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I am struggling with finding balance in my living room. I have a leather sofa and on either side of it I have a chair. One is a large leather chair, the other is a fabric accent chair, smaller in size. I love the accent chair, but due to the difference in size the balance seems off. I would really love to find a way to make this work as the chair is not returnable.

You might add an ottoman to the smaller chair or place a substancial piece of furniture next to it such as a dresser turned side table. Another idea may be to place a tall potted plant or decorative floor screen behind the smaller chair.

Those are great ideas! One of the problems I'm dealing with is the fact that the room is a narrow rectangle. Not much room to put things beside the chair.

You seem to be a person who likes to live with Symmetry. Would a throw that is the color of the large chair look good on the back of the chair?
Would a large painting or framed picture look good on the wall behind the chair, with some color like the large chair in it? Suppose you have a brown larger chair, then the brown wood frame would balance that weight.

Would that type of idea work for you?

I like those ideas as well. I don't know if it's really about assymetry as much as balance. I will try to upolad some pictures later that may help show my dilemma.

Along w/ ideas mentioned, is it possible to elevate the chair a bit via new feet? Often, you can unscrew the existing feet and screw on new feet (found at home centers). This may not bring things into balance solely, but may help. Hanging a large piece of art behind the chair (as already suggested) or placing a pedestal w/ plant (and up light) may fill the triangular void while bringing more presence to this area as well.

So I tried to attach pictures but I can't seem to get them the right size, UGH!

Here is a link to the pictures of the room.
http://s705.photobucket.com/albums/ww55/tyjac/

Giselle, that looks like a lovely but small room with a ton of possibilities. Personally, if it were my room, however, I would probably remove at least 1/2 of the furniture. Don't know if you moved items from another home but you have multiple, large items in a small room.

Specifically, it appears like the large chair is blocking the aisle and the couch is blocking a great window or french doors (?). I'd work on my space planning and start by totally removing everything (and then replacing it, if appropriate) and/or moving the furniture around until I found the right configuration.

Don't know if this would work but I would try placing the low console (TV over it???) in the center of the wall with the globe and moving the loveseat in front of it but slightly behind that aisle. Then, if room, I'd try to set up another zone behind the loveseat with the small table and chair plus your other smaller chair.

Or, again if room, perhaps the small table plus its chair and another similar chair could be used as a game table - again in that back zone. The small chair or the large chair, plus ottoman, could possibly become a reading nook in one of the back corners with a floor lamp. Alternatively, if you don't want to have either a game area and/or a reading zone or it's too much for the space, you could simply locate 1 (only 1, IMHO) of the larger items, e.g. the hutch or armoire on the back wall.

I would remove many of the smaller items. In fact, to redesign it, I'd take everything off the walls, too. Not sure if you'd have room for the coffee table in the above example. Personally, I wouldn't place the coffee table in front of the loveseat if it blocks the aisle.

Another possibility, although an expensive one, would be to purchase furniture that fits the space. Don't know if the room's large enough to accommodate a small sectional, in order to set up dual focal points, e.g. to the console in the front of the room plus the garden or whatever view's out the window/french doors.

I realize that sitting behind the back of the loveseat might not be optimal but I have a feeling it's the best option, sans new pieces. In conclusion, if you worked on the space planning, I believe that would solve the chair dilemma and you'd find that less may be more.

Hope you don't mind hearing my 2 cents. It's all JMHO and yours is the only one that counts.

Best of luck -

ETA: Here's another possibility:

Assuming you have a TV over the console and the back wall's clear, you might eliminate the TV viewing (also assuming you have another viewing area) and go with a hutch on the front wall, balanced by the armoire on the back. In the middle, you could set up a game area and/or a reading zone to enjoy the view.

And another one: same as the previous but you might try the loveseat on the current console wall, facing the view, instead of a game/reading zone(s). Then you could place the coffee table in front of it and chair(s) to the right and/or left, if room and they don't block aisles. (I'd probably leave the side by the door clear, i.e. no chair.) Again, if room, you can place end/lamp tables on either side of the loveseat.

Tons of options with space planning, right? Hope some of that jibberish makes sense. It's all JMHO. Good luck with your room!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: AguaBella,

I agree with removing things off the walls, and all smaller pieces out of the room. This will give you back the room when you first started to fill it.

Then your small chair will stick out even further, because now it is the scale of the accessories, not the furniture. It is a beautiful chair, but very small scale for the size of the larger other pieces.

I would also put LESS back into the room, and using groupings is also better than lining things against the wall.

Question: Does that shelf unit have to be on that wall in the back of this part of the room? Could it be where the table and chair are in the corner? That table and chair is too crowded in the corner, looks staged and ot ready to go sit and use. Put that arrangement where the globe is perhaps. Then you will have the center of the wall to display all the art together as an arrangement.

What is on TV wall?

Next suggestion, a small area carpet to group the seating in front of the TV together as a separate part of that room perhaps.

Your wall color is nice, a pale green? Looks like the color in my house!

Your photo pasted here to view room:

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

Your picture posted here for ease of viewing.

I think after reviewing both photos that (as mentioned already) there might be too many functions going on in one room. Simplify the purpose of the room, then the answers will come easier as to what to keep in the room.

Right away, I can see that this side of the room works better than the other side, simpler defined space even though you are not happy with that one small chair, which has a print not reflected anywhere else in the room... like the ottoman.

I happen to like the coffee table, looks comfy for foot rest and neat with the tray on top. I love X legs on it as well.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

I agree that there's entirely too much furniture in the room. I don't know if you can relocate some pieces (the china cabinet and the smaller pieces) as it would open your space much more. In fact, removing the china cabinet (?) dining chair and end table plus globe, would free up valuable realestate for a larger piece like the tv console or armoire perhaps. I also feel that the window is lost and if possible should remain a focal point. I can understand if that's not doable in this tight space however. The printed chair in question is definitely out of place both in scale and style. That would be on my edit list. (Just my take.)

Play w/ furniture placement by removing all pieces and gradually introducing them into this space being sure to edit as your eye dictates. Keep traffic flow in mind, focal points, and room balance. BTW, another way to address the layout and the amount of furniture is via graph paper and paper furniture cut to scale. Then, play w/ the furniture in minature form to see what works and what doesn't. The worse thing you can do w/ a small space is overcrowd it w/ unnecessary pieces that create visual clutter and hinders the purposes and feel of this space.

NOTE: a glass topped coffee table vs. the bench type will create a more open feel.

Thanks for all the great ideas and suggestions! Unfortuantely moving the television to where the hutch is would not work for a few reasons. First there is not enough width room to place the sofa in the middle of the room facing it and to keep the sofa where it is and relocate the tv means you would be looking sideways to view it, which I hate. I agree there may be too much furniture in the space. Unfortunately the pictures can't accurately show the entire space. It appears as though the large leather chair is right up to the hutch which is not the case as there is plenty of walk room behind it.

Its a tough room to work with due to two door openings to decorate around as well as the narrowness of the room. Its funny I was worried the room was a little crowded but then watching HGTV and seeing some of the rooms designed by Candace Olson I'm amazed at how packed they are! Like the one picture here, but it works!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: giselle06,

Long narrow rooms are tough - no doubt about it. You have nice pieces and a lovely room, so the sky's the limit.

As others suggest, pull out any extras that you can and bring it back in piece by piece and play with it.

One question: I notice baseboards in the corners - do you have to have access for temperature control?

If you not, try placing the armoire on an angle in the corner instead of flat on the wall. It will soften the shape of the room. Place the leather chair where the small chair is and pull the round table forward to use between the couch and leather chair. Pulling things off the "flat" wall will reduce the long narrow look of the room.

Have fun with it and post back to show us what you've done!

quote:

If you not, try placing the armoire on an angle in the corner instead of flat on the wall. It will soften the shape of the room. Place the leather chair where the small chair is and pull the round table forward to use between the couch and leather chair. Pulling things off the "flat" wall will reduce the long narrow look of the room.

I will have to try that. I'm a little confused though. You said to place the leather chair where the small chair is, but also said to pull the round table forward to use with the leather chair and the couch??? I can't do that if I move the leather chair.

I just meant to try it with the large chair and couch as an end table. Or move it to the other corner (where the globe is). It is a little lost in the large corner.

giselle,
Your room has too much stuff, also means that the things do not coordinate, such as accessories lined up against the walls.

I think your room is well done except for that area behind the brown leather chair, that could be reworked.

I also like the sofa and all else where it is. Having lived up in the North East where a lot of the colonial homes up there have that narrow livingroom, and sometimes even more doorways too! I had a friend who had only one solid wall, all else was two french doors, wide, two wide openings a baby grand piano and a fireplace! The only spot for her sofa was in front of the windows! All other furniture had to float in the space. So, I can see where you worked with what you had!

Did you try removing the accessories yet? Or taking down the pictures on the the walls in the photo you posted? You may find that your solution is simpler than trying to shuffle things. Make the room's function simpler, try that first before moving the large objects (I know they are heavy and can scratch your floors when moving, so I am suggesting a simpler alternative.

Yes, Candace does fill her room (like Christopher Lowell) she fills every space, she also sells furniture! And the more she fits in the higher the job profits. Sort of like Ethan Allen & Norwalk furniture (along with her fireplace, stone, and custom cabinet installs are all phased together for her custom look.

This particular room also has more than 20' in any direction and can hold more people in it, thus more seating.
I have had parties with up to 50 people in my Virginia house, and it takes room to spread them out so they are comfortable. That photo of Candace's room will seat 10 comfortably and two extra stools by the fireplace.

Design happens first, so how many people you need to sit comfortably for a long time (more than a few minutes) and how to serve the function of the room for those people while they are in that room. I think you did this with the sofa and coffee table that doubles as a footrest. That shows you expect your company or yourselves to relax it that room, which is a good thing.

You are looking for the aesthetics that follow the function, after the room suits the function, then you aspire to make it pleasing to the eye.
Take out anything that does not contribute to the function of the room, and you will have simplified the arrangement and thus improved on the appearance of the room.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

Thanks Mary Ruth. I will try removing some things from the walls. What do you suggest for the hutch? I really have no other place for it.
Do you also feel the small chair should go?

turn the hutch the direction the other tall piece is (the wall to the right at the corner)
You will notice right away that free wall space behind the brown chair!

Then arrange all your art on that wall together as a grouping.

Then see how the small chair looks in the room. One step at a time will be easier.
You can place the round table (minus the chair) under the paintings. See how that looks.