New furniture arrangements can accommodate guests
Even the tiniest living room can possess personality and panache. Make peace with the size of your room and know that you can realistically only entertain six people at a time.
Once you have conquered this fact, you are free to create the most charming and comfortable living room possible to welcome guests and give you daily pleasure.
First, get rid of any inappropriately sized piece of furniture. It hurts to either give away or sell at a greatly reduced price a good piece you still like. However, if it is too large for your space, it will limit the possibilities and cause nothing but trouble. Recently, I gave away a perfectly fine leather recliner because it was too large for my space. Thankfully, we have various means of selling furniture online these days that can make the process relatively easy.
Alternatively, you can tax a tax deduction by donating gently used items to a variety of charities. Do it now!
Next, be willing to examine some out-of-the-box ideas for furniture arrangements. You do not have to have everything match. The right size of sofa or love seat will become the anchor of the room.
Next look for small, but very comfortable arm or lounge chairs. You might even pull in the host chairs from a dining room or foyer area.
In our example photo, a larger group could see this homeowner moving the settee on wheels from the entry into the living area for a party and sliding the lounge chairs against the mirrored wall opposite the window. Whatever arrangement satisfies your particular needs for a specific event is acceptable. Flexibility will allow you to conjure up short-term arrangements to accommodate more guests.
If you do not have extra upholstered items that would make another layout possible, then invest in quality folding or stacking chairs. As long as the seating delivers comfort, your guests won't mind.
Check out websites such as Ballard Designs, Wayfair and Hayneedle for ideas. You can always rent this type of auxiliary seating from a local party rental store, too. Just make sure you use matching chairs.
There are no written rules that dictate that everything in a living room must match. Rather, think of the design of your space in terms of a friendly arrangement of pieces. Each must blend with the anchor pieces. Woods do not have to match, but use common sense when pairing wood legs with the color of wood flooring and other wood case goods (cabinets, tables, and storage pieces). Fabrics might be in the same color range, such as blues, blue-greens and greens or tans, off whites and grays. Toss in a spicy accent color in small quantities in accessories or accent pillows, artwork and area rugs.
Smaller spaces benefit greatly by using dual-purpose furnishings. There are cocktail tables that lift open to reveal storage compartments that incorporate a mechanical lift to change the table from coffee table height to dining height.
Casters on chairs or tables enable you to rearrange the layout speedily and with ease. Media cabinets can close off and also hide your computer workstation. End tables and cocktail tables could also offer slim slide out storage compartments where you can stash mail, photos and magazines.
Think of the tiny living room just like a boat owner thinks of the super function of each square inch on their vessel.
Address lighting needs as another way to free up a room in unusual ways. For the non-homeowner you can increase function without worrying about making permanent investments by purchasing torchere-style floor lamps that can brighten up any room. If part of the function of your living room is as a reading area, make sure you have good task lights that are adjustable for reading as well as TV watching or entertaining.
• Christine Brun is a San Diego-based interior designer and the author of "Small Space Living." Send questions and comments to her by email at christinebrun@sbcglobal.net.
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