Sofa, so good, but the rest of the room needs work

December 2, 2005 10:25 PM

How can I arrange my living room so that I can have a living area, a computer desk and a soon-to-be toddler?

I have a 16 x 10 living room with a bit of a weird layout and I'm having trouble figuring out how to arrange furniture while accommodating a workspace and my young son. The current layout is as such. I've got a sofa along the left wall (with a great painting above it). There's a space between the left wall and the lower wall, which opens up to a small dining room. I've got a buffet/server along the lower wall with a great photo arrangement above. I have my computer desk in the corner of the upper wall, with a short cabinet beside it. The entire right wall is a window / sliding glass door to a balcony. The corner of the lower wall and the right wall has corner windows. I've got the TV there because that's where the cable and electrical outlets dictate.

I do not want to move the TV, sofa, buffet or computer desk, because of hook-ups and other issues. However, I would like to add some sort of comfortable seating for two more people (the sofa seats 2-3). I'd also like to have some sort of coffee table(s).

My son is a toddler and we need all the floorspace possible in front of the sofa. We live in a small condo and I *must* have my office in the living room -- it also makes it easier to keep an eye on my son. Right now, the computer desk is probably the first thing you see when you walk into our foyer. I can't put up a screen because my son will flip it.

I'm anxious to add extra seating. I don't want the room to feel cluttered and I don't want my guests to be in uncomfortable chairs. I was thinking maybe two slipper chairs or tub chairs (no colour ideas yet), but I'm not sure where to put them. I'm also unsure as to whether two chairs would look odd. It's not very conversational to have the chairs directly across from the sofa, but I'm not sure what else I can do.

FWIW, the sofa is chocolate leather. The server/buffet (top pic) is espresso. The walls are sage green. The blinds and trim are white. The floor is currently carpeted, but we're planning to put in laminate flooring soon. The room is on the northeast in a downtown condo chasm, so it doesn't get a ton of light beyond the morning. I've got one standing lamp and a few table lamps.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I know I can't be the only work-at-home parent out there, let alone the only one living in an oddly shaped living room. In fact, I think there are other apartments out there with the same layout.

posted by acoutu to home & garden (7 comments total)

What about putting a coffee table in front of the couch, with space underneath it for two of those nifty cubes that can function either as a spare seat or as a foot rest? They would probably also be a lot of fun for your son to play with as he gets older and builds forts and stuff.

Also, while your living room layout is VERY different from mine, one thing I found that worked well for extra seating was to get two chairs and angle them slightly towards each other. The couch is next to the two chairs, and along the wall. I could see you doing this with two chairs along the opposite wall from your sofa, just angle them towards each other and maybe put a small table in between them.

Good luck!
posted by tastybrains at 10:45 PM on December 2, 2005

While you're thinking about it, change your settings so pressing the off button asks you what to do instead of turning the computer off straight away. Little fingers love pushing buttons and my toddler loves switching any ground level computers off....and on... and off.
posted by slightlybewildered at 2:00 AM on December 3, 2005

You could add a leather ottoman/coffee table that can be slid to the opposite wall when you have company as a pretty comfortable bench for two. It looks like you already have space next to the couch for coffee tables. You can look at plant stands or small accent tables if you just need something to sit a beverage or a book on. I have one next to a chair that is only about 8 inches x 8 inches on top. I just leave it back against the wall when I'm not using it, and pull it to the end of the arm when I want to sit a drink on it. It takes almost no space.
posted by leapingsheep at 6:46 AM on December 3, 2005

I like the coffee table with cubes idea. And the angled chairs look good. Any suggestions for a chair design that would be compact and keep the room looking open and uncluttered?

I recently traded in my desktop system for a laptop, for exactly the reason SlightlyBewildered cites.

The ottoman idea is interesting. Do you think it would be hard on the back if you sat on it for an hour, though? We had been toying with a fabric storage ottoman, so that the room wouldn't feel so heavy.

I like accent tables and plant stands, but they're just the thing my son would flip over when pulling up.
posted by acoutu at 1:36 PM on December 3, 2005

A few thoughts here:
- If the layout shown is approx. to scale, you have quite a large desk (lengthwise). Could you replace it with a shorter (and perhaps taller) unit? It would be less obtrusive and, depending on your sliders, you might even be able to swing it 90° so that it's against the window wall. Also, I've seen some cool units that can be closed/locked when not in use, which would make the room look neater, and avoid prying little fingers' getting into your work.
- Depending on your TV, I'd look into a ceiling bracket, such as sold here. Result: immediate added space, flexibility, and safety.
- Lightweight padded ottomans — an excellent solution — would be comfortable for Sitzfleisch (buttage), but not for older backs for long. When you have guests, just grab the sofa first!
posted by rob511 at 5:35 PM on December 3, 2005

You might lean a couple of floor pillows against the wall to make ottoman sitting easier on people's backs. It may require Indian style sitting, though - the ottoman might be a little too wide to hang your legs over the front like on a couch. Unless you have tall friends.

Ooh...bean bags might be fun if you're kind of informal. The kid will like them...and you can use him as an excuse for having them in the first place!
posted by leapingsheep at 7:17 PM on December 3, 2005

Good ideas. I don't want to swing the desk against the window wall, because it would be hard to see my son playing.

I could possibly replace my desk, if I can find something workable.

We've got concrete ceiling and outer walls, so a mounted TV won't work, unfortunately. We'd also then need to find somewhere to put the stereo equipment. Right now, we also hide the computer server behind the TV.

My friends are all in their 30s and 40s and our parents are in their 50s and 70s. So that's why I'm concerned about how comfortable seating will be. We can't put pillows behind the ottoman because that one wall is all windows.

Based on your comments, I'm now thinking maybe this chair or this one (top pic). But would white/natural look okay in a room with espresso furniture, a wall of white blinds behind the chairs, and a sage green wall?
posted by acoutu at 9:19 PM on December 3, 2005