Ideas to Design an L Shaped Living Room

L-shaped living rooms present unique opportunities and challenges when it comes to furniture arrangement and overall design. With careful planning and creative ideas, an L-shaped layout can result in a stylish, functional, and inviting space.

Benefits of an L Shaped Living Room Layout

There are several advantages to working with an L-shaped floorplan:

• Creates defined spaces within an open floor plan - The "L" configuration provides a natural way to divide a large, open room into separate zones for watching TV, having conversations, or other activities.
• Allows for flexible furniture arrangement - With two adjoining walls instead of one, there are more options for placing sofas, chairs, shelves and other furnishings.
• Makes efficient use of corner space - An L-shaped layout takes advantage of wasted corner space and transforms it into useful living area.
• Provides room for traffic flow around furniture - The open side of the "L" allows for easy circulation so people can walk through without bumping into coffee tables or clutter.

L-shaped living rooms lend themselves well to creating distinct spaces that still feel connected, with efficient circulation paths between zones. This makes an L-shape a popular choice for open floor plans.

Design Considerations for an L Shaped Living Room

When starting the design process for an L-shaped living room, there are several important elements to consider:

Focal Point Placement

Every living room needs a focal point - this is the main visual attraction that draws people into the space. In an L-shaped room, effective focal point placement depends on the layout:

• Fireplace on the end wall - Place a comfy chair or small sofa directly facing the fireplace to create an intimate seating area. Use a console table behind to define the space.
• Corner fireplace - Angle furniture towards the fireplace to define a conversation area. Place the TV on an adjacent wall since a corner fireplace makes watching difficult.
• Fireplace on long wall - Position the furniture in an "L" opposite the fireplace. Make sure seats face the focal point and don't block traffic flow.

Furniture Layout

Arranging furniture in an L-shaped living room presents challenges because there are fewer walls to anchor pieces against. Here are some furniture layout tips:

• Place an L-shaped sectional sofa along the two walls, or float in the room perpendicular from the focal point.
• Put one sofa along the short part of the "L" and another along the long side.
• In a small L-shaped room, opt for one small sofa or loveseat.
• Angle furniture towards the focal point to encourage conversation.
• Allow enough space between pieces for traffic flow.

Lighting Design

Thoughtful lighting creates both ambiance and practical illumination in an L-shaped living room. Use a blend of lighting types:

• Ambient lighting - Provides overall illumination, such as flush mount or pendant ceiling lights.
• Task lighting - Focused lights for activities like reading or puzzle tables.
• Accent lighting - Directional lights to highlight artwork or architectural details.

Layer all three types of lighting for a well-lit, multi-dimensional room.

Accessory Planning

Decor accessories help pull an L-shaped living room together into a cohesive space. Consider how items like these can enhance the design:

• Artwork for blank walls
• Area rugs to define spaces
• Throw pillows to add color and visual interest to sofas
• Plants such as tall floor plants to add natural elements
• Sculptural objects on tabletops or shelves as accent pieces

Thoughtful coordination of living room accessories prevents an L-shaped layout from feeling disjointed. Decor accessories can provide continuity through colors, textures and materials.

Decorating an L Shaped Living Room

When decorating and furnishing an L-shaped living room, create a cohesive look using interior design elements like:

Color Scheme

A color scheme is one of the most important aspects for pulling together an L-shaped space. Some options include:

• Neutrals - Shades of beige, gray and taupe provide a soothing, clean backdrop to layer accent colors.
• Bold accent colors - Bright hues on pillows, art and accessories pop against neutral walls and furniture.
• Tonal scheme - Shades of one hue, from light to dark, give a sophisticated look.

Styles

The furnishings and decor you choose will convey a style. An L-shaped layout can accommodate options like:

• Modern - Clean lines, solid colors, lots of texture and angular furniture pieces establish a contemporary look.
• Traditional - Floral prints, dark woods, elegantly curved furniture and antique rugs achieve a classic style.
• Rustic - Natural woods, exposed brick, leather and rough luxe textures give a rustic vibe.

Texture Palette

Vary textures across furniture, rugs, accessories and fabrics. For example:

• Wood coffee table
• Leather club chairs
• Cool metal floor lamp
• Cozy woven throw blanket
• Plush wool rug

The mix of textures adds depth and visual interest to an L-shaped space.

Multi-Purpose Spaces

An L-shaped layout presents opportunities to carve out more than one functional zone. For example:

• Defined reading nook with an armchair, floor lamp and bookshelf
• Small home office area with a desk, filing cabinet and art above
• Craft zone with a table, storage and comfortable seating

With careful planning, an L-shaped living room can accommodate multiple activities.

Maximizing an L Shaped Living Room Layout

To get the most out of an L-shaped floorplan, incorporate design features like:

Built-in Shelving

Custom built-in shelving is ideal for maximizing unused spaces and keeping items organized. Built-ins can:

• Provide display space for books, decorative items and collections
• Hide electronics, toys and other clutter when not in use
• Hold speakers, media storage or gaming consoles

Built-in shelving transforms empty walls and corners into functional storage and display.

Window Treatments

Dress L-shaped living room windows with tailored, decorative treatments. Options like these complement the architecture:

• Floor-length drapes for a touch of elegance
• Roman shades to soften the lines
• Silhouettes or blinds to filter light

Window treatments control light and add style to the room.