Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read
How To Design A Perfect Seating Area At Home
The arrangement of a seating area defines and governs how a room is used. Research has shown that the U-shaped seating arrangement is a favorite among many homeowners.
Whether you are attempting to arrange chairs in your family room or creating a tiny seating area on your front porch, numerous strategies help create the right and perfect area for your space. Here are a few you should consider.
Angling chairs can create an easy pathway in a living room
1- Make Pathways
Creating paths around a seating area is one of the quickest and easiest methods to help define it. This entails creating a passage to and from the seated area and a barrier between it and the remainder of the space.
This can work well in large, long and narrow rooms: split the room by usage and provide enough space on at least two sides to move between the seated area and the next portion. If you have enough capacity to set up two seated places, one on each side of the room, make sure you can freely move between them.
A unique chair, like this peacock chair, can spark a conversation
2- Inspire Discussions and Conversation
The objective within the seated area is to inquire and generate dialogue. Couches should be placed across from one another rather than perpendicular. Even if facing the sofa across the coffee table, chairs should be slightly angled toward one another.
Position the chairs so there is enough space to walk around them- do not pile them on top of one another but near that those seated at opposing ends can still communicate without raising their voices. Likewise, choosing a coffee table that blends in with the seating arrangement can help anchor the positioning and provide a functional surface for various uses.
An ottoman creates moveable seating and can be a table too
3- Movable Seating Can Be Considered
Consider providing more movable seats if your space is large enough to allow it. This includes incorporating benches, ottomans, and backless couches into the room's design. As a tip, place ottomans in front of a couch or using a backless couch to clock off the seating area from the rest of the room.
Chairs in a bedroom define a space for reading
4- Define Each Seating Area
Seating alone is not always enough to define an area, especially if you have various locations in the same space. Use accents and fabrics to further delineate each seating area in this situation.
See how I squeezed in a vintage chair into my guest bedroom as a vanity or reading nook in our short video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:
Consider putting separate carpets beneath each seating area for the best effects. Consider modifying the color palettes slightly by using complementing throw pillows in different hues.
Modern chairs balance out a modern dining table
5- Seats and Tables Should Be Balanced
Many individuals who use a chat area bring beverages, food, glasses, brochures and other small objects with them. Give them a place to put these items while keeping the style of the room in balance with ample table space for the chairs.
This entails ensuring that everyone sitting on the fixed permanent furniture has adequate space nearby to lay items on a table, so keep this in mind. If employing a sofa, include a coffee table and at least one end table for every one to two seats to accommodate your guests comfortably.
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Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is a regular contributor and editor for Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.
This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links. All opinions and ideas expressed in this post, however, are based on my personal point of view.