{"id":3859,"date":"2022-05-11T16:53:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-11T20:53:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diywithchristine.com\/?p=3859"},"modified":"2024-03-16T12:20:44","modified_gmt":"2024-03-16T16:20:44","slug":"how-to-arrange-awkward-living-room-layout-with-corner-fireplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diywithchristine.com\/how-to-arrange-awkward-living-room-layout-with-corner-fireplace\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Arrange An Awkward & Small Living Room With A Corner Fireplace"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do you have an awkward and small living room with a corner fireplace and can’t figure out how to arrange your furniture? I had the same problem with our living room. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, look no further because I have your answer!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To arrange furniture in a small living room with a corner fireplace, put the TV on or next to the fireplace. Place the couch across from the TV. Place smaller chairs perpendicular to the sofa so that the furniture makes the room feel rectangular.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that we’ve got the basics out of the way, let’s break into the details a little further so you can have the optimal furniture arrangement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s dive in!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quick Navigation: How We Arranged Our Small Living Room With A Corner Fireplace & TV<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  1. Determine The Rectangular Layout Of The Room<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Choose Where The TV Will Go<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Find The Longest Wall\/Area Where A Couch Can Fit That\u2019s Across From The TV<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Place Any Other Seating In The Room<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Place Small Side Tables, Coffee Tables, & Other Flat Surface Furniture<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Live In The Room For 1-2 Weeks Before Continuing<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Add A Large Rug, Curtains, & Lamps<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. Add Wall Art & Additional Decorations<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. Other FAQs About Staging A Small Living Room With A Corner Fireplace<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  10. Final Thoughts<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Step One: Determine The Rectangular Layout Of The Room<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The first step to arranging furniture in an awkward and small living room with a corner fireplace is to determine the rectangular layout of the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The best-laid-out rooms often are laid out in a rectangular shape. If you haven’t noticed this before, then I recommend you start paying attention to the rooms you enter and see how the furniture is often arranged in a rectangle!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This is because a rectangular furniture arrangement makes it more conducive for conversation amongst guests and for all seats to be able to view the TV or focal point of the room.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
    \"\"
    With a rectangular room, there are endless furniture arrangement opportunities.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For a room with a corner fireplace, the fireplace no longer makes the room rectangular in shape. So we will have to achieve this shape with the furniture arrangement around the corner fireplace.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
    \"\"
    A corner fireplace eats up a lot of real estate in a room, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still have a functional and beautiful furniture arrangement.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Now that we’ve got an understanding of the general layout we want to achieve, let’s start adding pieces of furniture to our small living room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Step Two: Choose Where The TV Will Go<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The next step to arranging furniture in an awkward and small living room with a corner fireplace is to choose where the TV goes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Since the TV is likely the focal point of your living room, you want to plan this out first. Then the rest of the furniture can be arranged around it.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And since you have a corner fireplace, you also want this to be the focal point of the room. So there are two places that are best for TVs to go in a living room with a corner fireplace:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. Above the fireplace mantel<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. On the wall next to the corner fireplace<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n
      \n
      \"\"
      Here’s an overhead view of the two TV placement options in a small living room with a corner fireplace.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Option One: Hanging The TV Above The Corner Fireplace Mantel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      The first option is to hang the TV over the corner fireplace mantel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      There are a few pros and cons to hanging the TV over the corner fireplace:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Pros Of TV Over Fireplace<\/th>Cons Of Tv Over Fireplace<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
      Extra seating can be added next to the fireplace<\/td>Might have to crane your neck upwards to watch TV<\/td><\/tr>
      TV and fireplace are the same focal point of the room<\/td>Harder to decorate the mantel<\/td><\/tr>
      If your living room is an open concept with another room, multiple rooms can see the TV easier (especially with a swiveling TV mount)<\/td>Cord management is more difficult<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
      This table demonstrates the pros and cons of hanging a TV over a corner fireplace.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      <\/p>\n\n\n

      \n
      \"\"
      Hanging the TV over the corner fireplace is best if your room is open concept and you’d want to be able to see the TV from the adjacent room as well.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

      This is the option we chose because our living room is EXTRA tiny. So we needed that extra space to the side of the fireplace for extra seating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Plus, with the way our kitchen island is set up, it was better for our layout to have the TV in the corner of the room.<\/p>\n\n\n

      \n
      \"\"
      We have an extra chair that we can pull off the wall when guests are over watching TV.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
      \n
      \"\"
      We can easily see the TV from the kitchen, dining room, and my office area because the TV is at an angle to the room.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

      If you also choose to put the TV above the fireplace, then you will need this swivel TV mount found at Amazon<\/a>. With this mount, you can easily pull the TV out for better viewing from the couch and push it back against the angled fireplace when you\u2019re not using it.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      You can choose to mount the TV now or wait until the rest of the furniture is in place.<\/p>\n\n\n

      \n
      \"\"
      This swiveling TV mount<\/a> makes it much nicer to watch TV off our corner fireplace.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Option Two: Placing The TV On The Wall Next To The Corner Fireplace<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      The second option is to place the TV on\/in front of the wall next to the corner fireplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      There are a few pros and cons to hanging the TV over the corner fireplace:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Pros Of TV Next To Fireplace<\/th>Cons Of Tv Next To Fireplace<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
      TV can be at a better viewing height (don’t have to strain your neck upwards)<\/td>The TV and fireplace are now taking up two large areas of the room (potentially less seating available for extra small living rooms)<\/td><\/tr>
      Easier to decorate the mantel<\/td>If your room is open-concept, it might prevent other rooms from being able to see the TV<\/td><\/tr>
      Can have extra storage under the TV (within an entertainment stand or built-in storage)<\/td><\/td><\/tr>
      Cord management is easier<\/td><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
      This table demonstrates the pros and cons of hanging a TV over a corner fireplace.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      <\/p>\n\n\n

      \n
      \"\"
      If you have enough space next to the corner fireplace and you don’t need extra seating there, you can choose to put the TV on the wall next to the fireplace.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

      If you choose to put the TV on the wall next to the fireplace, you can either mount it or put it on an entertainment stand. If it\u2019s on an entertainment stand, then put that piece of furniture in place first before you continue to decorate.<\/p>\n\n\n

      \n
      \"\"
      In one of our rentals, we had enough space against the wall to put a giant entertainment stand and the TV next to the corner fireplace.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

      Pro Tip:<\/strong> TVs should be 2\/3rds the width of the entertainment stand they’re sitting on. 2\/3rds is the optimal proportion that is most pleasing to our eyes and feels the most balanced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Step Three: Find The Longest Wall\/Area Where A Couch Can Fit That\u2019s Across From The TV<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      The next step to arranging furniture in an awkward and small living room with a corner fireplace is to locate the longest wall or area across from the TV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      It’s best to place a couch directly across from the TV for the best viewing experience by the most amount of people.<\/p>\n\n\n

      \n
      \"\"
      This is the best area a couch\/sectional can fit across from a TV mounted on a corner fireplace.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
      \n
      \"\"
      This is the best area a couch\/sectional can fit across from a TV mounted on the wall next to a corner fireplace.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      In our living room, we don’t have any walls to push the couch against. There is minimal space because of the kitchen island on one side and an exterior door that swings into the room on the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      So there was only one side of the room that a couch could easily fit and still face the fireplace and TV.<\/p>\n\n\n

      \n
      \"\"
      This is what the largest space across our corner fireplace looked like before we put a couch in.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
      \n
      \"\"
      This is what the largest space across our corner fireplace looks like with a couch put in.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Now that you’ve located that wall\/area, there are a few rules of thumb you want to follow while choosing a couch size and placing it in your small living room:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      1. Choose and place the couch in the room before placing any additional furniture (even the rug).<\/strong> The couch is the biggest, most important piece of furniture, so you want to make sure it gets the room it needs and deserves.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. Place the couch in the center of the chosen wall\/area<\/strong> and ensure there’s enough room on each side to comfortably fit a side table on either side of the couch. (Side tables are roughly 16-22 inches wide, so plan for a side table width plus 2 inches on either side of the couch and find a couch that fits your space accordingly.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. Try to keep the couch within 10-15 feet from the TV<\/strong> (otherwise it\u2019s hard to see). If you have the space, that might mean you need to pull the couch off the wall to get it closer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        For us, we have this awkward closet wall that juts out into the living room. We used to have the couch pushed into that corner to make it seem like the room was bigger, but it actually made it look smaller.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Plus, the TV was harder to see. Since we\u2019ve pulled the couch off of the wall and moved it closer to the TV, the room actually appears larger and TV watching is more enjoyable.<\/p>\n\n\n

        \n
        \"\"
        Our old couch was way too big for our small space.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
        \n
        \"\"
        The smaller couch being pulled off the wall makes the room feel so much larger.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

        <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Pro Tip: <\/strong>The size of your couch matters the most when you are arranging furniture in an awkward\/small living room. If the furniture is too large for the space (i.e. you can\u2019t put side tables or space around it) then the entire room will look tiny and awkward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        We had to downsize our couch for our smaller living room and I\u2019m so happy we did because it made our room look 10x larger without us losing too much extra seating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Now that you’ve got the couch size and placement figured out, let’s place the remainder of the seating in your small living room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Step Four: Place Any Other Seating In The Room<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        The next step to arranging furniture in an awkward and small living room with a corner fireplace is to place additional seating in the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Again, I recommend skipping the rug, curtains, and other smaller decorative items for now so you can solely focus on the furniture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Depending on the amount of space you have, there are a couple of areas you’ll want to add more seating (while keeping the rectangular layout in mind):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        1. The wall(s)\/area(s) perpendicular to the main couch<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        2. In the corner next to the fireplace<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n
          \n
          \"\"
          Depending on your room and furniture size, you have a few places you can see if extra seating will fit.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

          <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Option One: Place Additional Seating Perpendicular To The Main Couch<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          The first option is to place extra seating perpendicular to the main couch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          If you have enough space, then having two couches or a sectional couch and a couple of single chairs arranged in a rectangle is the best layout.<\/p>\n\n\n

          \n
          \"\"
          The more rectangular in shape the chair and TV layout are, the more functional your living room will be.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

          This layout provides ample seating, a convenient conversation environment, and an easy viewing experience of the TV and corner fireplace.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          This layout also works whether the TV is mounted over the fireplace OR on the wall next to the fireplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          However, if your living room is extra small and awkwardly shaped like ours, then the next option will probably be better for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Option Two: Place Additional Seating In The Corner Next To The Corner Fireplace<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          The second option is to place additional seating in the corner next to the corner fireplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          This option only works if the TV is mounted over the fireplace.<\/p>\n\n\n

          \n
          \"\"
          If we had more space between the living room and the island, I would have added a loveseat there to get more seating.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

          Placing the seating in the corner next to the fireplace helps with the conversation flow, but it’s not the greatest position for watching the TV.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          While this is slightly annoying, it does give us extra seating opportunities when we need it AND optimizes our tiny space when we do not need it.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          You can pull out the chair and face it toward the TV when guests are over and push it back against the wall when nobody is using it. (That is what we do.)<\/p>\n\n\n

          \n
          \"\"
          With the door being on one side and the kitchen island on the other, we could not fit as many seats into the room. If you have a wider room or if you have a window instead of a door, I recommend putting another couch in front of it to help create that rectangular layout.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

          Pro Tip: <\/strong>If your living room is so small and awkward, it’s difficult to add extra seating (such as ours), then you can use small poufs or ottomans that double up as decorations, extra seating, an extra tabletop, and\/or a footrest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          They can easily be pushed up against a wall when not in use and pulled back out when you need more seating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Once you’ve figured out the placements and sizes of your additional seating, I recommend placing these pieces of furniture into the room before continuing to add the next pieces of furniture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Step Five: Place Small Side Tables, Coffee Tables, & Other Flat Surface Furniture<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

          The next step to arranging furniture in an awkward and small living room with a corner fireplace is to bring in the flat-surfaced pieces of furniture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          When deciding what tables you need in your living room, the general rule of thumb is to place a flat surface next to each sitting area if possible.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Some examples of ideal places for flat surfaces are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n