Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Which formation (of furniture) is best? PICS included.

89 replies

loungechange · 30/01/2026 12:26

Posting here for traffic.

I am deciding whether to rearrange my lounge furniture and would love some opinions.

At the moment, our sofa is in the middle of the room, facing away from the dining area. it makes the lounge area rather small. I am thinking of getting rid of the fireplace (it's only an electric fire), and moving the sofa over to face the other way, which really opens up the floor space.

Will add before pics, and after pics. In the after pics, please consider that the sofa could be pushed farther back once the fireplace and TV were moved. The TV would go where you see the black box on the floor (amp).

TIA for any opinions! DH will probably have a fit when he gets home. 😂

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Thread gallery
18
Davros · 31/01/2026 20:57

loungechange · 31/01/2026 19:47

Where do you mean?

Show quote history

I mean in the gap between the seating area and the dining area. Ours are lovely, often left open but very cosy and attractive when closed.

Original poster
loungechange · 31/01/2026 20:49

Pic

Which formation (of furniture) is best? PICS included.
OP posts:
Original poster
loungechange · 31/01/2026 20:47

Latest dilemma!! Do I replace these bathroom floor tiles with this laminate? I have enough boxes left over from another job.

OP posts:
Talkingfrog · 31/01/2026 20:01

loungechange · 30/01/2026 13:47

Was looking at DFS last night and have to say, the sofa's were all RANK! SCS not much better. Where do people buy sofa's these days?

I lije the one shown as more, especially if you are happy to get a smaller sofa.

We got a new sofa recently, and it came from a firm called sofa sofa. Fortunately for us, we are in South Wales, and their showroom is about 25 minutes away, so we could go and try some out before ordering. The previous sofa came from them too, and lasted over 15 years.

Family have had sofas from john lewis before.

AngelpoiseLabel · 31/01/2026 19:51

loungechange · 31/01/2026 19:47

You must have had two entrance doors? We only have one, which limits options. 😂

Show quote history

😂 yes we have, one into the dining space.

Not a very useful room, without any doors …😂

Original poster
loungechange · 31/01/2026 19:47

Davros · 31/01/2026 19:43

Now get that curtain in the gap!

Where do you mean?

OP posts:
Original poster
loungechange · 31/01/2026 19:47

AngelpoiseLabel · 31/01/2026 19:30

We have this layout for our rooms.

Over the years we have:

  • had the sofa with the back to the dining table
  • bought a second sofa and placed them lengthways coming out from each side of the fire, putting a stool/coffee table between, great for conversation and didn’t have everyone sitting around the TV
  • had the door closed up and a long sofa/chaise across the whole wall, dining table removed, another sofa on the ‘dining room wall’ and an occasional arm chair in the bay, angled to face diagonally across to both sofas.

You must have had two entrance doors? We only have one, which limits options. 😂

OP posts:
Davros · 31/01/2026 19:43

Now get that curtain in the gap!

AngelpoiseLabel · 31/01/2026 19:30

We have this layout for our rooms.

Over the years we have:

  • had the sofa with the back to the dining table
  • bought a second sofa and placed them lengthways coming out from each side of the fire, putting a stool/coffee table between, great for conversation and didn’t have everyone sitting around the TV
  • had the door closed up and a long sofa/chaise across the whole wall, dining table removed, another sofa on the ‘dining room wall’ and an occasional arm chair in the bay, angled to face diagonally across to both sofas.
Original poster
loungechange · 31/01/2026 19:25

Chuffed to bits!!

OP posts:
SharpLimeDreamer · 31/01/2026 19:21

Lovely!

Original poster
loungechange · 31/01/2026 19:19

Over the moon. Thanks to all advice! Put sofa on back wall which a few suggested. Keeping the fireplace. Room looks much bigger!! Thank you!!

Which formation (of furniture) is best? PICS included.
Which formation (of furniture) is best? PICS included.
Which formation (of furniture) is best? PICS included.
OP posts:
Original poster
loungechange · 30/01/2026 16:14

Thanks everyone!! Am going to look at smaller sofas. We do need a dining table downstairs, because I work in that room during the day. It's a very small table though, and whilst it has 4 chairs, it wouldn't work well for eating your dinner at. It's more like an office space really. We've been very limited previously as to how to set the room up, because the TV had to be where it currently is, die to the wires going out to the satellite dish. However, we only stream now, so would have the freedom to move the TV. But options still somehow feel limited!

OP posts:
Alwaysontherun · 30/01/2026 15:43

loungechange · 30/01/2026 14:45

I'm going to keep it like the last photo for a few days, and see how it feels. Also, will look for new sofa. It's far too bulky imo. We needed it when the kids were here, but there's only the 2 of us now. And even though it's a 3 seater, in reality, even if people visit you'd never sit 3 people on there, because it would feel really cramped, and you can't really chat like that - everyone facing fowards!

I think this is your best solution for now and when it comes to changing your sofa try to find something more compact in design that fits the room better. Sofology, Harvey Norman, SCS and Furniture Village are all worth checking out. I have also got some furniture from Belliani which is an online retailer that i was impressed with the quality and they had some lovely sofas last time I looked. I would keep the fireplace as it provides a focal point within the room.

G5000 · 30/01/2026 15:28

first, do you need 2 dining rooms, can't you make the one next to kitchen nicer for Xmas dinners?

Another idea - we also rarely use our dining table, only for dinner parties. So I have an extendable one that is normally just pushed under the window, out of the way. Gives us much more space for everyday living. Could that be an option?

bilbodog · 30/01/2026 15:24

Your last photo looks great! Dont get rid of the fireplace - it makes the room! And i wouldnt have a smaller sofa either!

Silvers11 · 30/01/2026 15:19

Your 'more' is better than option 2 - but I think option 1 would be best, with maybe a curtain, as someone suggested to separate the two parts of the room

Turtlerunner · 30/01/2026 15:02

At the risk of adding another option...can you knock out the dividing wall to make a larger lounge/diner & just have a table that isnt permanently filling the space? Would the overall space then give extra options for furniture positioning?

Bruisername · 30/01/2026 14:48

After makes it feel like it’s set up to watch people eat

i think smaller sofa where you now have it and remove the door - do you need the door?

I'm also confused why you need the dining area upstairs if you have a dining room downstairs? Is it just because you have mega big christmases?

moderndilemma · 30/01/2026 14:46

Which seats do you and dh actually sit in? Do you watch TV together? Both on the sofa? One on the sofa and one in the chair? In completely different rooms? Grin

Your current layout looks fine. The second option is bad. The chairs are all in a line and it looks like an old folks home. Sorry. There is no option for conversation, just for watching the screen (or the dining table). The natural placing of furiniture is so you can converse, or around a focal point - a view or a TV.

The 3rd option looks good, with a smaller sofa. And you could get another small, one person chair too? All with a view of the telly, all able to have a conversation with each other.

Original poster
loungechange · 30/01/2026 14:45

I'm going to keep it like the last photo for a few days, and see how it feels. Also, will look for new sofa. It's far too bulky imo. We needed it when the kids were here, but there's only the 2 of us now. And even though it's a 3 seater, in reality, even if people visit you'd never sit 3 people on there, because it would feel really cramped, and you can't really chat like that - everyone facing fowards!

OP posts:
Johntaylorschin · 30/01/2026 14:41

Well I’m definitely going to be in the minority here, I hate the before with the sofa blocking the open plan but probably because my house has a similar layout 😂.

I have an open plan lounge dining area and don’t find it distracting at all.

JustBec · 30/01/2026 14:18

I would do the following:
Keep the fire. (Cosy focal point)
Move the TV to the other side of the fireplace.
Move the sofa to sit across the bay window.
Put the armchair on the door side of the room.
It would be more open and spacious without losig the sense of two rooms and having to look into the dining room.

Davros · 30/01/2026 14:17

Do you need that door given theres a huge opening between the rooms? Sorry if I’m being dumb and you do. The latest set up looks good apart from the door. I also agree with a curtain in the big opening, I’ve done that with two large openings and it works really well

FindingMeno · 30/01/2026 14:17

Before.
Looking on the dining area would drive me nuts.
I don't think it's the living area that needs a rejig, it's the dining area.

Swipe left for the next trending thread