Living rooms can sometimes be overlooked now that so much of our at-home socializing takes place around a table in an open-plan kitchen space, but nothing beats being able to sit comfortably with friends and family, to talk, enjoy a drink or watch a movie.
Comfort is key to creating a relaxed, sociable living space, so concentrate on getting the style and position of the seating right, then build up from there, adding fun touches, handy side tables and just the right lighting.
Comfort is key to creating a relaxed, sociable living space, so concentrate on getting the style and position of the seating right, then build up from there, adding fun touches, handy side tables and just the right lighting.
1. Provide Different Types of Seating
If sociable means entertaining friends and family of all ages, work in more than one seating type, as does this room by Streeter Custom Builder.
If sociable means entertaining friends and family of all ages, work in more than one seating type, as does this room by Streeter Custom Builder.
While squishy sofas may suit those who want to kick off their shoes and snuggle down, older visitors may prefer the support of an upright chair. Children may prefer floor cushions. This Anne Sneed Architectural Interiors living room has a mix of seating.
2. Light a Fire
Humans have gathered around fires for millennia, to eat, talk, warm up and feel safe. Lighting one in your living room produces the same sense of sociability and comfort. This contemporary room is by Peruri Design.
Humans have gathered around fires for millennia, to eat, talk, warm up and feel safe. Lighting one in your living room produces the same sense of sociability and comfort. This contemporary room is by Peruri Design.
In this cozy Welsh cottage, Eilir Sheryn of van Ellen + Sheryn Architects installed a modern wood-burning stove in the original stone fireplace. “I like the juxtaposition between old and new,” he says.
3. Face Each Other
Sofas that face each other, rather than the TV, promote conversation. Make sure they’re positioned close enough together that you and your guest aren’t shouting at each other across the divide. This room is by Jute Interior Design.
Sofas that face each other, rather than the TV, promote conversation. Make sure they’re positioned close enough together that you and your guest aren’t shouting at each other across the divide. This room is by Jute Interior Design.
Just because you’re squeezing in two sofas doesn’t mean you need to scrimp on size either. In this room, Beth Dadswell of Imperfect Interiors positioned two sizeable couches opposite each other, then replaced an ottoman with a glass coffee table to make the rest of the space feel lighter.
4. Provide Several Surfaces
Tables on which you can pop a mug, glass or bowl of snacks are essential to a sociable living space. This living room is in a home by custom builder Stokers & Co.
Tables on which you can pop a mug, glass or bowl of snacks are essential to a sociable living space. This living room is in a home by custom builder Stokers & Co.
In this room, Jessica Preston of Colour + Shape chose small tables rather than a larger central surface. These help to maintain the light, airy feel of the room and are easy to move around.
5. Consider a Corner Sofa
Nothing says sociable like a corner couch. This flexible, space-efficient form of seating works particularly well for big families with modest living rooms. It provides a large expanse of comfy seating, which encourages teens to lounge and toddlers to get cozy.
Nothing says sociable like a corner couch. This flexible, space-efficient form of seating works particularly well for big families with modest living rooms. It provides a large expanse of comfy seating, which encourages teens to lounge and toddlers to get cozy.
To make this type of seating even more functional, consider a coffee table that doubles as a footstool as in this living room by Swanson Homes. The extra surface will provide even more opportunities for everyone to stretch out.
6. Get the Lighting Right
A sociable living room needs lighting that creates a warm atmosphere, but without being too dim. You want to be able to see your guests, after all. Weave in a flexible mix of lamps and ceiling lights to create a soft, layered look as in this room by Modern Organic Interiors.
A sociable living room needs lighting that creates a warm atmosphere, but without being too dim. You want to be able to see your guests, after all. Weave in a flexible mix of lamps and ceiling lights to create a soft, layered look as in this room by Modern Organic Interiors.
If you like a calm, uncluttered aesthetic, go for wall lights, as Celine Erlam of Indie & Co has done here (there are three more out of shot). These give a more diffused light than the central pendant without the need to add lamps to other surfaces in the room.
7. Install Sliding Doors
If you’re considering completely remodeling your home, how about this for an idea. In this Edwardian house, Nick Taylor of IMBY3 Architecture & Design designed sliding barn doors between the kitchen and living space. When closed, the living room feels cozy and intimate.
If you’re considering completely remodeling your home, how about this for an idea. In this Edwardian house, Nick Taylor of IMBY3 Architecture & Design designed sliding barn doors between the kitchen and living space. When closed, the living room feels cozy and intimate.
When the doors are open, the living room flows into the kitchen, making it part of a larger, flexible and super-sociable space.
Content provided by Jo Simmons at Houzz.com
The 10 Most Popular Decks and Patios So Far in 2022
