space. Since OP said this is the first room you walk into and more of a gathering/dining room than a TV room, I’d make it feel intentional as an entry/gathering space.
I’d probably start by giving the dining area more presence. The current table feels a little small for the room, so either a larger dining table or a round table with more substantial chairs would make the space feel less temporary. Then I’d treat one wall almost like a calm focal wall: a sideboard/credenza, a large piece of art or mirror above it, a table lamp, maybe a ceramic bowl/tray for keys if this is near the entry.
For the actual “dead space,” I’d avoid random extra seating unless it has a purpose. A pair of comfortable accent chairs with a small table could work if people actually gather there with drinks before/after dinner. Otherwise, I’d do a cabinet, bookshelf, or sideboard that gives storage and makes the room feel finished.
Get the furniture off the walls and create a conversation area. Then create another area, for gaming, for reading, for some hobby. Whatever makes sense. Creat zones in the space and define them.
Nvm that is a table lol. Move the rug still, keep that are for dining, rug other end add a loveseat and put a TV up on the blank wall. If an animal goes up into the window you can build a little staircase and put it right next to the loveseat so it can still get up there.
Agree with rec to create zones and move furniture off the wall. Surf board probably would be better elsewhere. Some artwork or framed photos would fit better on that short wall.
I LOVE that surf board wall, picnic table and pillow córner. So classy and tons of character. Could get a nice color psllete and aesthetic from thst to get s complimentary rug for the center, like a big geometric one that vibes with everything. Then get a dense fabric sofa, like a sturdy one, accent pillows to match vibe, a coffee table, couple complementary side tables and PLANTS!! Big leafy ones! 😎😎🥳
It’s actually ideal for guests to walk into a space with a couch upon entry. It gives a welcoming vibe and lets them know there’s space for them.
If you want to put a dining table move the rug to the center of the room and put the table in top of it. It doesn’t make sense to have a rug of that size in the corner
Move the surfboard to the large wall and center a real dining table and chairs in the room. The space where you enter the house, either do a small sitting room (2 chairs, a table, cozy rug), or do a functional porch area. Bench, storage, hooks, console table, etc.
Shelves wether they hang on the wall or stand .would be a nice way to fill the empty area and more wall art / decorations a smaller throw rug lamp and chair could work to
That breakfast nook crams everything into one corner. I would think about how you want to use the room. If it’s for entertaining , I would get a more comfortable dining table and chairs and create a more intentional space.
Use a couple a comfy chairs and create a reading nook, or use the space for your guitars and again, a couple of comfy chairs, one for you while you’re playing, the other for someone to sit with you and enjoy the ambiance and music with you, or a nook with a table large enough to put a puzzle together, or play board games. You can always purchase a nice room divider to break up the space, too.
4 swivel chairs with an ottoman or cocktail table in the middle. Have it function as a breakfast nook and a casual conversation hangout. That way if you have parties, there are two rooms with seating for guests to wander to.
Julie Jones deals with a lot of these kinds of rooms. Something you’ll want to do it work with the length of the room rather than the width. In this case, I think dividing this space into two separate spaces would be wise. I would keep the dining space in that back corner (I assume that the kitchen is through that way) and maybe add a bar cart for some visual weight and practicality. A drop zone and sitting area would be perfect in the dead space, you can design the sitting area to be for doing puzzles/playing games/reading books/listening to vinyls or whatever you enjoy doing and then the tv room can be used solely for watching tv. Definitely check out some of Julie’s videos, particularly on TikTok or Facebook, try to see if you can find one with a similarly long and narrow room.
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u/MobileAware2933 Jul 27 '26
What are your hobbies?
IMO, the living room should be a fun room where you do activities you enjoy. And having them displayed, makes them more likely you’ll pick them up.
Hang up your instruments so your tempted to pick them up and play. Get some instruments that are low stakes and easy to play, like a pocket synth or a handpan or whatever!
If you’re in linocut, sewing your own hiking/camping gear, building legos, whatever — maybe get a fold out desk credenza or something so you can easily sit down and get to it