In the 21st century, convenience and comfort have become the subject of a separate science - ergonomics. Now the shape and arrangement of the things we use are studied and compared to deduce the ideal proportions of furniture and the best layouts of buildings and rooms. You can take advantage of the works of scientific thought: we offer you an article on how best to arrange a sofa in different interiors. It depends not only on the purpose of the room, but also on its shape, size, your goals and, of course, on the configuration of the furniture.
Imitation of columns
This method is very convenient in any type of room, but we recommend saving it for the living room - after all, this is an important room that is used for receiving guests. This method will perfectly save space, because these structures do not take up much space, but they delimit the room very clearly. In the photo below you can see examples of this zoning.
Read: Wall in the living room - 100 photos of beautiful walls for the living room
Rules for calculating area
The area that one sofa will occupy is determined taking into account the free distance on each side of the sofa. This is approximately 0.5-0.8 meters. Suppose you need to place a sofa in the living room that is 3 meters long and 1 meter wide. It will occupy the following area:
S=(Sofa length+2K)*(Sofa width+2K), where K is additional space,
that is, S=(3+2*0.5)*(1+2*0.5).
Total: such a sofa will occupy 8 square meters in the living room. meters.
The same calculation applies to chairs. The exception is a beanbag chair, which can “roam” around the room. If this is a roll-out sofa with a drawer, then to calculate the additional distance along the length, take the width of this drawer: when you decide to pull it out, you will need space.
Important! If the furniture will be placed against the wall, then for the width we take not 2K, but simply K - there will be no indentation from the wall.
The second point is TV. According to the rules, the minimum distance from the sofa to the TV is three times the width of the screen. Measured by the formula:
S=TV diagonal*2.54*3
where 2.54 is the coefficient for converting inches to cm.
If the diagonal is 46 inches, then the sofa should be at least 3.5 meters away from it (46 * 2.54 * 3). The maximum distance is equal to five times the screen width: 46 * 2.54 * 5, a total of 5.8 meters. That is, when planning, you need to take into account this connection between the soft zone and the TV zone.
Try to avoid having all the furniture facing the TV.
It is important not to forget about illumination: the total area of windows should be at least 20% of the living room area. That is, in a hall of 30 square meters. meters there should be a window of 6 square meters. meters - these are 3 or 4 standard windows or 2 large ones.
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS
The first thing you need to do after buying a sofa is to evaluate the dimensions of the furniture in the room (of course, if it already exists). It is recommended to arrange all items the first time. Unnecessary rearrangements are always bad: they take time and effort, and when moving products, you can damage not only the floor covering, but also the furniture itself.
There are at least two ways to correctly arrange pieces of furniture. The first of them involves reflecting the planned rearrangement on paper. To do this, you need to determine the dimensions of all objects and transfer them to the required scale on a sheet, having previously marked the boundaries of the room on it. You can also cut out scale models of furniture from cardboard. Then it will be convenient to try different layout options.
Zoning the living room - more popular techniques
There are several most popular ways of zoning a living room that may come in handy.
Furniture as a way of zoning space
This is one of the most affordable and popular methods, zoning a living room of 20 square meters. m. in this case combines several important functions. A comfortable and large sofa for guests during the day, but in the evening it’s a comfortable and cozy bed.
Zoning using mobile walls and partitions
This technique is suitable if you need to separate a small corner for the bedroom from the living room. Today, mobile structures are produced specifically for such purposes, and they simply unfold and fold, forming or removing a wall at the right time. Buy such walls made of plexiglass or glass, as well as plastic.
Also included in this category are small wall-islands, the length of which is about two meters (maybe a little less or more). And on one side of such a wall you can put a stand with a TV, and on the other - a shelving unit or cabinet (that is, any wall-mounted structure). With the help of such an island, the zoning of the living room will be clear.
Openwork partitions
Such designs are more of a decorative element, but, nevertheless, with their help you can clearly delineate spatial boundaries. Openwork partitions are made of plastic and metal, wood and other materials.
Choosing a seat for a sofa by function
When deciding where the sofa will be in the room, think about what tasks it will solve. In short, what do you need this piece of furniture for?
- If groups of friends and relatives often gather in the living room, the “soft group” (sofa and armchairs) will be the main part and occupy the main space. Usually it is grouped around a compositional center: a TV, a fireplace, a table.
- The living room in a modern apartment can serve as a bedroom for guests or for the owners. If people will often sleep here, place the bed so that it can be folded out comfortably and the sleeper will feel comfortable.
- In the case when the “king of the living room” is not the main, but additional furniture (for example, in the kitchen and bedroom), it is placed so that it does not clutter up the space and does not interfere with the passage to other areas. Typically this location is corner or along the far wall.
- If you want to zone a large room with furniture, a sofa is one of the proven ways to define a relaxation area. And you need to place it where it will be comfortable to relax: the area should not be located close to the entrance and should not be a passageway.
Some sofas leave a lot of room for changing the space: they can be rearranged in different ways. We are talking about modular and island models. If you think that your life may change dramatically in a couple of years - for example, moving from a noisy bachelor life to a more measured family life - take a closer look at the modules. With them you can easily turn a room for noisy gatherings into a cozy place for two.
Philosophical approach. How does Feng Shui recommend placing a sofa?
The subtleties of furniture arrangement are dealt with not only by design and ergonomics, but also by more exotic sciences. For example, the eastern teaching of Feng Shui recommends its own rules in order to rid the house of negative energy and make it more attractive to guests. Feng Shui will tell you how to position the sofa correctly.
From the point of view of Feng Shui, the “king of the living room” should be located along one of the walls, but so that its back is not turned towards the window or door. Otherwise, as adherents of the doctrine believe, the furniture will interfere with the circulation of energy. Therefore, the best place is along one of the long walls of the room. Feng Shui also recommends choosing furniture with legs so that the flow of energy can flow freely along the floor.
The disadvantage of this approach is that Feng Shui does not take into account the shape of the room. By placing a sofa along a blank wall in a long narrow room, you risk visually stretching it out even more. And in studios and lofts, placing objects along the walls is not always a good idea; it can create empty space in the center.
Seven times measure cut once
So, the answers to the main questions have been found: you have approximately determined the dimensions of the future sofa, its shape and place in the room. Now it’s time to remember that you will have other furniture, and think about the relative position of the sofa relative to other interior items.
It is best to mark using a plan: on paper or in a special program. First, carefully draw a diagram, observing the dimensions and indicating windows, doors, heating radiators, and ventilation shafts. After that, try to draw the arrangement for all the furniture. The most convenient scale is 1:20.
Arrange the furniture so that it is convenient to approach it and that there is free space for opening closet doors and unfolding the bed. In this regard, a computer program is more convenient than pencil and paper, because everything in it can be moved with one mouse movement, and also shown in the form of a drawing and in the form of a 3D model.
It is not advisable to place the sofa close to the window opening, because it will cover the radiator and make it difficult to access the window for ventilation. Also make sure that it does not interfere with the opening of doors and balconies.
Drawing a plan is the best answer to the question of how to properly place a sofa: you will immediately understand what dimensions the model will suit you and whether it will be straight or angular. If you find it difficult to arrange furniture yourself, contact a designer for help.
Choosing the method of placing a sofa according to the type of room
The selection of upholstered furniture according to the parameters of the living room, kitchen and bedroom is based on the laws of logic and ergonomics. Items should be placed in such a way as to leave passages clear and so that guests can comfortably approach each one. Here are some recommendations from interior designers that they most often follow in their work.
- For medium-sized rooms, square or elongated, a position “in the corner” or “along the wall” is suitable.
- If the room has many niches and has a complex shape, install a modular sofa along the wall: it can be easily adjusted to the shape of the walls and harmonize extra corners.
- The shape of a very narrow room can be softened by placing U-shaped upholstered furniture “at the end”.
- In a small room, the “king of the living room” will inevitably stand in the corner. The most compact option is a small rectangular one, with 2-3 seats. But if it is corner, this will increase the number of seats for guests.
- Island models look great in a very spacious room or open space (studio, loft, hall). But furniture placed in corners or along walls should be avoided so as not to create a feeling of emptiness.
The sofa can be placed not only in the living room, but also in the kitchen, bedroom, and nursery. For them, the general recommendations are approximately the same, but we will talk about the differences below.
Of course, when choosing, you need to be guided not only by the shape of the room. No less important is the functionality of this upholstered furniture and its role in your interior. And the features of the room can usually be adjusted in other ways: selection of cabinet furniture, arrangement of interior items, choice of finishing materials, lighting. Harmonization of space is important, but the sofa must first of all fulfill its direct function - be comfortable for sitting or sleeping. Therefore, before purchasing it, answer the most important question for yourself.
Options for placing a sofa in the interior
There are several traditional room layouts with upholstered furniture that are suitable for different types of rooms.
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Island option
Island sofas in the interior: features, types, how to choose Read more >
A large sofa, which can be approached from any side, harmonizes a large space well. It can be round, rectangular or angular; transformable or not, the layout will be approximately the same.
Sofa in the middle of the room: main advantages and zoning features Read more >
In front of the soft “island” is the center of the living room (TV, table). On the sides it can be complemented by poufs and armchairs. The entire “soft group” should be arranged so that the seated people can communicate comfortably. And behind the backrest there is a space for active leisure or another functional area: a dining room, an office.
An island sofa is at home in large living rooms and works well in layouts with a lot of windows: it organizes the space without cluttering it or leaving an unpleasant void in the center.
Corner option
The most popular location of the sofa is at the junction of two walls. A coffee table is usually placed in front of it, and a TV is opposite.
Working in pairs
Two sofas in the interior: advantages, features and placement methods Read more >
In Russia, furnishing with two sofas is not very common, because this option is popular in Asia, and trends come to us mainly from Europe. Nevertheless, this is a good option for living rooms. Usually two copies are placed opposite each other or at an angle. They should match well in style.
We place the sofa from a design point of view
If your house is decorated in a classic style, the arrangement of furniture in it should be symmetrical: this is one of the important principles of a traditional interior. Therefore, the place of the sofa in a classic living room is in the center of a soft group (chairs are placed on either side of it), and the entire set of furniture for relaxation is symmetrical relative to the walls.
If the principles of proportionality and your philosophical and design preferences point to the same place in the room, you're in luck. If not, then you will have to make a difficult choice between beauty and convenience. We advise you to give priority to functionality, because you are creating a space for living and relaxation, and its main task is to be comfortable.
Style decision
This option requires design skills. The method is to create your own style in each part of the room. For example, in an office or work area, focus on classic interior elements, and in the bedroom, emphasize more modern accents, abandoning the classics.
The transition from one zone to another can be made smooth and combined with other types of zoning: complemented with a color scheme, accent or screen.
Habit and innovation
In the living room, upholstered furniture is the highlight of the composition; it occupies a prominent place. The choice depends on how you use your living room most often and is limited by its size. If the living room is large, you can purchase a modular option for 10 or more seats and place it in the center of the room: it will be appropriate here. But in other rooms the sofa is crowded with other furniture, and he has to be content with little.
In the kitchen, a sofa is most often placed in the corner of the room (“soft corner”) or a small double one. Usually it occupies a corner or space along the wall, furthest from the stove, sink, or refrigerator. This creates a division of the room into a dining room (where the table and sofa are) and a work area (the place where food is stored and prepared).
In the bedroom, the main piece of furniture is the bed. She occupies a central place. The sofa is left with a corner or space along the wall. You can place it so that it divides the room into two parts: the “bedroom” (there is a bed there) and the “rest area”; this sofa layout is suitable for studios. If you plan to use the sofa in the bedroom instead of a bed, then you can try any other options for placing the sofa in the interior: corner, island, along the wall. It all depends on your preferences, shape and size of the room.
In a nursery, it is important to combine several zones: for active games, sleep, creativity, study and hobbies. That's why many parents buy a comfortable sofa instead of a children's bed: it allows the child to free up space in the room during the day. It is better to place the sofa where nothing interferes with sleep: away from the window and radiator, not next to the passage.
In the hall or corridor, sofas are placed either along the walls (if the space is not too wide) or in this way: this is suitable for large halls that need to be made more comfortable. In a small hallway, seating furniture can be located near the exit so that guests can conveniently take off or put on their shoes.
Whatever arrangement of the sofa you choose, remember: the main indicators of success are coziness and convenience. If the room is pleasant to be in, if it does not cause you rejection or irritation, then you have done a good job with the layout. If not, then you need to think about the problem and eliminate it. Remember: home is a place where you relax. Therefore, do not be afraid to admit your mistakes and correct them, on your own or with the help of a designer: your reward will be comfort and peace.
Candles on a gray background
To create a more intimate atmosphere in a spacious living room, a trendy dark gray color is perfect. It is neutral and beneficially dilutes the severity of the black shade.
Every detail has been thought out in the interior: the main accents of golden color (plaid, pillowcases, photo frames) look even more expressive due to the use of gray, and candles and metal candlesticks support the overall concept, adding a touch of luxury to the decor.
TV influence
The center of the sofa group is not the coffee table. Previously it was a fireplace, but now it is a TV. And he dictates his own rules for the arrangement of upholstered furniture. You need to maintain a distance of 2-3 meters between the viewer and the screen and make sure that you don’t have to keep your head turned all the time. It is also important that the TV is at eye level or slightly lower, otherwise you will have to lift your head and your neck will get tired. Place the TV on a wall perpendicular to the window - then the light from the window will not become another factor of irritation for the eyes.
