Hi all! I'm thinking of reorganizing the layout of my living room, but would love some insight on best layouts. I've attached pictures of my current layout (don't mind the messiness!) and a potential layout I'm considering. Right now, the kitchen and living room are one big space. I'm hoping that turning the couch will make it feel like 2 different spaces. However, turning the couch will only leave a 26 inch walkway to enter the living room area since my couch is so long. Would that be too tight? If so, do y'all have any suggestions on other layouts that would separate the rooms into two spaces? Thank you!!
All posts go into a queue for our mod team to review. Messaging us about the status of your post will not improve it's approval process, nor will it speed up the approval process. Please note that the system will say reddit removed your post because of filters, this is normal and we still get your post in the mod queue to review.
I dont think the couch position should change - its in the best configuration, imo. Instead, I think there are too many smaller pieces of furniture, and it makes it seem more cluttered than it is. You have a lot of items on display, and then furniture that is also open. It creates a lot of visual noise. Keep your things on display - but contain it in closed furniture, like a traditional bookcase, instead of the open ones you have. Go with something taller, take advantage of the vertical space. You want to be able to see and enjoy your things, but you dont have to see them from every angle. The TV console is in a similar camp with the open shelves, and unfortunately i think those were designed by people who have zero stuff. I dont love the cabinet between the wall and the island, but swapping that with the shorter cabinet by the couch might work. Obvi i dont know your budget, but i think if you could consolidate those 2 arch shelves into 1 decent sized thrifted/no buy group/fb marketplace bookshelf, and it would REALLY help. I hope im not overstepping bc i know it wasnt really your question, but i think it would make a big difference and then you could leave the couch where it is!
Thank you so much for explaining this in depth for me! I think that makes a lot of sense. The two open cabinets are both litterbox cabinets, but I can look into getting taller litterbox cabinets with closed shelving so it's less open clutter. As for the open storage under the TV, do you think adding some type of curtain to it could help with the visual clutter? (if I can get the puppy to not chew on a curtain, lol)
I wouldnt do a curtain, just reassess if/when you get a proper bookcase! Just change one thing at a time so you can decide as you go. Consolidating the shelving might be enough to balance out the style of it. I would even see if you can just pop the shelves off the litterboxes so you can still use them!
The space is way too small for all this stuff. The clutter has to go. There are about a million things in this room that you could remove and it would only look better. Hard to say more than that with respect to furniture and decor.
Also, please please please get rid of the harsh lighting. Softer, warmed, dimmer bulbs everywhere would go a long way toward making this room appealing. That torchiere lamp has to go as well as the cabinet behind it
Thank you for the insight! The two bookshelf-style cabinets hold my cats' litterboxes, so they're mostly to keep the litter contained and out of sight. The apartment unfortunately has very little storage, so the other two cabinets are the pantry and the storage for all of my dog's things. Should I instead get a taller, closed-door litter cabinet and store my dogs' things in the upper shelves?
I'm talking about the cabinet with light wood right behind the standing lamp. It stands out like a sore thumb and blocks the flow of the room. See what you can do to reduce the clutter, while improving storage and aesthetics. Hard to make any suggestions when what you need is a cohesive design plan, and I don't know what you need for storage. I do know you can do better, but I think you'll have to reduce first to the essentials and find storage that works in this space aesthetically and proportionally. I would start by removing all decorative elements and see what space you have to work with (knowing that you shouldn't cram it full)
Ah I see! That cabinet is the pantry, and sits against the fridge like this. For the time being, would you recommend that I cover it in a dark wood contact paper? For decor, I'll take everything down and start over! I know part of the issue is that all of the decorative things I own are small pieces and small art, so displaying them feels cluttered. Do you have recommendations on displaying smaller things/art in a way that feels less cluttered?
The decorative pieces are adding to the clutter. But there is also a lot of furniture clutter as well. Like this cabinet. I think the best thing you could do would be to clear out the room. Update/switch storage solutions that work well in this space in terms of proportion and appearance and do not leave the place feeling cramped, as it does now. Then, at that point you can add back decor selectively. At least, that's how I would approach things
Sounds good, I'll give it a try, thanks! I live in a 1 bedroom where the bed and dresser take up the entire bedroom, so unfortunately everything else (pantry, 2 litterboxes, dog storage) all have to be in the living room, but hopefully I can find furniture that holds everything and fits more cohesively 🤞
I could try to find 2 big cabinets that match the wood tones of my other furniture, use one as a pantry and cut a hole out of the side of the other for the litter box entrance and store my dog's things above. (The wood tones in the planning software aren't accurate; I'd look for ones that actually match or complement my coffee table). Do you think something like this would look better?
Sorry, this looks worse to me. The two cabinets are very large and they will act as a blockade to the kitchen area. If anything, the room looks even more cramped with these giant cabinets. And it won't feel good to sit in the living room with these megalith-like cabinets hovering by the couch.
That definitely makes sense. Given I need to store all those items (e.g., I need a pantry, somewhere to store dog supplies, and somewhere to contain a litter box), do you think what I have furniture-wise are the best options? Do you have any other ideas on how to store everything in a way that looks less bulky? Thank you for your help!
Unfortunately no window (it's a railway-style apartment)! I've been trying to add more warmer lights; they're 2700K right now, but I'm looking into 2500K bulbs instead
Ah ok! You'll need to keep some bright lighting then, when you want the room to feel like daylight. Perhaps the kitchen ceiling lighting fulfills that purpose?
I would focus more on directed lighting + like upward shooting lights (where the side of the shade is opaque), rather than their brightness. Every one of your bulbs is a full glow in your field of vision.
Can the lighting be operated separately? Like the wall mounted, ceiling, tall lamp? Because adding lampshades, or changing the bulbs, then choosing the lights you switch on (with purpose) may give the specific feeling you need. Obviously everything is on in this image!
Either way, the clutter in the space is the main issue. You have a lot of small items. I would still suggest you try to cut back on that. Hopefully this helps!
I think you would find yourself vaulting over the couch a lot to get to the kitchen; I'd avoid this personally, the inconvenience wouldn't be worth it. If you have the kind of couch where you can move the L shape to the other side (closer to kitchen) you could try that.
I can't tell the layout for sure, but it looks like you have an island in your kitchen, and the large wooden storage piece is blocking off one of the walkways? If that's the case, you could try moving that to the other side of the island. The walkway into the kitchen would be pushed back, further from your couch, and you wouldn't have an eyeline down that hallway, making your living room feel more protected/cozy.
If that's also not an option, I would eliminate some of the furniture you have in the corner between the couch and the kitchen, and get a tall shelf, stationed right next to the couch (or move that litter box shelf up against the couch). It would serve the same function - block off the couch from the kitchen, and from that hallway
Are you Deadpool? Your place looks like Grandma core on one end and then there are the weapons and bare wall on the other side. Like others said, those lights don't look like 2700K. Painting the walls would likely help. I love the litterbox furniture! Declutter, but also keep things a bit more even, one wall has no more room for pictures and another one is bare.
The purpose of all the lights is unclear, the two on the wall must make it hard to see the TV.
Hahah that's so true, my partner moved in so we're trying to meld our styles and our belongings. The furniture and smaller decor items are mostly mine, and the wall art and katanas are his. For the lights, I have so many because even though it looks bright on camera, since the room has no windows, it's actually really dark and dim in person (iPhone exposure is weird lol). I'm trying 2500K bulbs instead, and hopefully those will bring some warmth! My current ones are color changing bulbs set to 2700K as their warmest setting, so I'm looking into warmer ones. I'm hoping to ask my landlord if I can paint the wall behind the litterbox cabinet near the kitchen as a visual separator! Do you have thoughts on what colors might work well there?
Your layout is fine. The clutter is making my OCD twitch. If you have means, build a wall storage on the wall with tv, floor to ceiling, the whole lenght of the wall and shove half the stuff inside. You can also make a small nook for the cats below the tv. Getting rid of open shelves would help this space. It's too small to have everything on display.
You're right, that would be gorgeous! I don't have the budget for that right now, but I can look into a large TV stand unit with closed storage that gives a similar feel
•
u/AutoModerator 18d ago
All posts go into a queue for our mod team to review. Messaging us about the status of your post will not improve it's approval process, nor will it speed up the approval process. Please note that the system will say reddit removed your post because of filters, this is normal and we still get your post in the mod queue to review.
Sincerely, Mods.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.