The living room is a group space where families gather to relax, so you want your layout to function toward your specific needs. Whether for watching TV, reading a book, or just talking to each other, you should have control over your living room's orientation. The way you place furniture in the living room has a big impact on its functionality as well as the mood of the room.
Setting Up Furniture for a Conversational Focus
If your family primary uses the living room to converse and entertain, it makes sense to arrange the furniture, so that everyone is able to face each other. You can accomplish this by having seating pieces such as a couch and chairs surrounding a coffee table. This makes it easy to reach drinks, snacks, or anything else you need while enjoying conversation with friends and family.
Focus on the Television
Perhaps you use this room most to watch TV, sporting events, or movies. In that case, you should make the TV the focus of the room. You will want to put the largest piece of furniture several feet behind the TV for easy viewing. Chairs can go at an angle on the left and right sides of the sofa for the same reason. You can also place a coffee table between the seating arrangements and the TV, but make sure you aren't placing anything that would obstruct the view.
Including a Dining Room Table
Some living rooms are designed with additional walk-out space that are large enough to place a dining room table and chairs. If you have this space, consider a rectangular layout with all of your furniture. The dining room set should be far enough away from the sofa, chairs, coffee table, and TV to give the impression that each part of the room serves a different function.