The living room is the heart of your home. Whether your lounge is a large, open space or more of a nook, your choice of furniture can make all the difference to the look and feel of the room.
Not all lounges are as large as those featured in glossy magazines, but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve beautiful furniture. The average living room size in newly built houses in the UK has gradually shrunk since the 1970s to a more modest 17 m2, down from 25 m2. If you have a lounge on the smaller side, that doesn’t mean it can’t be a comfortable haven for you and your loved ones to enjoy.
Whether you’re renovating or furnishing from scratch, let’s explore the essential living room furniture pieces to find the ideal match for your space. Aside from simply liking the appearance of something, there are many practical considerations. We understand that everyone’s taste in furniture is different, but there are some hard-and-fast rules that will help you choose wisely.
Choosing the right living room furniture
Navigate our tips for buying essential living room furniture and craft a home you love.
Sofas
Whether you enjoy gaming, watching TV or reading, the quintessential item for a living room would be the sofa. Unless you know exactly what you’re looking for, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. There are so many materials, colours and styles to choose from. Budget will play a part in the variety you have to work with. Aside from that, we’re throwing in some other considerations to help you pinpoint the perfect sofa for your living room.
Which type of sofa is best for a living room?
Some designers argue that a sofa should be the equivalent of two-thirds of the size of the room. However, for open-plan, multifunctional areas, you can ignore this rule. For this type of space, we recommend corner or L-shaped sofas. It’s a great way to break up the space and create a sense of separation between areas.
For smaller rooms, this type of sofa is also ideal for placing in the corner of a room to get more seats without taking up too much space. If you want extra comfort, there’s also the option to purchase sofas with a recline feature—perfect for putting your feet up.
As for which sofa material is best, the two main options include leather and fabric.
Genuine leather isn’t suitable for vegans, but it is ideal for people who are allergic to dust or want to reduce the amount of dust in their home. Leather can also appeal to a more contemporary interior.
Fabric-upholstered sofas offer more variety in their designs and are ideal for a traditional style. With the latest trend all about adding little details that make a space unique and attractive, a more ornate design could be the perfect fit. If you’re worried about keeping everything clean, buy sofas crafted with premium, easy-clean material.
To reduce the risk of mould, remember not to place a sofa directly against a wall or window.
Sofa beds
If you want to accommodate guests but don’t have spare bedrooms, the sofa bed is an ideal solution. By day, it’ll look like your ordinary sofa, but it conveniently stores a spare double bed that can be pulled out when needed.
Chairs
Want to deviate from just having sofas? The armchair is an ideal way to add more seats without bulking up with too many sofas. Most likely, you won’t want just any old chair tucked in the corner. The good news is that there are plenty of comfortable seats that will look right at home in your living room, if you know where to look. For lounge areas, we recommend soft-upholstered chairs with delicate, rounded edges.
Coffee and side tables
When you think of coffee tables, your mind most likely pictures a large centrepiece. However, there are plenty more options that work with lounges of all shapes and sizes.
A particularly elegant and space-saving option are nest tables. Usually designed in sets of three, these slip one under the other and are ideal for placing at the end of each sofa, next to your armchairs, or even arranged together to create a beautiful statement piece.
For a more traditional style, you can’t beat a rectangular wooden table! Glass coffee tables can be ideal for making a room look more roomy and are a perfect pairing for an urban design. Glass suppliers will have a range of table tops to suit any design ideas you have. However, they might not be the best choice if you have younger children. They can also be dust magnets, so if you’re not in the habit of wiping surfaces regularly, a wooden table might be better.
For a traditional coffee table, choose one that is about two-thirds the width of your sofa. You’ll want to easily access books and beverages when seated, and for that reason, the height should be 1–2 inches lower than your seat cushion on the sofa or chairs.
Want something a bit different and stand-out? Resin combined with wood is an exquisite pairing that really catches the eye.
Available in different colours, including turquoise, these tables fuse wood with liquid glass to bring the beauty of the coast to your home.
TV stands
If you prefer to place your TV on a stand rather than mount it on the wall, there are plenty of options. With the ability to buy ones with multiple shelves or storage units, they make the perfect cubbyhole to store DVDs, games consoles and more.
Whether you want a wood or high-gloss finish, there are plenty of designs to suit your available space and preferred interior. Check out our ultimate guide to buying a modern TV stand for more ideas.
Make sure the TV stand is large enough to accommodate your TV. The stand should be at least a few inches wider than the TV to provide stability. Consider the height of the stand to ensure your screen is at a comfortable viewing level when seated.
Shelves and bookcases
For lovers of books, board games or DVDs, shelves and bookcases are a saving grace for neatly storing your collectible items. They’re also a great way to present ornaments to create a sophisticated, personalised living area. Houseplants, picture frames, candles, diffusers and vases are all tasteful additions to bring out your unique style and make the room feel like ‘home’.
Industrial chic storage units and ladder storage are on trend right now and are a versatile choice. If you have the space, we recommend adding a mix of exposed shelves and cupboards or drawers that you can close. That way, you can show off some of your more ornamental items while keeping paperwork, stationery and other items neatly away.
Inspired? Browse exquisitely designed furniture pieces for your living room at Sena Furniture. We offer a wide variety of modern furniture have the variety to help you find the perfect pieces for your home and can help you discover new designs that can provide the ‘wow’ factor without blowing your budget.
