Buying a sofa is a big investment — daunting if you don’t have a designer with an inspiration board at hand and all the textiles beautifully coordinated. Don’t lose heart. If you can pick the color, you’re almost there. But even that’s a challenge. My recommendation is to go with something that doesn’t leave you boxed in.
1) Novogratz Vintage Tufted Sofa | 2) Faux Weathered Leather Sofa | 3) AVE SIX Pacific Vinyl Loveseat | 4) Baxton Studio Mid-Century Masterpieces Sofa | 5) Classic Modern Velvet large Love Seat Sofa | 6) Classic Leather Chesterfield Style Sofa | 7) Coaster Home Furnishings Sofa Bed | 8) DHP Premium Sofa Bed | 9) Divano Roma Furniture Love Seat Sofa | 10) Dorel Living Marley Sofa | 11) Homelegance 8579DB-3 Upholstered Sofa | 12) Homelegance 9734BK-3 Upholstered Sofa | 13) Homelegance Cornelia Rolled Arm Sofa | 14) Merax 55-74″ Multicolor Home Furniture Sofa | 15) Mid Century Grey Linen Fabric Sofa | 16) Novogratz Vintage Tufted Sofa | 17) Signature Design by Ashley Darcy Sofa | 18) Simmons Harper Umber Sofa | 19) Signature Design by Ashley 2710337 Basil Sofa | 20) Signature Sleep Leather Sofa |
Whether you’re furnishing a new home or replacing worn out furniture, you need living room furniture that fits your home and your style. This buying guide will help you find your style and create a plan for the pieces you’ll need to create the perfect living room.
Find Your Decor Style
Most people know what they like and what they don’t like. Between those two extremes, there are plenty of living room furniture choices. If you have no idea where to start, look in your closet and see what colors you choose to wear. If you’d never leave the house without your designer handbag, consider the chic elegance of contemporary living room furniture.
Measure the Room and Sketch It on Paper
When you add an area rug to your living room, you anchor the furniture and define the room’s space. Choose an area rug large enough to have at least the front feet of the major pieces of furniture on the rug.
You don’t need an area rug in a carpeted room, but adding one on top of the carpet can visually pull all the furniture together. Contrast the rug and furniture; buy a neutral rug for the room with a patterned fabric sofa, and vice versa.
Create Your Seating Area
Once you’ve placed the sofa, position your loveseat and chairs near it to create a conversation area, usually at ninety degrees to the sofa; if the room is on the small side, you may want to just have chairs instead of a loveseat. If the chairs have low backs that won’t block the view to your focal point, place them across from the sofa.
Don’t be afraid to have this whole arrangement in the middle of a room. Pushing all the furniture up against the walls may make the room seem bigger, but a cozy feeling is more comfortable, and you’ll be able to hear the conversation with people sitting on other chairs in the room.
Add Accent Furniture
Place a tea table in the living room. If you’re including an entertainment center in the room, center it across from the sofa for optimal viewing. Bookshelves work against walls, or, if you have two, they may work on either side of your entertainment center to create a whole wall of furniture. Remember to keep everything balanced: For every heavy or tall piece of furniture, there should be another one across from it.
Complete the Room with Style
Don’t forget to consider your finishing touches as you choose your furniture pieces. Good furniture is just the beginning to a beautiful room.
Decorate blank walls with art. Remember to leave about six inches between the top of the couch and the bottom of the frame, and keep art at eye level. Check out our art buying guide for tips on choosing art that suits the room.
Good lighting will show off your new living room furniture. Include ceiling light fixtures to give the room a glow, small lights to spotlight art, and lamps on accent tables to give the room depth.
When you add an area rug to your living room, you anchor the furniture and define the room’s space. Choose an area rug large enough to have at least the front feet of the major pieces of furniture on the rug.
You don’t need an area rug in a carpeted room, but adding one on top of the carpet can visually pull all the furniture together. Contrast the rug and furniture; buy a neutral rug for the room with a patterned fabric sofa, and vice versa.
