I'm just wrapping up a long-distance project with a client in New Jersey, and I thought I would share a few of the challenges of the project with you. (Or as we used to say in my life as an Arts Administrator, "opportunities").
The big issue: this living room is twice as long as it is wide, literally 12 x 25. To add to the intrigue, there is a 5-foot-wide entrance on one side (where those circles are indicating the columns), which is OFF CENTER from everything. The opposiet wall has a centered fireplace, flanked by exposed TALL radiators, flanked by a pair of double french doors. See all the opportunities? Because the husband is a gamer, the TV was an important component of the layout, and without mounting the TV above the frieplace ( a look I hate anyway), it wasn't possible to center a seating arrangement on the fireplace.
I gave them three options:
Option one offers a little sitting area when you enter the room, with a pair of comfy chairs, a side table fro drinks, a pair of wall sconces for light, and a tall bookcase. The TV area has a pair of small-scale loveseats with low arms and a pair of X-benches in front of the french doors, to offer seating while leaving the unused doors at least visually open. A pretty, leggy desk backs the loveseat in the center, and the chair at the desk can be positioned to be a part of either seating area.
Option 2 puts a long built in bench along the wall where the pair of chairs was, with storage underneath and upholstered cushions on top. A round library table and two upholstered dining chairs complete the area. The room is divided by a wide low daybed to keep the feeling open, and a full size couch ground the far end of the room. Fewer, bigger pieces fill the space.
Option 3 expands the TV area to take up 2/3 of the room, using a full size couch and a pair of armchairs, with a coffee table and ottoman breaking up the large rug. An additional occasional chair could sit in front of the french doors. The second area is a pretty office space, with a big desk, upholstered chair, and tall bookcase, with a tree in the corner to bring the outside in.
I know floor plans aren't super sexy, but nailing the space planning was such a huge part of this job, I thought I'd throw it out there to the world.
I'm curious: what would you have done? Would one of these layouts work for you? I'll tell you what they picked, and share design boards, tomorrow.
Great flow charts! very informative! Thanks for sharing this with me!@
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