You’ve just moved into your beautiful new build home and are starting to gather ideas to transform your new space, and add some style and personality. However, you may be wondering what the best layout for your rooms might be. Rooms come in all shapes and sizes, rectangular, square, open plan, and sometimes with tricky or awkward corners which is why careful planning is essential to make the most of your space.
To help you navigate these different room shapes and sizes, we’ve teamed up with family friendly interior designers, The Living House, to share their top interior tips for rooms of all shapes and sizes.
Instagram giveaway: We're currently running an Instagram giveaway with The Living House to give one lucky follower The Living House's Layout Fix. Head over to our Instagram account before Sunday 26th October to enter!
How would you style different living room shapes?
Rectangular and narrow living rooms
Rectangular living rooms are one of the most common room shapes we design for our customers, as they can be tricky to get right. They can be long and narrow, with awkward door or window placements that make the layout a challenge, so these rooms need thoughtful planning. The good news is there are plenty of tips and tricks you can use to trick the eye, open up the space, and make it feel bigger.
Move your sofa away from the walls
You might be thinking, “But the room is narrow, won’t this make it feel smaller?” Actually, it has the opposite effect. Lining all the furniture up against the walls only highlights the narrowness of the room and can make it feel like a doctor’s waiting room, definitely not the cosy atmosphere you want for your living room. By moving the furniture away from the walls and bringing it more into the centre, you create a sociable seating arrangement that feels welcoming and balanced.
Use the width of the room
In long rectangular living rooms, it’s important to make the most of the room’s width and break up the long lines. This helps create the feeling of expanded space, almost as if you’re pushing the walls outward. One way to achieve this is by placing a sofa across the width of the room. You could also add a console table with a lamp behind the sofa to layer the lighting, depending on how much space you have available. If there’s plenty of room behind the sofa and console table in your long rectangular living room, you could create a cosy seating area with a couple of armchairs and a round rug to further anchor and define the area.
Mix up the furniture shapes
In a rectangular living room, everything can feel a bit rigid with sharp lines, so it’s important to find ways to soften the space and draw attention away from the rectangles, such as your sofa and TV. Use circular furniture like a round coffee table or footstool, we especially love a round storage footstool, which can be multi-functional as a coffee table, a place to put your feet up, storage, or even an extra seat when guests are over! You could also add a round mirror, a side table, and curved armchairs to create a softer, more inviting look and feel.
L-shaped
An L-shaped room can have awkward corners, but the shape also naturally creates zones within the space. Depending on the size of your L-shaped room, you can often split it into two or three distinct areas. Because of this, the layout needs careful planning to make the most of the room and maintain a smooth flow.
Sofa and armchair ideas for your L-shaped room
Corner sofas work particularly well in L-shaped rooms, as they follow the shape of the space. Similarly, as with long rectangular rooms, placing a sofa across the width of the room can help divide the space and create defined zones.
Seating options like a swivel armchair are a great choice, allowing you to feel part of different zones as you turn the chair, whether that’s to watch TV, enjoy the garden view, or create a more sociable atmosphere.
Use rugs to zone areas in your L-shaped room
Rugs are one of our favourite ways to zone L-shaped rooms. Make sure the rug is large enough to fit under the front two feet of the sofa, otherwise, you’ll end up with a small, “floating” rug in the middle of the room, which can draw the eye inward and make the space feel smaller.
Layer up the lighting
Lighting can make or break a space, and it’s especially important in L-shaped rooms, which often have darker corners. Layering floor lamps and table lamps creates pockets of light, helping the room feel cosy and inviting.
Open plan rooms
A large open plan space often combining kitchen, living, and dining areas, is usually at the top of people’s wish lists when house hunting, and it’s the type of room we design most frequently. When planning your open plan room, it’s important to keep the space cohesive and flowing, while still creating clear defined zones. As with any room, we always recommend finalising the layout for your open plan space before purchasing any furniture. Because these spaces are multi-functional and have different zones, knowing the layout first helps you choose the right furniture, sizes, and arrangement to ensure the room flows and feels balanced.
Use the same flooring throughout your open plan room
For open plan rooms, we always recommend using the same flooring throughout. Different floorings can divide areas and interrupt the open feel—it’s like adding an invisible wall! Keeping the same flooring across the space makes it feel larger and ensures a seamless flow from one area to the next.
Use lighting to define areas
Lighting is also key for zoning in an open plan room. Use ceiling pendant lights above the kitchen island or breakfast bar, and a ceiling light over the dining table to create an inviting atmosphere. Don’t forget floor lamps and table lamps for the evenings, when you want to relax and make the space feel warm and cosy.
Ask the interior designer
In your experience, what are the easiest and most difficult shaped rooms to style?
A square room can be one of the easiest room shapes to design, as it’s often more symmetrical. This makes it ideal for creating a sociable seating arrangement, especially in a living room, as there’s usually more space to bring furniture like sofas and armchairs forward for a cosy setting.
When it comes to more challenging room shapes, it’s not just the shape that matters, window and door placement can also make the furniture layout tricky. Rectangular rooms, in particular, are often more difficult, as they can be long and narrow. With some careful planning and a few helpful tips and tricks, it can be possible to create a layout that feels both functional and beautiful.
What advice would you give to those struggling to envision their final space? Are there any steps to make decorating your space easier?
Always begin with the layout when designing and decorating your room. In our design process, we start by exploring different layout options that not only work with the shape of the room but also meet the needs and functions of the space. If this feels daunting, our service The Layout Fix can guide you through the process and take away the guesswork.
A mood board is also key. This can be as simple as collecting paint samples, wallpapers, fabrics, flooring, and other materials to see how the colours and patterns work together. Always order samples before committing to avoid any costly mistakes!
What are some easy ways to make a small and compact space appear larger?
Use the height. In small and compact spaces, don’t just focus on the floor space as you also have the height of the room to work with. Using vertical pieces, such as a tall bookcase, draws the eye upward and makes the room feel taller and more spacious.
Using a large rug can also help. Even if your room is on the smaller side, a large rug can make the space feel wider and more expansive. Choose furniture with legs whenever possible. When selecting a sofa or bed for a small space, avoid blocky feet and opt for tapered legs. This allows you to see underneath the furniture, creating the illusion of more space.
Struggling to figure out the layout in your new build home? Maybe you’d love some expert, affordable guidance to help you move forward with confidence - knowing your layout will actually work for you.
That’s why we created The Layout Fix. This service takes the stress out of planning your space. We’ll help you optimise furniture placement, create functional and beautiful zones, and give you the confidence to make your dream home a reality. Get in touch with The Living House today to find out more.