Q and A with Christine – Awkward Living Room Layout with a corner fireplace

 

 

How to place your furniture in an awkward living room layout with a corner fireplace

 

I got a great question from Desha over at a workshop that I did recently live online on How to Decorate like a Pro – the 3 insider secret that will show you how to work with color, fabrics, and more…

 

It was a great question and I had to share it.

 

As I am sure a lot of you might be experiencing the same design dilemma with a wonky fireplace placement too many windows and too many openings in the room.

 

 

This is what Desha is struggling with:

 

“My problem is layout in my living room. Lots of windows, two large openings in the room (pocket doors) and awkward focal point (fireplace).”

 

Unfortunately these are structural element in your home that you can’t change without paying a hefty price for it.

 

 

But fear not there is always a solution for any design problem!

 

 

Without seeing Desha’s actual space – I am going to assume the following:

 

– That she has a corner fireplace (awkward)
– She doesn’t have enough wall space in her living room (too many windows and two large pocket doors)

 

 

 

Here are my 5 tips on how to place your furniture in an awkward living room layout with a corner fireplace

 

Let’s start with the awkward corner fireplace placement:

 

What seems to be the most obvious focal point, the fireplace,  should sometimes be ignored especially if it’s in a wonky placement like in a corner!

 

So, my number one tip is to…

 

1.  Ignore the fireplace

   Source: The Nester

 

2. Choose a different focal point instead and arrange your seating around this new focal point or  eye candy

Source: Two Ellie

 

3. A new focal point could be a window instead – you can create a vignette of in front of a window

 

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

 

Source: DesignSponge

 

4. Or it could be one of the openings that is in your home as long as the opening leads to something interesting at the end of it.

 

   Source: Erin Williams on Design

 

                      Source: Lonny.com

 

Source: Houzz

In Desha’s case since she has pocket doors, she can create a focal point with the pocket doors.

For example, treating the pocket door as a blank canvas and paint something fun on it like the image below.

Source: Unknown

 

If you absolutely don’t want to ignore the fireplace and still want to emphasize it in your living room…

 

Here are some furniture layout with awkward corner fireplace that you can try out in your living room:

 

 

Source: Fred gonsowski

 

Those are my 5 tips on how to place your furniture in an awkward living room layout with a corner fireplace.    Let me know what you think, and leave me a comment in the comment section.

 

If you were wondering about the workshop that I mentioned earlier – How do decorate like a pro – learn the 3 insider secret on how to work with color, fabrics, and more…

 

You can sign  up here and get instant access to the workshop!

 

 

Happy Decorating!

 

 

P.S. – If you have a design dilemma that is tripping you up with your home decor leave me a comment in the comment section and I will answer it in my Q and A with Christine column

 

P.P.S – I can’t believe it’s been two months since Yuri and I moved to London ( will be posting a photo diary soon of our stay here).

 

P.P.P.S – Soon I will be setting up shop to start my interior design practice here in London, specifically in West London –  Kensington, Chelsea, Knightsbridge, South Kensington, Notting Hill, Chiswick, and Fulham area!

If you know anyone that needs design help that lives in these areas let me know!