Living room layout & design( with plans)

[Houseyhousey]

Can anyone help me decide on a living room layout and advise on sofa shape and size. It’s a new build due for completion in 3 months and I’m desperate to order a sofa but DH & I cant agree on layout and therefore what sofa to buy!
Room is 5.6x3.8m with double doors in the centre and window one end although no fireplace sadly! I’d like a more structured layout (plan 1) with 2 sofas facing one another plus armchair(s) but not sure where tv would work or if room is too small for this. DH is keen on something more relaxed and slouchy like a corner sofa (plan 2) but I don’t fancy looking at a chair back when you walk in! Any ideas or thoughts on either layout?

DH's preference plan 2

Option 2 looks much nicer to me. The formal one might end up too close to the doors & feel squashed.

What will you put in the space behind the sofa opposite the window?

Or what about Tv in the corner near window (too left in your picture) and the L shape sofa diagonally opposite it? So partly facing the double doors.

Neither, I'd have a sofa under the window (either normal or corner would work) and tv at the other end, opposite the sofa.

@parietal

Or what about Tv in the corner near window (too left in your picture) and the L shape sofa diagonally opposite it? So partly facing the double doors.

I think this is a good suggestion, either with a corner sofa or a normal sofa on that wall opposite the window. I would probably look at contemporary gas/electric fireplaces for where you've marked the TV on your plans - or something as a focal point - I would never have a TV as the focal point in a room.

Like this?

Or I could have my 2 sofas like this if tv is in the corner but agree about the lack of focal point and doesn't feel like enough seating when we have people over. DH not keen on adding a Fake fire to the wall and the long wall is a party wall so definitely no chimney options.

I like option 1 of those available. I have a deep dislike of corner sofas, I find them the domain of the selfish sitter and they are a lot of sofa for too few seats. I also prefer that all furniture does not point towards a tv, but I appreciate I am in a minority on this point.

I'd suggest using an online app or drawing to scale as your sofas look minuscule in relation to the size of the room and you'll be shocked if things don't fit.

Thanks all definitely leaning towards the 2 x 2 seater option as this can be worked in a variety of different layouts and we can always add an accent/armchair at a later date plus agree about the corner sofa seat higher and this is the main reason I don't want one! Still not quite figured the whole tv/lack of focal point as whilst I don't want tv to be the focal point, we do use it regularly and don't want to be moving furniture every night!

Off to find one of those drawing apps so thank you again...

We have a chaise end sofa rather than a corner sofa, and to be honest I wouldn't get one again. They're great for a young family that likes sitting together with feet up, but it feels awkward with visitors (and that's even with 2 armchairs as well).

I'd always favour 1 or 2 sofas plus 1 or 2 armchairs, depending on what your space allows for.

Oh we have just self built and have a very similar sitting room! After moving sofas around we currently have picture one layout and it’s not good for tv watching. Your necks hurt as we twist towards the tv every night.. we started with the third layout and there was too much room behind the sofas that it felt a waste of space. Am totally unless we buy a corner sofa which I also don’t really want for reasons outlined above

I’ve never understood 2 two-seaters facing each other with the TV on a perpendicular wall. This sofa arrangement only works if you want the room for chatting to people, or doing non-TV stuff together or alone. Impossible to watch TV. So why have a TV there at all?

You always see this layout in magazines or staged photos for new homes. I find it the height of pretension. “Oh, we’re not really a TV kind of family, it’s just there for the Queen’s speech”. Bollocks you’re not.

You furnish your house to best suit your lifestyle. If that means watching TV more then a couple of evenings a week, make it comfortable for watching TV.

If you do get a corner sofa, you have to have other seating if you ever have people over. Else it feels like you’re sitting in a bus.

TVs on a diagonal waste a lot of space imo. Especially when most are flat screen these days.

I would put the TV on the party wall (and hope your walls don’t let the noise through), put a three seater opposite it and single (twirly?) armchairs either side of it.

We had a similar room and ended up moving things around regularly. It’s going to partly depend on your outlook etc I think once you’re in there.
I would avoid option 1 but I would go for two separate sofas rather than a corner one as it gives you more scope to move them around if you want.

I agree you need to think what you use the room for. If you spend time watching tv make sure its comfy for the number of people who watch tv in there. My sister has number 1 layout and it works for them as there is 2 of them and they have a sofa each so they lie down.

No 1 is the best looking layout.
If you intend to watch a lot of TV then make sure it's comfortable for that - I wouldn't be comfortable watching tv at an angle id like to be straight on the the TV but other people are happy to lie on the sofa and watch from an angle...lay the room according to your own priorities and preferences.

I love the look of option 1 but do agree it's not practical and can only really see it working on the pages of a magazine or in a house that has a tv room so the living room is just for entertaining. Having looked at how we use our current arrangement (corner sofa and armchair) there is always a fight for the one with the arms so 2 two seater sofas is definitely the way forward. I suspect we will end up with the TV on the long wall but going to try different arrangements once we're in. Thanks everyone helpful feedback and comments

Yes we were your position 4 years ago and ordered sofas ready for moving in. We quickly wished we hadn’t as the room wasn’t as we had pictured it. Do you know where the Tv and plug sockets will be? You can’t decide on lighting etc until you are there and all the furniture etc is dependent on each other so munch advice would be to wait. We have just got new sofa and lamps etc and the room is finally the way we want it but very difficult to do without being in there x

Just FYI a lot of sofas are on a very long delivery time - 16 weeks plus - worldwide shortage of foam etc apparently

Option 2 looks really good. There’s also a clear ‘walkway’ through.

I would ask the builder to change the position and double doors for a single so the door isn’t in the middle of the room.

Can you not put a fireplace in? I personally don't like a TV in such a prominent position. I would have TV in a corner and then a fireplace or wood burner with a mirror above. I think it really pulls a room together especially if a new build.
Will you not need some sort of storage and coffee table?