SOS - how to create a focal point on awkward shaped living room?

3 years ago

Hi Houzz'ers!

I'm hoping some of your creative brains might be able to offer a solution I can't see; I've just moved in to this beautiful flat but the living has a bit of an odd shape so I'm struggling to work out how to create a focal point and 'zones'. In short; how do I furnish this room?!

I've included a rough floor plan for reference and the flat is on the first floor so the window leads out to a balcony, which is southeast facing (sun from morning till about 2.30pm). Ceiling height is 3.1m. I think the property is Victorian. The walls are currently Magnolia (I know!) so I'm planning on painting.

Essentially this room is a living room only so I don't need space for a dining table or mini office. However, I do need room for the TV ( but don't want it to be the focal point) and my stereo/record player/small vinyl collection as well as some books.

Feel free to ignore the current layout completely as I've just plunked the furniture in there for now.

My thoughts are:

The door needs to open to the left as it's currently blocking part of the room

I'm also happy to get a sofa that is better suited to the space; ideally a corner sofa?

I'm not 'married' to any of the furniture in the room - I think the rug will definitely need to go

What do you guys think? How do I make the most of this lovely blank canvas?

Any thoughts very welcome. Thanks in advance! :-)

Featured Answer

Suzanne

3 years ago

Agree that the door would be better if it opened the other way. You seem to have a chimney breast, so there was obviously a fireplace originally which would have been the focal point. I would start by reinstating a fireplace (like the traditional one below) or, for a more modern take, opening up the fireplace and putting a wooden mantel above. You could then group furniture around this point and leave the TV where is currently is, put shelves in the alcove(s) or both.

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Comments (16)

katja_t
Original Author
3 years ago
@suzanne thanks for your ideas. I agree that working with existing features makes really good sense. Thanks also for the image. Built in will make it look less ‘bitty’.

Would you put the sofa facing the fireplace or at an angle as per current layout? Is it bad ‘feng shui’to have your back to the door?
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I disagree with the above comments. If you're open to big changes, especially if you plan on replacing the fireplace, you could install a lower mantle, and install the TV above it on a swing arm. This way, the TV and fireplace will remain the focus in the centre of the room, while still being able to view the TV wherever you deem most comfortable on any given day. I think the oblong shape of the room would allow for a couple different seating arrangements. Looking at the second image (fireplace on the right), imagine a compact love seat with it's back facing the double doors. Across from the love seat, 2 accent chairs, backs facing the photographer. Add a coffee table of your choice, and you now have a conversation space in front of the fireplace that is also ideal for watching TV. Thinking about the space behind the love seat, closest to the double doors; a half-height, full-width bookshelf would be lovely along the right wall (left of the fireplace), or even a cushioned bench seat with storage underneath, or both! One orientation to the right of the fireplace, and one to the left. Behind the love seat you could place a console table with lamps and accent decor that would create a visual division, making each seating area seem more intimate and purposeful. Add a full-width, floor length set of drapes on either side of the double doors and area rugs under each seating area and Bob's your uncle!
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Hi there, It's always difficult working out the best place for a fireplace and indeed a tv but what I would ask is why have you opted for an L-Shaped extension? Have you got lots of constraints on the land or the garden? Long and thin extensions can always be a problem as they lack the width to create nice spaces without bottle necks or furniture blocking circulation and people movement. One of the things you will have to think about is the venting or flue / chimney and then there's the regulations about the stove being a minimum distance away from combustible materials. It would be nice to be able to look at the burner while you're facing into the garden so maybe a wall on the patio side to break up the glass doors and then add more light in from above to make it a little cosier. Sometimes too much glass can feel / look cold. The TV is always a problem but I suggest again to possible mount it on a wall but remember if you have the screen facing all that glass you will get reflection problems. Maybe you need to make a feature wall out of slate or stone that would have the wood burning stove against it and the TV offset a little on the same wall. Then have your glass doors either side so when you're sat on your sofa you can see the garden / patio all while sat in front of your stove and viewing the tv. Its a difficult one all in all but if you have the opportunity to alter the L shape and make at least one leg of it slightly wider it may give you a better option for the burner, sofa and the cosiness without the feel of a long thin room with not many passing places. Just a couple of suggestions but as I can see the design brief or land size / constraints etc I might be a little off the mark. Cheers. Simon www.scdc.biz
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Hello nicnoll, Another idea could be to have a wall light that is all about the bulb! A few links to both ideas.... Copper is good too... Guessing you can have them pointing up or down for ones that don't have a moving hinge.. http://www.oldschoolelectric.com/vintage-light-bulbs/ http://www.industville.co.uk/collections/wall-sconce-bar-restaurant-lamps/products/vintage-barn-angled-brass-wall-lamp A ceiling light.. http://www.industville.co.uk/collections/ceiling-lights-lampshades/products/brooklyn-vintage-brass-cone-lampshade OR.. One other idea... have a rose with multi flex wires... centralised where the current one is.. Then choosing cable/flex and lengths.. run them along to where you want.. either along ceiling.. in loops with hooks to loop round and fix position, so then excess becomes a drop pendant to add something lovely.... Or you run them in loops across the ceiling to the opposite wall and have a wall light fitting but the electric cable comes from the one ceiling point. So less to do wiring wise.. Plus this makes for a very interesting bespoke installation.. with coloured flex cable running in loops along the hallway.. . : )) http://www.urbancottageindustries.com/historic-lighting/ceiling-roses/multiple-outlet-ceiling-roses/ceiling-rose-multiple-cable-flex-outlet-vintage-brass http://www.urbancottageindustries.com/historic-lighting/fabric-cable/twisted-lighting-flex/copper-fabric-lighting-flex-cable-twist
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Carolina
3 years ago
Until you can rehang the door, it might be worth taking it off altogether? I would put the sofa facing the fireplace and it would be great if you could open that up again.

I'd make the corner where your sofa is now into a dedicated music listening/reading nook. I'd put a row of low bookcases in: deep enough to hold your records and books, record player on top.

Something like this (ignore colours and bookcase isn't deep enough, but just to give you some inspiration):
katja_t thanked Carolina
christineacy
3 years ago
Hello katja_t, A beautiful tall bright room. Is this a bought or rented flat ? If bought and if you have a budget I would remove the door wall. If rented, then move the sofa out of that area. You could put the TV there instead. NB. Light from windows reflecting on the TV. But with the large armflold brackets for TV's you can pull it out to an angle ie. across the corner of that wall and the alcove so that you can watch TV from your sofa from the flat wall. So it is out of the way and all around it could be shelving for your personal items etc. This leaves the rest of the room for comfort. The alcove next to the window could be a built in seating, with your dark brown chair and stool and the small side table which you lounge and read and drink tea, coffee, hot choc... and read a kindle, book, mags, and enjoy the view and natural light.

Corner sofas can dominate and enclose a room. With the size of your room it will stop you walking to, and the flow to the window. Mind you you can get the modular type which means you can get the same effect by moving the removable footstool. Or Maybe one or two single comfy chairs to match the style and colour you have already. (Or opposite colours, style, depending on the look you want to create) One with a foot stool, will give you more space and choice.

Check to see if there is a fireplace in the chimney breast. Knock on it to hear if it is hollow then you can if you want that look you can make that a feature. If not you have a amazing tall feature wall for artwork.

With the lovely high ceilings you could put up high shelves or screw in hooks for trailing, dangling plants.

A very large tall plant at the window corner would balance the offset window placement. Use light coloured curtains, you could make/ buy one that just drapes to the left this will help the illusion of balancing that wall.

If you are not sure of your colour palette for the wall let. Paint it all white first. This will become your base layer colour anyway for other colours to look true. Essentially a blank canvas. Then you can start to experiment. If you paint a colour over the magnolia it will change the colour and will look muddy. It looks like (your red chair) that you like colour and on the white colour would look amazing.

Happy experimenting, have fun.
katja_t thanked christineacy
katja_t
Original Author
3 years ago
@Carolina thanks so much for the visual. It really helps bring to life how the space would work. I agree with taking the door off to free up the space.

@christineacy so many great suggestions, thank you. I love the idea of a window seat. You both mention the lack of symmetry in the room, which is what I've been struggling with. Fab idea to balance the window with a curtain to one side.

Talking of symmetry; do you mind that the sofa would be off centre compared to the chimney breast as per Carolina's suggestion? The sofa placement seems to be the toughest nut to crack.

My flat is rented so sadly I won't be able to make any structural changes. How do you feel about creating a fake fireplace surround? Too naff or a good anchor for the room?
Carolina
3 years ago
Ah, in that case I'd leave the chimney breast as it is. Wonder if you could use a removable wallpaper to make it into a feature. I've seen some really cool ones on Etsy.

And symmetry is overrated ;-)
Wumi
3 years ago
How about this? A faux fireplace surround butted up against the chimney breast.
katja_t thanked Wumi
Wumi
3 years ago
I'd be mindful of taking off doors in a rented flat due to fire risks. This could worsen your escape route in the case of a fire. A friend of mine bought a flat and replaced all the doors with fire-rated doors after the Hackitt review. Ask your landlord first!
christineacy
3 years ago
Hello, You are very welcome. I agree about symmetry. It is more about balance. Re: chimney breast, you can definitely fake it. And the sofa can be off center. (Our living room is L shaped. So our sofa is at an angle behind it is a mixture of plants and DVDs. It works and feels right for us.) If you move the sofa so it is at a definite angle you can see the door as well as all around the room and not have that looking out of the corner of your eye feeling if you have the sofa in the corner but experiment with the placement, move it, sit on it move it and sit on it... you will know when it feels right. Have Funnnn!
katja_t
Original Author
3 years ago
katja_t
Original Author
3 years ago
Hi all, thought I would share the latest movements... Taking the door off makes the space look so much bigger. @Wumi thanks so much for your suggestions. I'll get the door put back up opening the other way.

@christineacy you're right about just moving the furniture and seeing how it feels.

Has anyone ever had/used a bio-ethanol fire? That seems to be my only option if I wanted to recreate the fireplace vibe in a meaningful way...
Katie Duke
3 years ago
There's a review here of a bio-ethanol fire which you might find interesting https://blog.making-spaces.net/2019/10/01/our-bioethanol-fire-imaginfires/
katja_t
Original Author
3 years ago
@katieduke well, I’m sold! Thanks for sharing the review. Sounds like a great alternative!
Su L
3 years ago
Hi, I think the suggestions of having the main sofa and living space at the larger end of the room is the best idea, and having bookcases/storage and single chairs around the narrower corner. Comments about taking the door off re fire risks or re-hanging are valid, but with re-hanging the light switch is blocked. Your landlord might be happy with the re-hanging and moving the switch so it is accessible as long as you pay! A bioethenol fire is a good option, I don't think there's a fire risk but check your local regulations.
annavall
3 years ago
This looks much better now you have moved things around a bit! My only added suggestion would be not to have the sofa pushed right up to the wall next to it, it will flow better if you leave a gap for a small table and/or lamp in that corner :)
molly519
3 years ago
Consider an electric fire and fireplace as an alternative to bio-ethanol. My daughter has a bio-ethanol fire in her rented flat. The fuel isn't cheap to buy and you have to order it and store it. It does give off sufficient heat. However, I have chosen electric. You can have the flame effect on with or without heat. You can put it against any wall and take it with you when you leave. Wayfair have a good selection. https://www.wayfair.co.uk/diy-plumbing/pdp/suncrest-milan-electric-fire-scru1053.html I'd personally shunt the sofa up out of the corner and agree it isn't about symmetry but balance. Your music and books in the alcove with a nice contrasting comfy chair too.

SOS - how to create a focal point on awkward shaped living room?

Suzanne

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