Okay! Here is the final tally on the poll I posted the other day…
…and here’s the inspiration photo I put together in Photoshop again:
I’m happy to report Kevin’s fully on board with the two sofa layout now, too!
A few commenters mentioned that they thought we should pull the sofas in and away from the wall a bit, and I absolutely loved that idea, so I pulled our existing sofa in about 10″ this morning.
(Excuse the still-need-to-be-reupholstered dining chairs! I got them at a flea market several months ago, and their down-filled cushions are ridiculously comfortable, but I see ticking stripes in their future!)
Some other folks mentioned that they would position the second sofa so that it faces the fireplace (instead of using the two armchairs where we’ve got them), but we’ve had a chair-a-half in the spot before, and we didn’t like how it cut off the room, or always seeing the back of it from the front door, kitchen and dining room.
Others mentioned they thought we should put the TV above the fireplace, but we’re really excited to tuck it inside of a built-in on the left side of the fireplace- as shown in my inspiration photo. We even moved it over there this morning, just to see exactly what it would look like once we have it mounted on an arm that extends and pivots out from the inside of the built-in. Here’s the view of it from just behind Kevin’s recliner:
…and here’s the view from my chair:
We like it on the left side of the fireplace because when we tried it on the right side, we could see a glare from all the windows that way. (All the windows are on the left side of the room, which is the front side of our house.) We couldn’t see any of the windows reflecting when we put the TV on the left side of the fireplace. I also like that it won’t be the first thing you see when you walk through the front door, if the doors on the built-in are open at the time.
That last photo also reminds me to mention that I’d love to use a couple of upholstered ottomans in front of our existing sofa. I like the idea of having two soft things there to contrast with the one (hard) coffee table in front of the second sofa.
Someone also mentioned that they thought it would be hard to look at the TV if it was close to a window, but we plan to add a roman shade and drapes to that window it’s next to, so we’ll be able close it off if need be.
Over on the other side of the room, here’s a photo that shows exactly where the second sofa will eventually sit…
…and here’s a view of the TV from the left end of it:
We like the idea of using the coffee table in front of it so that if Sweet P wants to sit on a smaller armchair or bean bag closer to the TV, he can do that.
And speaking of the coffee table- it needs a bit of a makeover. It’s a little on the high side right now, so I’m going to cut about 6 inches off each leg and add small casters so that we can push it around wherever we need to use it. The top has seen better days too, so I think I’ll sand that back and re-stain/seal it. I was thinking of going lighter with it, but if we go with sisal-colored carpet squares (which is what we’re leaning towards), it might need to stay darker so that there’s some contrast between the two.
Someone also mentioned they thought it would be hard to watch TV from our current sofa, but it’s literally as deep as a twin bed, and because of the shape of the arms, the sides of it are almost like having a padded headboard you can lean back against. I pulled the pillows off of it for these next two photos so you could see how deep it is and how great it’ll be for stretching out towards the fireplace or TV:
The seat cushion (and pillows) are also down-filled, so it’s super comfy, and we plan to use an identical one on the other side of the room. (They’re made by Cisco Brothers, and we got ours from the friendly folks at Atchison Home.)
Last but not least, here’s a straight-on shot of the living room looking back at the kitchen and dining room areas:
It’s been fun pulling things together in here over the past couple of years, and it’ll probably be a couple more before we can check the living room off our list, but I’m excited to at least have a plan now. As for the kitchen, we’re starting the island makeover next week, and I’m so excited to blog about that as we go, too! 😀
PS- Want to learn how to create your own inspiration photos using Photoshop or Photoshop Elements? Check out my Room Makeover Training Class over at ShootFlyShoot.com for more info!
LOVE your new sofa, love that arched window above fireplace (hope that stays!), and that furry poof!!! I have been wanting a peek at your living space for so long…our great room is set up the same….so thanks girl for awesome inspiration 🙂 ~ Kim
Thank you, Kim! They actually sent us home with it about a year ago, but after sitting on our previous sofa for 9 years, it does still feel pretty new to us! 🙂
I missed the poll, but I love the two sofas flanking the fireplace. I have two sofas in my great room so that when the entire family is here, there’s plenty of seating.
I also like the idea of the TV tucked away to the left of the fireplace. I may be alone in my opinion, but I hate to see a TV above the fireplace. It takes away from the architectural details.
You are not alone in that sentiment. I don’t care for TVs over the fireplace, either.
My neither. Can’t see how it can be at all comfortable to watch at that height. Not to mention it totally ruins the mantle for decorating. Priorities! 🙂
Love the 2 sofas….I just did that very floor plan for a client although the TV was over the mantel. It’s like having 2 beds in your LR:)
Your home is so beautiful! You can really see the high impact of those bright, white cabinets in this post!
Oh I would love the opportunity to take that class. I desperately need it!
I have such a difficult time envisioning how things will look. This would help tremendously!!!
You make things seem so easy in the way you decorate. I complicate it all and end up frustrated most of the time or second guessing myself.
Love the natural light in your home!
I love it! Your home is so cozy. I love where you put your tv and agree with everyone else about the tv over the fireplace.
Can I ask about your lovely dining table? It’s gorgeous.
I love what you are doing in there. It is great. Do you mind if I ask how wide your room is? I have similar set up, might like to rearrange. Thank you so much!
Love it all! It looks so friendly and warm. I have one question though, I love white sofas too, and we are in the market to buy a new one. But, my husband does not think a white sofa will be kid friendly. 😉 We have been married and living without kids a while, and are hoping to start a family this year, so I don’t know what a good solution would be? Do you have slip covers for yours?
Hi Molly!
Our sofa’s slipcovers are actually more of a drop cloth color/texture, but I love white slipcovers sofas too because you can pull everything off and bleach it! 🙂
I am glad that you are going with the 2 sofas and that Kevin isn’t mad at us for voting for them! 🙂 We have a really deep couch that is like a twin bed with the cushions off, and we always watch movies with the cushions off at a similar angle, and we bring down our pillows from bed too. Also I can’t handle TV’s over fireplaces, its just not meant to be, it makes the TV the focal point of the room!
I love the setup up that you guys are going for. We recently decided to go with the same setup as well. It just makes SO much sense. We are however putting the t.v. over the fireplace. Anyways, I was wondering if you could share a source/brand of Kevin’s recliner. I really like the look. Thanks!
Thanks, Rosalind!
I just posted a link to his recliner below Raylan’s comment. That’ll take you straight to it! 🙂
My mother’s TV sits next to a window & we don’t have any trouble with glare, except on really bight sunshiny days, then we close the drapes.
I’m not sure but aren’t sisal rugs kind of rough? If so, you may want to reconsider putting one down in the living room, Sweet P will be playing on that floor while wearing shorts in the summer, you don’t want him to scratch up his legs on the rug.
Can’t wait to hear he’s in his forever home, praying for all of you, thanks for sharing the journey. Have a blessed day, Laura
Hi Laura!
We’re actually hoping to use sisal-look carpet squares from Flor. They’re soft and washable/exchangeable! 😀
I absolutely love the look of a fireplace anchoring two sofas like this. I think I would pull them in even closer and leave room to walk behind with only enough room in front of them for a coffee table. But then again, I think your arrangement is pretty awesome too!
Don’t you just love re-arranging furniture?
Lovely! I love the idea of the built-ins beside the fireplace – so nice to be able to tuck the TV inside when you’re not using it. And I think the two sofas will be perfect.
My coffee table is also high, our layout is similar and our table is centered under a chandelier. I wanted the table higher than normal originally to keep our dog out of things. But when we had kids (now 6 & 7), I added a couple of old wooden child chairs around it and put an old china bowl filled with crayons on the table. To this day, it is the seat of choice for both my kids to color, read, watch a cartoon, play with a handful of Legos or eat a bowl of popcorn while watching a movie. And my couch still looks brand new after 14 years because of it. I did refinish my coffee table about 3 years before we had kids and it was beautiful. But my son racing cars on it and toys being played with on it have left a lot of scratches, dents and dings. In hindsight, something distressed would have been a smarter choice until the kids are old enough to appreciate it.
Hi Roberta!
I had thought about using a small chair up against our coffee table for Sweet P, too. You’ve got me re-thinking my decision about chopping off the legs. I’m also thinking of going with a lighter finish on the top now too. I hadn’t thought about how scratches would probably show up more on the darker wood. Thank you for your input! 😀
Does anyone know what the paint color is on the walls?
I do! 😉
It’s Gray Owl cut by 50%. You can read my post about it here:
https://theletteredcottage.net/how-to-lighten-or-darken-paint/
I love this setup! This is what I was envisioning when we built our house, and had cabinets doors made in our built ins too. We couldn’t see the TV though from the other side of the sectional and I eventually took off the doors and put other stuff there and moved the TV upstairs. Now that you mentioned the pivoting arm on the TV, I feel a little silly that I hadn’t thought of that before.
Here’s our front room with it off-
http://thestarbuckfamily.blogspot.com/2014/04/spring-has-arrived-at-our-houseor-at.html
I may have to revisit the TV idea though-I am one to have it hid behind doors too.=) and those couches….LOVE!
I was wondering where your kitchen table came from too-it is exactly what I was looking for-I love the big chunky lines of it!
Good luck with your little sweet pea-I love checking on all your updates with him-you two will be amazing parents!
Oh my goodness, what a beautiful room you have, Monae!! Thank you so much for linking to it here. I loved each and every photo! And thank you for the sweet wishes regarding our Sweet P. We can’t wait to go meet him (hopefully) later this summer!
I LOVE your kitchen table! Can you tell me where you bought it?
Hi Bonnie!
The folks at Atchison Home sent us home with that baby, too. They picked it up on a buying trip in Belgium. It’s almost 100 years old, and we sure do love it! 🙂
Can you give some info on Kevin’s recliner? It’s so hard to find a recliner that doesn’t look like it’s from the 80’s….or a nursing home. Love the sleek lines, fabric and color of yours!
Hi Raylan!
It’s from Restoration Hardware and it’s called the Lowell Recliner. Ours is covered in Vintage Velvet in the Charcoal color. We got it during a great sale, and I just noticed they’re priced $300 lower than normal this week, too:
http://www.restorationhardware.com/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod2470126&categoryId=cat2390335
Would checking in on the class on the 16th be of any value if I don’t own Photoshop yet? Love your plans. Very inspiring!
Sure, Sharon! That way you can see if it’s something you want to invest in or not. 🙂
I think any thing you do is going to look amazing in this room. I love the idea of two couches just because I like to be able to sprawl out and if my husband and I had to share one couch we’d be fighting for space.
I did want to ask what paint color is in this room? I tried to find it but am failing miserably…it’s very fresh and clean and bright.
Thank you, Michelle!
It’s called Gray Owl and it’s cut by 50%. I actually just linked to a post about it in a comment under Emily’s name, so you can click through that if you’d like to read more about it! 🙂
Oh thank you so much…I think this would be a great color for my husbands office.
I like the idea of the second couch facing the fireplace and putting a sofa table behind it with a lamp, photos, etc
Hi Lori,
We used to have a chair-and-a-half sitting in that position and we didn’t like the way it cut off the room…or seeing the back of it all the time. There’s not enough room to put a table behind it, because of how close it is to the dining table, so we’re going to keep that space open with the two armchairs instead. 🙂
I love white couches. My 2 are now 10 years old and it’s time for something new I went with a tan, persimmon leather couch. I figured it would be easier to clean with a growing family. If you are ever in SF or LA, you need to visit HD Buttercup. I love that store. I love the window over the fireplace, beauty.
We ar e moving into a smaller place. Do you have any recommendations for creative storage for small spaces?
If you want small-space genius solutions, check out Carmella’s blog at assortmentblog.com. Her family of five lives in a 665 square foot cottage. And it’s beautiful!
I may have missed it but did you ever post where the grey tufted chair came from? I love that style and it looks roomy. Also, my tv is in front of a window, not as bright as yours, but I don’t get glare.
Hi Colleen!
It’s a Pottery Barn chair. Here’s a link to a previous post about it: https://theletteredcottage.net/wood-wall-reveal/ 🙂
It’s coming together so nicely! I love the idea of 2 sofas facing each other and pulling them in nice and cozy. Will make great conversation the obvious goal of the space. 🙂 what is the wall color in that lovely sitting area?? Please do share!
Cheers!!
Whoops! Saw you addressed this to an earlier comment. Yay! 🙂
love, love, love the two sofas. i was concerned that the tv wouldn’t be high enough where you show it being placed, but this is just inspiration and i love the way you are going with it.
looking forward to seeing how it all comes together! i just love your designs and trust that it will be perfect for you!
Yeah, no worries on the height- we’ll make sure it clears that sofa arm! 🙂
Layla- this is beautiful! Can you tell me where you got your farmhouse table? We are getting a new kitchen table and there is a local artisan in MT that makes them but I am not decided yet. Thanks for your post, I am always in awe of how you change a space. -Harmony
Looks awesome! We have our TV oriented the exact same way. I like how it makes the TV not take center stage in the room but you can see it from all angles.
Your room looks lovely and I’m not trying to be a troublemaker, but that tv looks too dangerous for a room with a toddler. They pull themselves up on things and it looks like it could come crashing down on your little one.
Oh, no worries about that Julie! Like I mentioned in my posts, the TV will be mounted on a heavy duty arm that will be secured to the wall studs inside the built-in. 🙂
Hi Layla!
I have been a big fan of your blog and love the work you and your husband do! I love anything to do with interior design and I am fortunate to have a husband that can build many if my inspirations. I enjoyed meeting you at the Chapel Hill Market and continue to be inspired by the work you and your husband do! I have to say I love the two sofas facing each other and your design looks great! I am excited to see the classes being offered in Photoshop! I definitely will be signing up.
I love your sofa! Especially one long cushion..heavenly! I want to know where you got your kitchen table…I really like the finish and the chunkiness of it. I have a design question: we just put in beautiful hickory medium dark wood floors, several people have told me I need rugs to define spaces. I just spent a lot of money getting rid of my carpet and getting the gorgeous wood…Do I need rugs?
Layla,
I LOVE this!! So happy I saw it via IG!! That chair is DEFINITELY to die for. I also love this because we have a really similar layout in our living room, although I don’t think ours is quite as big, but I’m always trying to figure out furniture placement. It’s actually set up a lot like the photo of yours before you moved the TV to the corner. Now to decide on a new sofa (or sectional!?) Love seeing your house come together!! 🙂
<3
Courtney
Thank you, Courtney! Space planning is my FAVORITE, so I’ve been having fun dreaming/playing around with all kinds of possibilities! 😀
I just saw that the ceiling fan from Ballard Designs is on sale. Time to shop?
I love all of this, the chairs, the sofas, the soft/hard things in front of the sofas, the peek into that lovely kitchen.
It’s a great relief to find a blog that reflects my own taste so thoroughly.
And the pillows, love the pillows too, esp that graphic lettered one.
I might need to get creative and sew some new pillows this week….hmmmm.
I love how you have pulled this together and covered all the angles for the TV watching room:-).
I am loving the chair on the right in the last photo where did you get it?
Kim
I love the way this looks! It makes your room look very large! Would you mind sharing the size of the area you are placing the chairs and sofa’s in?
Hi Layla,
I’m very late to this conversation and I missed the poll. I love the way you use Photoshop to create a room plan and I so wish I could so I could share my vision with you. It’s different from everyone else’s here but perhaps you have an open mind…here it goes.
2 chairs by the fireplace make for a cozy evening and lap snuggles when it’s chilly outside. A sofa facing the window wall gives everyone a view. Put a borderless tv on the window wall too and you can play picture slideshows of your little one (and other family pics) for all your friends and family at gatherings. Makes for some great conversations and memory making. Or leave a nature shot screen saver on and it looks like part of the scene out the window. The couch facing the TV directly allows for all family members to snuggle for morning cartoons or Friday night movies – great for bonding.
The chairs by the fireplace allow for you to face people gathered in the kitchen rather than having your backs to them. It would also allow room for some floor poufs pulled up to the end of the coffee table(end close to the kitchen) and open up some floor space for toys/dancing/twister.
Just a perspective I thought I would share. That being said – you have a truly wonderful way of pulling things together and I’m sure no matter which way you go it will look fantastic 🙂
Hi! I’m new to your blog and really like the where/how you’re placing the TV. I’m not a fan of them over the fireplace as it feels like I’m craning my neck to view it in most spaces!
Can you share where your husband’s recliner is from? I LOVE that it looks not like a giant overstuffed monstrosity. 🙂
Oops! I see you answered that in a previous comment. Thanks!
I think you should not change the position of TV, especially NOT above the fireplace. It spoils the aesthetic beauty of fireplace. Let it be in the left side. BTW, loved the sofa; they look comfortable 🙂
Oh my gosh! Please reply to this! I have this exact set up in our living room and I have a coffee table dilema. Our fireplace and TV are switched from yours (TV in center and fireplace off to right instead of left). We have 2 pottery barn grand (those huge ones) sofas and two grand arm chairs. One couch in on a wall with a window, and behind the other is open to the kitchen. My problem is that this room is HUGE, and I have 8 feet between the two sofas. Which is why I can put 2 PB grand arm chairs there with a walkway between them. I want to build a huge coffee table (6ft x 4ft to go between the two sofas. But I’m not sure. What do you think? Please give me some of your amazing advice!
Shannon ~ bohemianjunktion.com
where did you get your light fixture over your table? Love it!
I love it ALL! I like the idea for the television where you can have it hidden! And the two sofas against the walls definitely makes the room seem more open. I can see where the room would be separated if the sofa was in front of the fireplace. You would have to walk around instead of just strolling in =)
Hi Layla…first I would like to say that I am totally in love with your KITCHEN!!!!!! Hubby and I have been trying to come up with something that we can live with, yet if we decide to sell much later on, then it will still be appropriate for selling. This hit it for us! We love the color combination and just the whole look of it. Unfortunately we don’t have the walls for the chalkboard paint, however, I do not like stainless steel appliance (just my preference) and we are considering changing them to chalk paint. It will definitely make a statement in there and I won’t see all the fingerprints anymore~!
OK…so your living room is coming along beautifully as well. We actually bought our home just a year ago and I painted all the main rooms (living room, kitchen, dining room and 2 large hallways, a light grey color. I was going for something similar to yours. WELL after I realized hubby didn’t like it, I changed up the way I was heading. Still a bit modern like yours with kind of a country twist. Hard to explain but it is coming along nicely. ONE QUESTION? I may have missed this somewhere in your post but where did you purchase your living room sofas? They are absolutely gorgeous!! Thanks and I look forward to seeing the
finished product!
Two sofas are really better than one. They made your living room appear spacious enough without it looking overly designed. The print of the sofas and pillows matched your carpet, too. I must say, it’s an elegant living room. You gave me a very good idea. Thanks!
Hey- I started to rearrange my room the other day and then I came across this and it’s so cute. And it’s the same proportions/layout as my house. But can you tell me how wide and long the living dining space is? I’m trying to get a feel if I can pull this off before moving the furniture. Thanks!- Emily
Hi Emily!
The living room/dining room are 17′ wide. I’ll have to check on the length!